New York-style pizzeria opens in Bradenton, and one of the owners has Sicily roots
After three months of make ready and renovations, Agrigento NY Style Pizzeria and Caffe recently opened at 5227 Manatee Ave. W.
The new business is the creation of partners Michael Valera and Salvatore Tamgredi, who left the economic meltdown and political upheaval in their native Venezuela several years ago for better opportunities in the United States.
Tamgredi actually detoured first through Agrigento, Sicily, where he has family and ancestral roots, before moving to the United States. That’s where the name of the pizzeria comes from, as well as the Italian spelling of cafe: caffe.
Valera, who has been cooking for most of his life, typically arrives for work first, and starts by hand-making garlic bread and an assortment of pizzas, which will be sold by the slice throughout the day.
“I love to cook and make food,” Valera says, adding that Agrigento specializes in New York-style pizza, and, indeed, his shirt is imprinted with the words “thin and crispy.”
While Valera works the pizza dough by hand, you won’t see him tossing it in the air, out of respect for keeping his kitchen clean.
Agrigento’s most popular pie is a white pizza, called the Agrigento, which is made of ricotta, tomato, spinach, onions, fresh garlic and basil. Other signature pizzas include Greek, Fresca, Nova, Buffalo Chicken and Alla Vodka. Large, 16-inch, pizzas sell for $22 and small, 12-inch pizzas sell for $18.
A variety of specialty pies are also on the menu, including margherita, vegetarian, meat lovers, eggplant, capricciosa and more.
The everyday special includes two slices of pizza and a drink for $8.
Aside from the pizzas, Agrigento also offers a variety of subs and hero sandwiches, including chicken Parmesan, meatball Parmesan, eggplant Parmesan, shrimp Parmesan, chicken cutlet, Italian, and a namesake Agrigento with prosciutto, melted mozzarella cheese, lettuce tomato, fresh basil, spices, balsamic and extra virgin olive oil.
Also offered: pasta dishes, salads, appetizers and desserts, all made from scratch.
The desserts, incidentally, include cannoli, tiramisu, cheesecake, brownies and Limoncello cake, a combination of Sicilian lemon infused sponge cake and Italian mascarpone, a type of cream cheese.
The business is open 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. six days a week and is closed on Tuesday.
Agrigento offers delivery, dine-in and take out options.
For more information, call 941-792-1413.
This story was originally published November 3, 2021 at 5:13 PM.
