Downtown St. Augustine is about to pick up a Dallas accent. Dallas-born Bellatrino Pizzeria is preparing to open its first Florida outpost at 59 West Ave, with the St. Augustine menu already posted online and the company listing a tentative mid-January grand opening.
The news first surfaced yesterday, when WhatNow reported the plans. The outlet noted that owner John Cooper was not immediately available for comment and pointed readers to the restaurant's St. Augustine page for the full menu.
Menu Teasers
The St. Augustine menu on the restaurant's site lists starters such as focaccia, mac & cheese, and "Jimmy’s Italian Meatballs," plus pizzas including pancetta & fig, rocket prosciutto, and Jimmy’s Italian sausage & spinach, according to FloridaBestPizza. There is also a sandwiches-and-calzones section with a Caprese panuozzi, chicken parmesan, and an Italian beef, among other items. Taken together, the lineup signals that Bellatrino plans to bring its Neapolitan-focused pies and a slate of casual sandwiches to the downtown crowd.
From Dallas To The Ancient City
Bellatrino started in Dallas, where it runs a downtown outlet inside the Dallas Farmers Market at 920 S Harwood St, Suite 120, and describes itself as a Neapolitan pizzeria that makes its dough and some cheeses in-house. The restaurant's main site and marketing materials highlight a wood-fired oven and imported Italian flour as core to the concept. Diners in St. Augustine will be getting a version of a pizzeria that has already built a following in Dallas.
When It Might Open
The St. Augustine page for the restaurant currently notes that the location is closed till their grand opening mid January and lists a local phone number for reservations, per the listing on FloridaBestPizza. For the latest pre-opening updates and promos, the outlet suggested following the new location's Instagram account, as reported by WhatNow. Expect the familiar Bellatrino lineup of wood-fired pizzas and hearty sandwiches when the doors open to visitors and locals alike.
We will be watching for an official grand-opening announcement from the restaurant and its local managers. Until then, the posted menu and Bellatrino's Dallas track record offer a pretty clear preview of what is headed to 59 West Ave.
