I Found My New Favorite Spot for Chicken Parmesan in Florida

Whenever I go to an Italian restaurant for the first time, I order chicken parmesan. It lets me know everything I need to know about the place. When you order chicken parmesan, you'll see how good their sauce is (crucial) and the restaurant's attention to detail. What's the texture of the chicken? Does it turn into a soggy mess when you add the sauce? How much cheese do they use? Is it the good stuff or are they using cheap filler? If you can wow me with your chicken parmesan, I'm going to be a fan. And to say the least, I'm a fan of Antico Fornaio in Clearwater.

Antico Fornaio is a new Italian restaurant in Feather Sound sat for months in dark silence this year. It replaced a Greek place called Taziki's I was kind of bummed to see go. They had a Balsamic Chicken Pasta dish I loved. The plaza is chain central. Antico Fornaio's neighbors are Starbucks, Dominoes, and until recently Teriyaki Madness. So my hopes weren't all that high.

Last week I was in a hurry so I popped by Teriyaki Madness for a quick lunch. The redundant sign "permanently closed forever" gave me a chuckle. It didn't surprise me. I like Teriyaki Madness but the staff was always terrible. Still, I was bummed they were gone... especially since I was starving. Then I noticed someone was walking out of the Italian restaurant that had been dark and dormant for months. As I walked in, the layout and look wasn't all that different from Taziki's (the Greek place they replaced). So I wondered why it took so long for them to open.

They offer take out and even though I was busy, I took a seat in a booth and put the world on hold for an hour. A quick scan of the menu showed the usual stuff you find at an Italian restaurant. For apps there's bruschetta, fried calamari, garlic knots and a charcuterie. There are a half dozen salads, calzone, paninis, pizza and pasta dishes. The dessert menu includes the staples: cannoli, tiramisu, and limoncello. But the 2 interesting ones that stood out are a Nutella Pizza with strawberry and banana and a "Calzone Nutella." (Sidenote: I've been to Antico Fornaio 3 times now but never have had enough room leftover for dessert. Don't know if I ever will.)

First impressions were good when the waiter, an older guy who definitely had a cigarette recently, brought out fresh bread with a dish of oil and balsamic vinegar. I'm a balsamic vinegar addict and I loved that they didn't just drop 2 or 3 drops of it in like most restaurants do. The oil to balsamic vinegar ratio was excellent. The bread was still warm. It was a great start to the lunch.

The first order of business... let's try that chicken parmesan. You can get it as a panini with fries for $12 or a main dish with pasta for $18. I've now had it both ways... go with the main dish. The texture of Antico Fornaio's chicken parmesan is perfection. It's got a crunch but not too much. The chicken is prepared just as I like it. The sauce is fantastic and plentiful (on the main dish, not so much on the panini). I went with the half rigatoni for pasta... no regrets there.

After the first couple bites, I grabbed my phone and many of you saw my post to social media. "I might have found my new favorite place for chicken parmesan in Florida." I didn't want to blurt the name of the place out quite yet. I was super hungry... maybe I was overreacting I thought. I resolved to have it a second time before I make a bold claim like that.

The next day I went back to Antico Fornaio to try the pizza. I love chicken parmesan but 2 days in a row of it is a bit much even for me. I went with a basic cheese with extra sauce. It was good, but not quite as amazing as the chicken parmesan. The pizza flops. I like my crust a bit stiffer. The sauce was good. These cheese tasted great. Overall, a far better than average pizza.

Today was my third visit. It had been a few days so I was ready to dive into some more chicken parmesan. But this time I went with that panini version. It was good, but I far prefer the main dish version. The bread was fresh and the chicken parm was perfect. But there wasn't enough sauce for me. And I know many like coated fries but these didn't hit the spot for me. This time, I added a $4 "Mista" side salad. Definitely worth the measly $4... fresh, crunch cold lettuce and cherry tomatoes with carrots, cheese, and cucumbers.

As I was finishing up, an older guy came by to ask how the meal was. I gave my thumbs up in approval as I still had a mouthful of chicken parmesan. I asked if he was the owner. He said yes... I whipped out my phone and began to record for a new podcast of Geno Ate Tampa. Come to find out, even though this restaurant is new, the guy's name will definitely be familiar to Italian food lovers in Tampa Bay.

