A big night out?
Our idea is a pitcher of beer and wings, especially after a high school football game around town.
OK, so you can’t do that all the time.
That means going out for pizza, or dropping in for a cheeseburger.
We know where to find all of that in our community:
n Boiler Room Bar & Grill, 5600 Manatee Ave. W.
Always a good post-game stop.
Don’t take our word for it.Just check it out on Friday nights when fans, coaches and the officiating crew from the same game can be found chowing down at neighboring tables.
Bradenton-born owner Matt LaVallee’s and his team make a cheesesteak sandwich as delicious as the real deal back in Philadelphia, too.
n Cherry’s Bar & Grille, 3561 53rd Ave. W., Bradenton.
Another one of our favorite stops during football season, whether it’s Friday night or Sunday afternoons.
Between all the big screens, the service with a smile and the menu owners Adam and Robert Grant run a first-rate sports emporium.
n Council’s Recreation Parlor, 536 12th St. W.
Still a must visit for anyone looking for a joint that gives them an insight into what makes our town tick along with a great burger.
You get all of the above from proprietor and head chef Lawton Smith who, while flipping burgers, provides a running commentary on City Hall, county government, the way things used to be around here.
Oh, and don’t forget to ask for fries.
n Demetrios’ Pizza House, 1720 Cortez Road W.
One of our favorite places for pizza. Judging by the weeknight crowds, we aren’t the only ones. Owners Gus and Lisa Sokos’ friendly presence radiates through the staff, making it a place to linger and luxuriate after the last slice is gone.
Or in the go-box.
n Ferraro’s Pizza and Restaurant, 817B 14th St. W. No longer one of the town’s best kept secrets. Linguini and clam sauce just the way we crave them. And owner Frank Ferraro is a fellow Jersey boy.
n Joey D’s Chicago Style Eatery, 4304 14th St. W. There’s something familiar about enjoying pizza and beer or wine with a big screen nearby showing a game. Why, it feels just like your living room!
n Shake Pit, 3801 Manatee Ave. W. The appropriate message for the Pit’s marquee would be one from Irish poet, William Butler Yeats: “There Are No Strangers Here; Only Friends You Haven’t Yet Met.”
It’s a few words too many even for proprietor Debbie Crowe’s creativity, but it fits the welcoming atmosphere she and husband Bob have maintained at the Bradenton institution founded in 1959.
And anyone who has been able to finish one of the Pit’s humongous banana splits in one sitting, please raise your hand.
n Smitty’s Pub & Grille, 3812 Manatee Ave. W. Another good post-game stop on fall Friday nights. Or any night of the week, actually.
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