ROAD TRIP TO SATCHEL’S BEST PIZZA IN GAINESVILLE, FL

Embark on a culinary adventure with a road trip to Satchel’s, home to the best pizza in Gainesville, FL. Nestled in the heart of this vibrant city, Satchel’s beckons with its irresistible aroma and mouth-watering creations. Join us as we journey through the winding hallways and paths sprinkled with a bit of funk and trashy art, indulging in slices of perfection and discovering why a road trip to Satchel’s is a must-visit destination in Gainesville, FL for pizza enthusiasts everywhere.

Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, tailgating, and a roadside attraction that will dazzle your taste buds! It’s a destination worth adding to any Florida itinerary and here’s why. It’s a wildly crazy combination of a great pizza parlor, greenhouse, live music venue, whimsical art gallery, and toy shop. 

Established in 2003 and located on the east side of Gainesville, Satchel’s quickly became a Gainesville institution.

The fascinating story of this pizza joint began when owner Satchel Raye began spinning pizzas in high school at a local Italian restaurant. As the story goes, he fell in love with the hustle of the restaurant business.  After years of travel and being an artist himself, his life’s ambition was to find a way to combine his two loves: art and pizza. He relocated back to the Gainesville community and the rest is history.

​Funky art at Satchel’s Pizza

Rolling into the parking lot of Satchel’s Pizza one might wonder if they have made a wrong turn. A bit of Sanford and Son mixed with the Dali Museum, begs the question, WHAT am I looking at!? Simple answer my Friends…ART! With an Instagrammable funky old Ford van out front and hubcaps hanging from trees, this beautiful HOT MESS beckons you to come explore.

With hand painted murals, stained glass windows, and local art everywhere, the marriage of pizza and art combine as one. A well known iconic treasure to Gainesville and students alike, rumor has it that before graduation, you must have a slice of pizza inside the van. GO GATORS! 

With a little bit of EVERYTHING everywhere, old forgotten things become jaw dropping trashy art. Pennies meticulously make murals on floors. Trophies are now a feature wall as well as old wooden children’s puzzles. Is that Arnold Schwarzenegger!? Parrot toys dangle from the rooftop. Nothing is spared or waisted. No matter what part of the property your exploring, even the bathrooms, there is something odd and interesting to gaze at.  

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Is THAT fountain made of junk!? Just asking…for a friend…

​Satchel’s Pizza gives back…

​Staying true to their mission, “make great food in a beautiful atmosphere and serve up something for all the senses,” Satchel’s continues to give back to local charities in the Gainesville area and to the community it loves. With the Satch Cares Grants which payout every three months and the Round Up For Charity, (RUFC). Their motto is,”When you round up your bill at the register, all the change makes a difference for our local charity of the month. Please consider this small kindness.” Just one more reason to road trip to Satchel’s Pizza in Gainesville, FL, and help support those in need while enjoying GREAT pizza!

A foodie lover’s menu

Can we chat for a bit about their magical pizzas, famous salads, calzones, and AMAZING homemade sodas! Not to mention, the yummy homemade desserts, which by the way, are presented to you in a view finder. How cool! A roadtrip to Satchel’s Pizza in Gainesville, FL, will deliver a pizza dreams are made of! With a caramelized edge, buttery crust, and fresh ingredients, it’s sure to cause a “foodgasm!” It is SERIOUSLY that good. If you are looking for suggestions, we loved the pesto with sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and ricotta on their regular crust. OOOOHHHh the crust! Sorry…having a moment…back to the food!

Satchel’s offers their homemade sodas that took two years to create. Um, they are FANTASTIC! With cool names like Lola Cola, Ginnie Ginger Ale, Ruby Rootbeer, Lemmie Lemon Lime and Stevie Z Zero Calorie Cola, it feels a bit as if Willy Wonka himself is in the back crafting the sodas. You can order a flight or individually. Our favorite was the Ginnie Ginger Ale. 

Save room for the scratch made desserts. On the day we rolled up in there, choices were chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, frosted brownies, cookies, peanut butter bon bons that tasted like a Reese’s and the BEST cannoli I have ever eaten. I’m Italian so….

Find the perfect seat

Offering many different dining options for all you pizza lovers, Satchel’s can also accommodate large groups in the main restaurant area.  Ever wanted to enjoy a deep dish cooked in a humble wood fire oven out in a greenhouse!? Check. How about a famous Satch Salad loaded with sunflower seeds in a funky van!? Gotcha. How about taking in great live music outback in the venue known as the Lightnin’ Salvage Enterprises while you kick back on a Saturday! Done. Need to entertain the kids!? They can play and eat in the kids area complete with a salvaged airplane found on the side of the road on a trip to Ginnie Springs… Perfect!

With so many options to enjoy at Satchel’s and the popularity of this local landmark, timing is key. If the University of Florida is hosting an SEC event, your gonna have a wait. Fans pile in before, during, and after a game. Saturday’s can be quite busy as well. Just take your time, enjoy the sights and smells and do some shopping in the gift shop. Once seated, it can take up to 45 minutes for your food. They bake each pie to perfection! No worries! Trust me, with so much to gaze at inside, time will fly.

Where To Find This Magical Place

Upon entering GATOR NATION, a.k.a. Gainesville, FL, follow the sweet smells of baking dough and melting cheese to: SATCHEL’S PIZZA 1800 NE 23RD AVE, GAINESVILLE FL 32609   (352) 335-7272

What Do You Think!?

This funky Willy Wonka meets Alice in Wonderland experience is sure to delight the whole family. So grab the gang and make plans to road trip to Satchel’s for the best pizza in Gainesville, Fl. Looking for more adventures!? Happy wandering!

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