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Perfecting Family Recipes: Miraglia’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza

For 30+ years, Joe Miraglia worked in restaurants on the Treasure Coast, honing his craft. At the same time, the Philadelphia-born Italian stallion was experimenting with his own family’s recipes, primarily those from his Grandmother. So, when the opportunity presented itself for Joe to open his very own restaurant, how could he refuse? Though he only had about $300 in his bank account at the time, Joe opened Miraglia’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza without looking back, and began serving the generations-old family recipes that he had slowly perfected over the years.

Passion and attention to detail are what really set Joe apart from other restaurant owners. You can literally watch him as he stands behind the front counter in the kitchen to hand toss your pizza before he carefully arranges the ingredients on top and then gingerly places it in the oven. Additionally, Joe is dedicated to serving his customers the very best ingredients, so he gets his sandwich rolls directly from the renowned Amoroso’s Baking Company in Philadelphia. He also sources most of his produce from Nelson’s Family Farms in Fort Pierce.

Our rst taste test was for Miraglia’s garlic rolls, which came with both of our entrées. Oh those sweet, sweet garlic rolls… how Abby and I adored them! Served warm, they were buttery, cheesy, garlicky, and just plain ol’ addicting! With an ever-so-slightly crisp outside and delightfully uffy interior, the rolls were like clouds of happiness for our palates. It took everything in us to save some of them for our signi cant others at home!

Next, Abby ordered the special for the evening, chicken alfredo ($12), which came with choice of pasta, a side of those wonderful garlic knots I already mentioned, and a choice of soup or salad. What a deal! She savored the generously-sized entrée portion, and said, “It’s pretty incredible because it includes huge chunks of very tender grilled chicken and it’s very cheesy without being greasy or oily. I really enjoy it.”

Speaking of cheese, if you love it as much as I do, then you should try the manicotti ($13.99). The delicate, tubeshaped pasta was over owing with rich, mild ricotta! Then, to top it all off, the 3 large pasta sleeves were smothered in both mozzarella and parmesan. Ask for an extra side of Miraglia’s rustic, homey marinara sauce to enjoy with this dish, though, if you want to temper its heaviness.

Abby and I also split a 16” pizza ($10.99) with mushrooms, green peppers, and onions ($1.75 each). Thankfully, Miraglia’s isn’t the type of place where the pizza maker just slaps some raw vegetables atop the baking pie and hopes for the best. Instead, Joe is the pizza maker, and he actually puts thought into the process. He sautéed the vegetables in olive oil with various spices before adding them to our pizza. As a

by Gabby Gregory

with Gabby & Abby

result, their avors were more vibrant and distinguishable. Additionally, the thin-crusted pizza had a satisfyingly crisp texture that impressively held up the vast, heavy assortment of cheese and toppings. I enjoyed eating a slice of it not only during this review, but also later on that same evening for a midnight snack!

You can’t really go wrong with any of Miraglia’s desserts. I say this because Abby and I decided to go big by sampling all three — a cannoli ($4.50), slice of cheesecake ($5), and order of zeppoli ($5.99).

Miraglia’s cannoli is different from what you might be used to, but in a good way! Joe uses his Grandmother’s Sicilian recipe for this treat, so the result is a lighter, uf er cream with a hint of citrusy avor. It’s a refreshing twist on the heavier, sweeter version of this Italian classic, so if you’re looking for something a bit different, then Abby and I recommend it.

I was honestly shocked by how much I enjoyed the cheesecake! The dessert is normally not among my favorites, yet I found myself going back for more and more forkfuls of Miraglia’s version. The thick slice was simple, not at all overdone, yet it tasted spectacular. Smooth and sweet, rich and creamy, classic and tasty, the cheesecake quickly disappeared from our table.

With the zeppoli, you get a fantastic value! Our plate was piled high with the scrumptious mini doughnuts, which were served warm and doused in powdered sugar. They melted in our mouths deliciously, and did not require any sort of dipping sauce, as some variations do. Miraglia’s delightful little puffs of sugar-coated dough shone brilliantly enough on their own.

Visit Miraglia’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza to enjoy not only delicious, perfected-overthe-years family recipes, but also incredible savings! On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4PM to 6PM, the restaurant offers an Early Bird Special with entrées for ONLY $13.99, including a soup or salad AND dessert. Additionally, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Miraglia’s serves a 16” cheese pizza for ONLY $10.99! After all, what’s better than affordably feeding your family handcrafted meals from another family?

Joe Miraglia Owner & Chef

Miraglia’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza is located in the Publix Plaza at 5489 St. James Boulevard in Port St. Lucie. The restaurant is open TuesdaysThursdays from 11AM-8PM, Fridays from 11AM-9PM, and Saturdays-Sundays from 12PM-8PM. For more information, call 772-244-2292 or visit miragliasitalianrestaurant.com.

2 Slices of Cheese Pizza & a 16 oz. Fountain Drink $6.99

MLM Coupon Expires 8/31/22

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