Anthony’s Wood Fired Pizza is ready to bring the “real deal,” and amid 48,784 students, they have plenty of mouths to feed.
The restaurant opened Saturday, replacing Mellow Mushroom at 1209 W. University Ave. The building had been empty since last fall.
Anthony’s owners, Anthony Grey and William Trenchard, moved from their other location in Tampa due to the oil spill and resulting poor influx of tourists and residents.
According to mutual friend and real estate agent, they heard the location in Gainesville was good because the city is busy.
Anthony’s is two stories with an outdoor patio. The restaurant is open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The plan is to install televisions throughout, convert the second story into a sports bar and transform the patio into a tiki bar to contribute to the eclectic atmosphere.
Anthony’s is hoping to take suggestions from customers and present a chalkboard menu with seasonal items.
With a grand opening set to be around Halloween, Anthony’s’ goal is to offer fun, festive food including wood-fired, New York-, and Chicago-style pizza that “can get as creative as people want,” Trenchard said.
All pizzas are available in 18-inch pies or by the slice.
But Anthony’s doesn’t plan to stick to just pizza. They will offer Gator Bites, which are jalapeño peppers stuffed with a three-cheese blend and wrapped in bacon.
The bites can be either grilled, baked, or put in a smoker and can be dipped in ranch dressing.
