Best Italian In St Pete
Gulfport, Florida, United States
Cuisine Style: Italian
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 5/5
Dined in: July 2016
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Restaurant Owners:
Pia and Tom Goff
The title of this review can be deceiving by saying the best Italian in St. Pete because Pia’s Trattoria is not in St. Petersburg, but a suburb called Gulfport, a small American town that makes you think you stepped into a time machine to a small town before large corporations and commercialization. You have mom and pop businesses, a sense of community, and fantastic restaurants and bars. In the past twenty years, I have had the opportunity to visit five of the seven continents, and while in Europe a chance to spend time in Italy as well. I can say without a doubt in my mind that Pia’s ranks in the top three of the best Italian restaurants I have ever eaten at. My wife and I were on our pineapple date, and special occasion for the two of us, and Pia’s topped the cake for making that experience a remarkable one.
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| Front Entrance |
They have one goal, to spoil you with fresh, natural foods, in a romantic, cozy Old Italian atmosphere. Trattoria is an Italian word, and means “eating the house,” where the staff greets you with a “Ciao Bella” or “Come va mi amore”!
According to Merriam-Webster, a Trattoria is an Italian style eating establishment, that is smaller, and less formal than a ristorante, but more formal than an Osteria. The story of Pia Trattoria began in 2005 after Tom and Pia-Maria Goff immigrated from Italy with their family and settled in Gulfport. Like many people that come to a new place, you can sometimes become homesick, and Pia missed the style of foods that she had grown up with. She grew up in the restaurant industry as an apprentice, chef, and restaurateur all too well knowing just how hard it was to be successful in the business. From long hours, hard work, constant turnover, health inspections, quality of foods, price variations, and pleasing the customer base are all things that stand in your way to opening a restaurant.
So they decided to start a small pasta-panini-salad bar called Pia’s Trattoria. A small place with only 3 tables inside the building and an outside shaded courtyard. Just enough space to operate it with one chef, two servers, and a bartender. As time passed and word of mouth expanded on all the made from scratch products they produced, the business quickly expanded and they began adding space and surrounding themselves with an exceptionally talented culinary team. Today they are a full scale but still a small family owned restaurant that has been rated as one of the best Italian restaurants in the Tampa Bay Area by the St. Pete Times Newspaper.
Pia describes it as “being the chef in your own restaurant is like an obsession. You want to show what you can do. You always try to be better, wow the customers and challenge yourself. It’s not just a job, it’s a calling. You don’t just give your food away, you give your passion, your love, your integrity. You grow with your customers and learn to trust your staff.”
The menu evolved from only pasta and panini to chef-driven menus, fresh seafood, handcrafted pasta, authentic and modern Italian dishes, wine tasting dinners and homemade desserts. They pride themselves in an effort to source locally, cook seasonal, and change their menu bi-weekly. Everything is made from scratch, to include the offering of gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan offerings for those with dietary restrictions. They were recently awarded as “Best Vegan Place for Carnivores” by Creative Loafing. Here is a breakdown of their menu:
- Antipasti
- Insalate
- Pasta
- Fresh Mussels
- Pollo e Vitello
- Weekly Specials
- Desserts
- Homemade Chilled Herb Tea’s & Lemonades
My wife had made reservations in advance, and we both coordinated to lock in a pre-fixe menu for our visit since the menu changed often. Our date began, and we eventually made our way to the restaurant, where through the expansions over time is now broken down into four separate sections.
The first section is the bar area which includes a few cocktail tables, followed by the expanded main dining room with candlelit tables, two private dining rooms, and the covered garden patio with courtyard and a recently built barn roof, where weddings, receptions, and other celebrations are performed, booked out way in advance. The garden patio has a combination of regular tables and for larger family groups, a few picnic tables, adding to a country style Italian theme. “We are good in re-inventing ourselves on a regular basis” Pia jokes.
