Getting Ready to Open Soon: Behind the Scenes at Pizzano's Pizza & Grinderz

The smell of fresh dough and melted cheese has been filling our kitchen for weeks now, and we can barely contain our excitement. We're Michael and the team at Pizzano's Pizza & Grinderz, and we're just days away from opening our doors to the amazing Sarasota community.

It's been quite the journey getting to this point, and we wanted to give you a sneak peek behind the scenes at what we've been up to. From perfecting our signature recipes to training our crew, every day brings us closer to serving you the authentic pizza and grinderz experience we've been dreaming about.

Perfecting Our Dough Recipe

You know that moment when you bite into a perfect slice of pizza and the crust has that ideal chewiness? Yeah, that's what we've been obsessing over for the past month. Our head chef has been in the kitchen at 5 AM almost every morning, testing different flour blends and fermentation times.

We must've made over 200 test batches of dough before we nailed the recipe that'll become our signature. The secret? We're using a 48-hour cold fermentation process that creates these incredible air bubbles and develops flavors you just can't get with quick-rise dough. When you taste your first slice, you'll understand why we were so picky about getting this right.

The Great Sauce Debate

Here's something funny that happened last week. We had three different sauce recipes on the table, and the entire team spent two hours doing blind taste tests. Let's just say things got pretty heated when someone suggested adding pineapple to the sauce (don't worry, we shut that down real quick).

Our final marinara sauce starts with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil from a local Sarasota farm, and a blend of spices that we're keeping top secret. We're also working on a white sauce and a BBQ sauce that'll knock your socks off. The BBQ sauce actually came about because one of our team members is from Kansas City, and she insisted we needed something with a little kick.

Training Our Pizza Artists

We don't just call our team "pizza makers" – they're pizza artists. Over the past two weeks, we've been putting everyone through intensive training on everything from proper dough stretching techniques to the art of the perfect cheese pull.

Sarah, our lead pizza artist, can toss dough like you wouldn't believe. She's been teaching the rest of the crew her techniques, and let me tell you, there's been a lot of dough stuck to the ceiling during practice sessions. The good news? Everyone's getting the hang of it, and by opening day, you'll be watching some seriously impressive pizza theater.

Setting Up Our Digital Kitchen

We're living in 2026, so we knew our online ordering system had to be spot-on from day one. Our team has been testing our website ordering process over and over again. We want to make sure that when you're craving a late-night pizza or need to feed the whole family, placing your order is as easy as a few clicks.

The best part? We've set up real-time order tracking, so you'll know exactly when your pizza goes in the oven and when it's ready for pickup or heading out for delivery. No more wondering where your food is or getting cold pizza because it sat on a counter somewhere.

The Grindez Game-Changer

Now, let's talk about our grinderz – because honestly, this might be what we're most excited about. For those not familiar, grinderz are basically the ultimate hot subs, but calling them subs doesn't do justice to what we're creating.

We've been sourcing our meats from a local Sarasota supplier who's been in business for over 30 years. The Italian cold cuts, the roasted turkey, the pastrami – everything is sliced fresh to order. Our Italian grinder has become the unofficial favorite during our staff tastings, with layers of salami, ham, capicola, and provolone that we finish under our pizza ovens until everything gets perfectly melty.

Local Love and Community Connection

One thing that's been amazing is how welcomed we've felt by the Sarasota community even before opening. Local suppliers have been incredibly helpful, from our produce vendor who's been bringing us the freshest vegetables every Tuesday, to the local brewery that's going to supply our craft beer selection.

We're also planning to partner with some Sarasota schools for fundraising nights once we're up and running. There's nothing better than pizza bringing people together, and we want to be part of what makes this community special.

The Final Countdown Setup

This week has been all about the final touches. We've been setting up our dining area with comfortable booths and tables where families can enjoy their meals together. The lighting is warm and inviting – not too bright, not too dim – just right for everything from a quick lunch to a family dinner.

Our point-of-sale system went live yesterday, and watching the first test transaction go through was honestly a little emotional. Months of planning, and now we're actually ready to start serving real customers.

What You Can Expect

When we open our doors, here's what you're going to find: authentic New York-style pizza with crusts that have the perfect char from our 550-degree ovens, grinderz that are loaded with premium ingredients and toasted to perfection, and a team that genuinely cares about making your meal exactly right.

We're starting with classic favorites like pepperoni, margherita, and supreme pizzas, plus our signature "Pizzano's Special" that combines our best-selling toppings. For grinderz, we'll have Italian, turkey and cheese, chicken parmigiana, and a few rotating specials that change based on what looks amazing from our suppliers.

Ready for Takeoff

Our soft opening is just around the corner, and we're planning to start with takeout and delivery only for the first few days while we work out any kinks. We want to make sure every single order that goes out represents the quality we're committed to.

The energy in our restaurant right now is incredible. Everyone's excited, maybe a little nervous, but mostly just ready to start cooking for you. We've put our hearts into every detail, from the recipe development to the staff training to making sure our online ordering system works flawlessly.

Keep an eye on our website at pizzanossarasota.com for our official opening announcement. We'll be posting our full menu, hours, and maybe a few behind-the-scenes videos of our pizza artists in action.

Thanks for following along with our journey, Sarasota. We can't wait to become your new go-to spot for pizza and grinderz. See you soon!