Amelia’s: Gainesville’s finest italian cuisine

One of the best Italian places I have ever been to lays in the heart of Gainesville. Amelia’s is the perfect authentic Italian restaurant that has amazing food everyone must try.

From the moment you walk into Amelia’s you get the feeling that this place “is the real deal.” The atmosphere is genuine, and the people are excited to serve you.

Amelia’s serves classic Italian dishes that everyone will enjoy. Whether you are going out for a romantic night with a significant other or just going for dinner with the girls, you are sure to have a dining experience you will never forget.

Each dish is hand-crafted and prepared individually, so, although your food may take longer to reach your table, it is well worth the wait.

For those wine-os out there, Amelia’s wine menu is almost as large as their regular menu! There is truly something for everyone.

Pasta and classic Italian dishes are Amelia’s specialty. However, they do serve exceptional desserts. The Cannolis are a must-try and the Flan is “to die for.”

With so many choices on the menu, it is sometimes hard to pick exactly what you want. However, at Amelia’s you will be satisfied with whatever you choose. And get ready to take home a ‘doggy-bag” because the portions are so large you will never be able to finish the whole thing!

To make a reservation today visit their website. You can also order Amelia’s for delivery.

Pizza By The Slice

If you have ever been out to mid-town and gotten the undeniable urge to eat something wonderful and delicious, you have encountered Pizza By The Slice. This conveniently located walk-up window serves Gainesville’s finest pizza to the patrons of mid-town.

Many people do not know that the correct name for this yummy pizza pit is The Italian Gator. However, it is more commonly known as Pizza By The Slice because they serve pizza, by the slice.

For $2.75, you can get a deliciously greasy and fattening piece of cheese or pepperoni pizza that will change your life in a matter of thirty seconds.

Jenny Shotwell, a sophomore studying finance, enjoys a slice of cheese pizza at least once a week.

“I come to Pizza By The Slice because they have the best cheese pizza,” Shotwell said. “It’s delicious and cheap.”

On any given night, you are bound to see the line of people waiting for their freshly-made slice of pizza.

Julia Sullivan (left) and Sloan Patterson enjoy their hot slices of Pizza By The Slice pizza after a long night at mid-town.

Maude’s Classic Cafe

So, yes, this blog is mainly focused on all things Italian food but the beauty of Gainesville is the diversity of restaurants menus.

Maude’s Classic Cafe, 101 SE 2nd place, is known as a perfect Sunday brunch and lunch location. The menu mainly consists of delicious breakfast items and hand-crafted sandwiches. The menu is short, which I love, and the choices are all superb.

Some of the sandwiches on the menu kind of share a relation to a calzone, minus the marinara sauce. The cheesy bread concoction will make you think you died and went to heaven. It will be the best thing you have ever eaten, promise. My favorite is the “Da’Bomb” sandwich; this sandwich is simply cheese melted with tomato, peppers, onions and bacon. Cheap, simple and delicious.

Another specialty of Maude’s is the desserts. The dessert menu is almost as long as a regular menu. Each dessert has a clever name for a classic dish. The “Dolly Parton” is a tiramisu, a wonderful tiramisu. The portions are huge so you must bring someone to share your dessert.

For you 21-and-up Gators out there, the newest addition to Maude’s Cafe is the Sidecar, this nifty bar next door to Maude’s serves beer and wine in the evenings. The Sidecar is the newest lounge in Gainesville that you should definitely check out!

For more information visit their website.

Satchel’s Pizza

One of the most iconic places to eat in Gainesville is Satchel’s Pizza. Not only is the decor one-of-a-kind, but the food is as well. If you’re looking for one of the best dining experiences you will ever have, take a trip to Satchel’s, 1800 NE 23rd Ave. Although it’s a little further than most on-campus restaurants, the drive will be worth it.

The menu is simple, pizza and lots of it. There are about 30 different topping to choose from- some quite different than your average cheese and pepperoni. And for those vegetarians and vegans out there, Satchel’s offers tempeh, a delicious alternative to tofu. Even if you are not big on toppings, the plain cheese pizza is sure to satisfy your hunger. The slices are HUGE, and the individual personal pizzas are even bigger. Satchel’s makes it its mission to make sure you leave the restaurant with your pants unbuttoned.

One of the most interesting things that make dining a Satchel’s a different experience is the bus-turned-table seating area outside. If you are lucky enough, you may be seated in the vintage bus outside of Satchel’s. This 80s bus is a dining experience that one should have at least once.

Another thing that sets Satchel’s apart from other mainstream restaurants is the “cash only” rule. Satchel’s does not take credit cards, so make sure you bring cash. Some might think this is an unreasonable tacit that the restaurant has adopted. However, Satchel’s donates the fee that would normally be charged by credit card companies to local charities. So while you are eating a delicious meal you can also find comfort in the fact that you are helping out local charities.

For more information on Satchel’s Pizza visit their website.

TIP:

Satchel’s does not take reservations so get there early if you have a large group.

Leonardo’s By the Slice

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that some of the best pizza on campus is Leonardo’s. However, some people do live under a rock and have no idea what Leonardo’s is.
Leonardo’s by the slice is a small pizzeria that sells amazing pizza by the slice. It’s fast and cheap, so, it’s perfect for all college students. Whatever pizza you get, you are sure to be amazed. Even the plain cheese is life-changing.

One of Leonardo’s hidden gems is the side salads. My personal favorite is the Ceaser salad.
The Ceaser salad is a large portion with creamy Ceaser dressing and a side of lemon which adds a nice touch.

The salads all come with two garlic knots and a side of marinara sauce. You get a lot for a $4 side salad.
So, if you are looking for a quick, cheap meal stop by Leonardo’s By The Slice and check out their website.

Big Lou’s NY Style Pizzeria

If you’re looking for excellent pizza that will fill you up, yet not break the bank, look no further than Big Lou’s NY Style Pizzeria. This authentic pizzeria, located at 5 SE 2nd Ave., has enormous pizza slices that are sure to fill you up. The slices come in standard cheese with the option to upgrade them with numerous topping that range from basic pepperoni to out-of-the-ordinary tempeh.

If you are not big on pizza, or just not feeling it, they have amazing baked pasta dishes. I decided to try the baked ziti, and it was amazing. When you think of classic Italian pasta, this is what you think of. The dish was large and steaming hot. It came in the same dish it was baked in to ensure quality “yumminess”.

Morgan Reitz, 19, is a student at UF and visits Big Lou’s frequently.

“Everything is a really good deal,” Reitz said.

Reitz ordered a slice of cheese pizza and a side of pasta with marinara sauce. She says that the combination of the two is enough to fill her up.

“My side of pasta was a pretty large portion, given the price,” Reitz said.

So make a trip to downtown and try some of Big Lou’s pizza or pasta. You will leave satisfied.

For more information visit Big Lou’s website.

Welcome to The Cheap Italian Gator

There’s basically one word that is always associated with being a college student-broke. We’re all poor not-so-adults trying to make it by from our weekly allowance, if that. Living in Gainesville, there are numerous places to go out to eat. Just take a stroll down midtown or archer road, and you’ll find many places to stop in and grab a bite. Flooded with everyday favorites like Olive Garden, Outback and Chilies, Gainesville offers many places for every type of palette. However, good these places may be, the real treasures lay in the heart of Gainesville, not on busy streets. Thus, I have created The Cheap Italian Gator, your one stop on Italian food with a budget! So stop by once a week to get your weekly dose of The Cheap Italian Gator!