Antico Fornaio is owned by Vinnie Fortunato... yes of Fortunato's fame. Like me, after living near Feather Sound he noticed there weren't really many great places to eat and kept an eye out for a place where he could open. When Taziki's vacated that spot at 2467 Ulmerton Road, he jumped on it. As I mentioned earlier, he didn't have to do much to the place... so why did it take so long to open?

Turns out that oven isn't your typical oven. It's from Italy and Vinny refused to open until it arrived. The magic of that sauce? The tomatoes are from Italy too. Vinny says it takes 3 hours to cook the sauce. The cheese is 100% mozzarella. No filler. Bread is made daily. It just takes 90 seconds to make in that magical oven they waited for for months.

Antico Fornaio Authentic Trattoria and Pizzeria is at 2467 Ulmerton Road in Clearwater. It's about 3-4 minutes off 275 as you come off the Howard Frankland Bridge. Their phone number is 727-803-6003.

It's not easy to find a great lunch in the Tampa area for under ten bucks. Even drive thru meals at fast food places are about $10 right now. But these 10 really give you the bang for your lunchtime buck.

I have to lead off with what's probably my favorite place in Tampa Bay. This Italian market in St. Pete has a bunch of great subs in the deli that are under $10. In fact, I don't think there's even one that's more than $10. The $8 Hot Italian is my usual go to with ham, salami, pepperoni, shredded lettuce, tomato, provolone, banana peppers & Italian dressing. But I'll tell you - I'm torn now. On my last visit, I tried the #7 with Prosciutto D’ Parma, sweet Soppressata, hot Capicola, marinated sundried tomato & fresh mozzarella on Ciabatta. Just 50 cents more and a great choice when the weather is too hot for a Hot Italian.

Listener Christine suggested this one. "The Chick" includes your choice of sandwich with lettuce and tomato and a side for $8.99. Sides include broccoli salad, fresh fruit, mac & cheese, chips, pasta salad or a seasonal strawberry salad. Lots of variations of a traditional chicken salad sandwich like lemon basil, one for onion lovers, or the "Sassy Scott" with ranch, bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.

I was devastated when I found out Italia Mia closed. But when I learned that the owners had just started a new place, I couldn't visit Italian Touch fast enough. Their $8.95 lunch specials are a steal. You can get ravioli, lasagna, pasta with a meatball, ziti with sausages... but I always have to get the chicken parmesan sub.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jsJC3Rpl7o

The triple decker sandwiches here are enormous. I'm 6'4 and about 300 pounds and I can't finish one. Yet they're priced under $10. Go with the Broadway. It’s roast beef, turkey, ham, salami and Swiss cheese topped with some cole slaw and Russian dressing. There are about a half dozen similar options that switch out 1 or 2 ingredients. But the Broadway is my jam.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_aCbe2JsWS/

Listener Sharon says this is the best Cuban sandwich in town and the drink is included for under $10. She likes their Spanish bean soup too.
https://www.facebook.com/latintouch736/photos/676775629029370

Living in California for 5 years spoiled me. It's tough to find great legit Mexican food in Florida. But this spot in Clearwater is a gem. A steak burrito for $9.99 just barely lands them on this list. But I usually go with a couple tacos.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ1Ja0LsYG_/

There's no good reason this cheesesteak only costgs $7.25 It's worth double that. Please don't tell them though. By the way, bring cash. They don't take cards. These cheesesteaks are Philly legit. Too few places in Tampa offer cheesesteaks "wiz wit." If you know, you know.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSNZOjsMtVV/

If I had to pick a favorite from this list, it'd probably be this place. The Honey Garlic Chicken lunch special is the biggest thing I miss about living on the Hillsborough side. You'd easily miss this hole in the wall takeout place across from Brandon Ford. Comes with PLENTY of chicken, fried rice, and an egg roll. Easily feeds two.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnJtlIQBrx3/

Listener Jim says this place has the best Midianoche. He says you can add in 4 croquettes and a bottle of water and you'll still pay less than $10.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZCLBFlMNUT/

I'm reluctantly going to include this place because honestly I have never been wow'd by Eddie & Sam's pizza. But I'm pretty much the only one. Everyone seems to love their slices. They say the secret is using New York water. You can get two slices with a Coke for about $8. The big pain is finding parking. You either have to find a metered spot or pay $15 at the nearby lot.  Tampa loves Eddie & Sam's but I still say the best pizza is found across the bridge over at Cristino's in Clearwater.  And you can get their 12" personal Margherita with tomato sauce, fresh sliced mozzarella, fresh basil and oregano for $9.99.