We sat in the main dining room also known as the wine room, with several movable cast iron wine carts that dotted the room, plus a large wine shelf on one side, and on the other, a wine shelf bolted to the wall a few feet above more tables. Our table was preset without menus printed, napkin displays, and little rose peddles sprinkled around the table. My wife began with a house-made martini, and I enjoyed an 18-year Macallan scotch. From their full bar beyond specialty drinks, they also offered single batch bourbons and cognacs like Louise XIII if you wanted to spend $150 per ounce.
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| Our table |
Our meal began with the antipasti Salmone di Capri, a smoked salmon with a horseradish crème spread sitting on top of some arugula (rocket) lettuce, sprinkled with a lemon and herb pesto, served with grilled Italian focaccia bread. Wonderful textures and flavor, which went very well with the horseradish. Horseradish can be very bold to pair with seafood, as it does not suit everyone's palate. With prime rib, it is a no-brainer, but this was the first time I’d tried it with smoked salmon, and the herb pesto enhanced the flavors even further.
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| Antipasti Salmone di Capri |
Other antipasti selections from their main menu also include the “misto” plate or charcuterie of imported prosciutto, and soppressata salami, with buffalo mozzarella, and bruschetta. A traditional calamari dish with a lemon-butter-garlic sauce, a Caprese imported balsamic vinegar from Modena, and a Formaggio platter served with sugar-coated grapes to name a few others. For our second course, my wife had the potato soup, and I had the crab salad which was a large portion of jumbo lump crab meat sitting on a bed of thinly shaved beets, topped with a nice assortment of mixed greens and vegetables, garnished with sliced avocado and beet oil reduction. The beets complimented the crab very well, but like most fresh shellfish, it needs a little seasoning even if it is just some kosher salt, which can take it to further leaps and bounds.
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| Crab salad |
The third course was our entrees. My wife had a chicken marsala dish, served on a bed of homemade pasta, grilled asparagus, and mushrooms. The sauce was perfect brown color, not to lite or dark, and the aroma of the wine reduction filled the air. A perfectly cooked dish which you will be surprised is not that easy to prepare.
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| Chicken Marsala |
For my entree, I enjoyed a filet of tenderloin, seared to perfection on the outside, but most importantly, a perfect medium-rare on the inside. The dish was served over fingerling potatoes, arugula lettuce leaves, and topped with an oven-baked pearl onion. With our entrees, my wife recommended a wonderful Amarone from the Valpolicella region of Verona, Italy called Cantine Buglioi. According to the world atlas of wine, Valpolicella ranks second behind Chianti in total Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata wine production. According to the winemaker, it has an intense and elegant cherry, ripe fruit and spices aroma, with scents of vanilla, tobacco, and licorice moving onto the palate with full and velvety textures, soft and enveloping finish.
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| Filet of tenderloin |
Amarone Della Valpolicella, aka Amarone, is a rich Italian dry red wine made from the partially dried grapes of the Corvina, Rondinella, and other approved red grape varieties. It was a very intense fruit forward wine, and very enjoyable. My wife used to work in the wine industry for over a decade, and she is helping me to improve my wine palate beyond the few that I turn to such as the big California Cabernet, Rhone Valley blends, and the South African Bordeaux style blends that I enjoy the most.
Dessert:
Our final course was the dessert, which the menu changes daily, and is always made fresh, to which on this particular evening was a blueberry cheesecake, topped with fresh blueberry, and a reduction with powdered sugar garnish. Honestly, we were so full, that we had to take it to go, and enjoyed it the following evening.
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| Blueberry cheesecake |
Pia’s continues to grow and is without a doubt a neighborhood gem, located on the main strip of Beach BLVD, they are surrounded by small family owned shops and restaurants, bars, and more. On Tuesdays, the street comes alive with the Gulfport Tuesday Market and other city activities. Recently, the street closed down, and Pia’s along with a few other restaurants participated in the first annual Gulfport Chef’s Table supporting the CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse) organization. The table stretched from one end of the street to the other. It's a shame that I was out of the country at the time of the event. I would have loved to participate, but there is always next year if they do it again.
