IL RITORNO MAZZARO’S ITALIAN MARKET crunchy vegetables; and fried seafood platters feature a selection of cornmeal-crusted shrimp, oysters or grouper fingers. Pro-tip: Their fried oyster po-boy is among the best in town. italian IL RITORNO • St. Petersburg; $$$ • This fine dining Italian restaurant in downtown St. Pete has been around for several years but still feels modern and of-the-moment with a constantly evolving menu that hinges on the freshest ingredients and impressive kitchen techniques. A daily five-course chef’s tasting menu can include the optional wine and white or black truffle pairings, offering the best of what the chef has in store that day, from roasted bone marrow with uni toast to a potato-scaled roasted grouper with salt-baked beets and charred heirloom tomatoes. MAZZARO’S ITALIAN MARKET • St. Petersburg; $ • The popular St. Pete market has achieved something akin to cult status, and both the one-of-a-kind shopping experience and gourmet grocery aisles are worth every bit of the hype. Come here and spend hours browsing the massive cheese selection, fine wine assortment, fresh seafood and sprawling butcher case. Or pop in for a lunchtime treat and peruse the deli counter, stocked high with prepared treats like lasagna, roasted pork loin, chicken piccata and homemade pastas and sauces to-go. The huge sandwiches and weekly specials are always a good bet. NONA SLICE HOUSE • Safety Harbor; $$ • You’re not just getting pizza at this downtown Safety Harbor restaurant — you’re getting a show. At some point on most evenings, the owner (a self-pro-claimed “pizzaiolo'' who has won international awards for his pie-tossing acrobatics) will come out and do a little performance, spinning and swirling the pizza dough high in the air, often to the musical styles of a live performer. Several different types of pizza are served here, but the best bet are the Detroit-style pies — thick, square pizzas baked with Wisconsin brick cheese, which oozes and gets extra crispy at the edges. PIA’S TRATTORIA • Gulfport; $$ • With bright bougainvillea creeping up the canary yellow walls and candelabras covered in dripping wax, Pia’s in Gulfport knows how to turn up the romance factor. The spot features all the hallmark characteristics of a rustic and cozy neighborhood trattoria, with a menu featuring creative spins on Italian classics like capellini pomodoro and buttery shrimp scampi over homemade linguine, eggplant Parmesan, and plump blue crab ravioli with a brown butter sauce. The restaurant also has plenty of vegan dishes and gluten-free pastas on their evolving menu. PIZZERIA GREGARIO • Safety Harbor; $ • Dining outside is the only option at this Safety Harbor pizza destination, but that’s okay, since you’re here for one thing and one thing only: Gregory Seymour’s wicked delicious pies. The menu features a selection of nine pizzas, all featuring that perfectly crispy, chewy crust made with stone-milled flour the spot is known for. Guests order at the counter from a chalkboard menu and grab a table on the 18-seat patio outside. Whatever you do, be sure to get the garlic schmoo — a delicious garlic and olive oil combo that’s a must for crust-dunking. SOUL SICILIAN FUSION • Clearwater; $$ • This charming Sicilian restaurant hews closely to southern Italian classics in a downtown Clearwater setting. A selection of antipasti includes silky slices of prosciutto paired with pillow-like orbs of burrata and pan-fried octopus coupled with crispy nuggets of fried potatoes and asparagus. Don’t skip out on the excellent pasta dishes, which rely on simple, fresh ingredients that shine (the linguine all'amatriciana is fantastic). An all-Italian wine list includes a few Sicilian dessert selections, which pair nicely with the restaurant’s excellent tiramisu. VISITSTPETECLEARWATER.COM 83
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