A family recipe
Like all things Italian, Mangia & Bevi was born of love for unique food. I hail from Naples, raised on my mother’s mouth-watering cooking.
Together with my younger brother, I devoured homemade pasta and tomato sauce crafted from homegrown tomatoes nurtured in the volcanic soil of Mount Vesuvius – the same volcano that famously wiped out the city of Pompeii in 79 A.D.
Mangia & Bevi’s menu proudly features my grandma’s original meatball recipe, among other mouth-watering recipes.
Napoli, the birthplace of pizza, offers a plethora of pies. When we craved pizza in Napoli, we simply strolled outside and picked any place; they were all fantastic.
With such a rich culinary experience growing up, there was no question I would become a pizzaiolo. I made the decision to move to New York City in 2009 . As a newcomer, I had to adapt to this country’s way of life and learning the language and culture was definitely not easy.
You might think I’m exaggerating, but the reality was I couldn't understand what people were telling me, and they couldn’t grasp what I was saying either!
Luckily, I was able to find work in Italian restaurants and gained experience at some of Manhattan's finest establishments.Years of working in New York helped me establish a relationship with my customers who after awhile understood my passion for food. After spending a decade in the Empire State and further honing my skills in deluxe catering, I decided it was time to start my own venture.
That’s when I met Gaetano, an Italian American with a genuine passion for Neapolitan cuisine. This led me to relocate to Miami and finally kickstart my own business.
My extended family back in Napoli always supported me, offering guidance and daily dialogue, often sharing advice on the latest high quality Italian products.
Looking back, those 10 years of sacrifice were worth all efforts and things are going exceptionally well.
After all, this is a restaurant run by Italians, and Mangia & Bevi is a success story that the Washington Post recently recognized as the best pizzeria in Florida!
In 2019, we opened shop on the Cocoa Beach Causeway. And by 2021, we had doubled in size, adding a whole dining room and an expanded menu.
The meatballs remain the pièce de résistance – hand-made, just as my beloved grandmother used to make back in Napoli. Crafted in-house by our staff, these meatballs truly stand out.
Over 90 percent of our ingredients are imported from Italy, all of which are of top quality.
If a trip to Napoli isn't on your agenda for dinner tonight, swing by Mangia & Bevi. Most likely, I will be there to greet you with my warm southern Italian hospitality – and accent – alongside the finest Italian food you'll find around.
- Luigi
