After trying ‘everything,’ this Manatee pizzeria will close after 30 years
A longtime Manatee County pizzeria is closing its doors.
Raven Pizza, a Parrish staple since 1995, is serving its last slice on July 12.
Owner Riccardo Ossola announced on social media that the restaurant, located at 8255 U.S. 301 North, is closing due to Hurricane Milton’s devastating impact, equipment damage and the loss of a business partner.
“I did it with passion from day one, and I really believe in the potential of the place because it’s the first pizza restaurant in Parrish,” Ossola, who became Raven Pizza’s owner in July 2024, told the Herald. “It opened 30 years ago. We have a huge customer list, we have a phenomenal crew and our customers, we have people that buy from us for the last 17, 20 years.”
Ossola said in the social media post that he “tried everything — searching for a new location, looking for a partner who could help carry the weight, opening up my heart and vision to anyone who believed in what Raven Pizza could still become. But the numbers from a year marked by disasters made belief a hard sell.”
Hurricane closure causes negative year
Hurricane Milton, which caused widespread catastrophic damage in Manatee County, “literally blew the roof off” at Raven Pizza in October, Ossola said.
“We became from night and day to an open sky pizza place,” Ossola said about the damage Milton caused, before the roof was repaired.
By the end of 2024, Raven Pizza had lost several thousand dollars, according to Ossola. He said he tried to find an investor to help save the business, but was unsuccessful.
The restaurant didn’t fully reopen until January.
“You can imagine staying closed for 14 weeks, the loss of profit was huge,” Ossola said. “Plus, we lost customers and I had to reinvent the staff.”
A last slice
Customers looking to get a last bite at Raven Pizza, with items such as pizza, jumbo garlic knots, cheese bread, calzones, strombolis and salads, can do so until July 12.
Popular menu choices include the Original Raven, which is two large pizzas with two toppings each for $32.99.
The deluxe and meat lover pizzas are also fan favorites, along with the garlic knots.
“We literally made them out of real butter,” Ossola said of the garlic knots. “Minced garlic minced at the order, and people love them a lot. We season them with oregano and Parmesan. And people go crazy for them.”
Raven Pizza is open Monday through Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Thursday through Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