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| Picture courtesy of Pia's |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Italian Articles & Restaurants:
Alioto’s Restaurant Historic restaurant serving Sicilian-infused seafood in San Francisco, California
BiCE Restaurant, Dubai Marina Acclaimed upmarket classic & innovative Italian in Dubai, UAE
BRIO Tuscan Grille Relaxed Tuscan-inspired Italian chain eatery, reviewed in Sarasota, Florida
FarmTable Kitchen Casual Cal-Italian cuisine and chef tables in St. Petersburg, Florida
Feola’s Italian Ristorante relaxed eatery for pizza and pasta in Treasure Island, Florida
Gratzzi Italian Grille -Traditional and classic Italian plates in St. Petersburg, Florida
Gino’s East Pizzeria Chain serving Chicago-style deep dish pizza & other Italian eats in Chicago, Illinois
Gino’s Restaurant & Bar Old-school & modern genial Italian eatery in Tampa, Florida
Greystone Restaurant Italian CIA school restaurant in Calistoga, California (Now Gatehouse Restaurant)
La Petite Maison Relaxed French-Italian Restaurant at the DFIC in Dubai, UAE
Locale Seasonal Northern Italian at the De Bortoli Winery in the Yarra Valley, Australia
Noble Crust Modern contemporary Italian and Southern dishes in St Petersburg, Florida
Pizza Republica Trendy Italian trattoria and pizza restaurant in Centennial, Colorado
Ponte Vecchio Fine dining Italian classics in the Fallsview Hotel, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Prato Rustic Italian bistro with modern takes on classic dishes in Winter Park, Florida
Roberto’s Ristorante A walk into the Piemonte with a contemporary twist at the DIFC, Dubai, UAE
Sea-Guini Chic restaurant with seafood & Italian-inspired cuisine in Clearwater Beach, Florida
The Garlic old world style Italian with Mediterranean classics in New Smyrna Beach, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Gulfport restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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French & continental cuisine
Gulfport, Florida, USA
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Weekly, Organic, Sustainable
Gulfport, Florida, USA
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Waterfront Bar with American Bites
Gulfport, Florida, USA
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A Few Florida Favorites:
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Rustic New American Fare
St. Petersburg
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
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Upscale Pan Asian Fare w/sushi
Orlando
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Sanibel Island
Waterfront upscale new American cuisine
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Native American Cuisine w/Barbacoa Grilling
Tampa
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Locally Sourced Café for Southern Grub
St. Augustine
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Key West
Landmark bar since 1851, where Jimmy Buffet got his start
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See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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9
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1
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Food quality
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10
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7
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3
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Plate presentation
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9
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9
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0
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Customer service
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10
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9
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1
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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8
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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48
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42
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6
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.875
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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4
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0833333333333333
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Total percentage with a bonus for the final star rating
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0.958333333333333
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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5
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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5 of 5 Stars:
96% Rating with a 4 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Conservative dining
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Cuisine Style:
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Italian
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Local, Low Carb, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Smart casual to conservative attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Trendy, Business parties, Romantic, Hotspot, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Rustic, Intimate, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Alcohol prices:
$104.00 USD
Pia’s Trattoria:
3054 Beach Blvd. South
Gulfport, FL 33707
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+ 1 (727) 327-2190
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Webpage Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Lunch: Fri - Sat
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Dinner: Mon-Sun
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Eclectic and Innovative New Zealand cuisine
Christchurch, New Zealand
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A classy southern seafood eatery house
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Waterfront upscale new American cuisine
Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
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Other Pictures:
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| Patio |
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| Bar |
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| Main dining room |
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| Candle on our table, now one of the WDP logos used |
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| Wine rack |
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| Cocktail menu |
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| Potato soup |
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| Gulfport Chef’s Table event |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
