Downtown Benny’s Pizza

from P1-Clubmed Sandpiper Living-Vol.540

Entry Point

PIZZA BOSS By Gabby Gregory

Ben Grant “couldn’t nd good pizza in Florida,” so he decided he’d solve the problem by making his own. Using his family’s 70-year old dough recipe, Ben began serving his thin and crispy pizzas, along with classic, authentic Italian dishes, in 2019. And thus, Downtown Benny’s Pizza, a/k/a one of your new favorite restaurants, was born.

Abby and I started with the caprese salad ($9.95), which is the perfect size for two. Fresh mozzarella, basil, and bright red tomatoes are delicately poised atop crisp iceberg lettuce, then drizzled with quality balsamic vinaigrette and extra virgin olive oil. For a unique twist, the salad includes roasted red peppers, which “add a great pop of avor,” says Abby. The caprese is a light, refreshing option that will both satisfy your hunger and keep your diet on track.

For our main course, Abby and I decided to split both a pizza and a dinner to really get a full picture of everything that Downtown Benny’s Pizza has to offer. We ordered a large (18”) pepperoni and pineapple pizza ($18.45) and the tour of Italy ($13.95), which comes with garlic rolls and your choice of soup or house salad.

The pizza comes absolutely loaded with toppings, so you really get value for your dollar! But, what’s really amazing is that the crust holds up despite being laden with plenty of ingredients. You don’t have to fuss with a oppy, folding slice that gets your hands messy and puts stains on your clothes! Downtown Benny’s pizza is still thin and crispy, a classic rendition, but sturdy enough to handle all the toppings that your heart desires. Ben de nitely delivered on his promise to bring delicious New York-style pizza to the area! And, don’t worry, if you have food restrictions, then you can substitute cauli ower/gluten-free crust for any pizza.

The tour of Italy includes manicotti, ravioli, a jumbo stuffed shell, meatballs, and sausage – a great dinner for either when you’re extra hungry or when you’re looking for something to share. Downtown Benny’s homemade marinara sauce is absolutely wonderful! It’s got a full, traditional avor that’s nicely balanced with fresh herbs and spices, and it provides the perfect respite from the heavy cheeses and savory meats. All three of the pastas are stuffed absolutely full with rich, creamy ricotta cheese blends and then blanketed in yummy mozzarella – truly a cheese lover’s paradise! The meatballs and sausage are great additions, ones that you don’t usually nd in this dish. The meatballs are Abby’s favorite, as they are slightly bigger than a baseball and loaded with avor. She remarked mid-bite, “I love these so much.” The tour of Italy is a great meal to choose if you’re new to Downtown Benny’s Pizza because it has a little taste of everything – and everything tastes great!

One of the most remarkable features of Downtown Benny’s Pizza is their consistency across all three of their locations – two in Port St. Lucie and one in Jensen Beach. Unlike other restaurants that have multiple establishments, Downtown Benny’s food tastes the same (i.e. delicious) at each and every location. We’ve had pizzas delivered to our of ce from the Jensen Beach restaurant, and Abby has had dinner delivered to her from one of the PSL locations. All of the food has been exactly like what we saw and sampled

with Gabby & Abby

Do you have questions or comments for Gabby and Abby? Email diningreview@mediaoms.com.

during this review at their alternate location in PSL. The quality of the recipes and freshness of the ingredients are solid and steadfast, so even if you’re not in your normal Downtown Benny’s neighborhood, you can still enjoy the avors you know and love at another neighborhood’s location.

So what are you waiting for? Call “The Pizza Boss” at Downtown Benny’s Pizza for FREE delivery! You can also place your order through the Downtown Benny’s website. And, stay tuned for new locations coming soon!