TASTE 2025 miaminewtimes.com 10 Indulge in a Sea of Flavors Marathon Community Park March 8 - 9, 2025 200 + Vendors | $5 Admission Presented by Indulge in a Sea of Flavors Indulge in a Sea of Flavors Indulge in a Marathon Community Park March 8 - 9, 2025 200 + Vendors | $5 Admission Presented by 10 with the 70th anniversary. The new edition, A Love Affair with Frankie’s Pizza, adds Roxanne and Renee’s story to the original text. “Every place has their story, and Frankie’s is just an incred- ible story,” Becerra tells New Times. “Now the bigger story is: How do you stay in business for 70 years? And you do so by do- ing absolutely nothing new.” At 5 a.m. each day except Monday, a nine-hour process commences. The sisters grind fresh tomatoes for sauce, cut and grind their cheeses, and let the dough rise three separate times. The care behind each step shows in every square slice: a crisp crust surrounding a light, chewy center. The housemade sauce strikes a balance between tangy and sweet, a complement to the pepperoni rounds, which curl into cups in the oven, releas- ing savory oils that mingle with the tomato reduction. “A lot of people look at that and say it’s too labor-intensive,” Renee says. “But to us, it comes second nature.” The family’s dedication caught national attention in 1993, when Bon Appétit named Frankie’s one of America’s top eight gourmet pizzerias. The Godfather’s Pizza chain even offered $1 million for their recipe. The family declined. Among Frankie’s enduring traditions, the half-baked pizzas have become a Miami institu- tion. These partially cooked pies let customers achieve that fresh-from-the-oven experience at home. Through Goldbelly, these half-baked pies now travel far and wide around the coun- try. During holidays, customers grab them for family gatherings. College students receive care packages of carefully packed eight-slice boxes. Some regulars keep their freezers stocked. When developers offer to buy the property, promising the sisters will “never have to work another day,” Renee’s re- sponse goes right to the point: “But then what would I do?” Enduring for 70 years required adapting while staying true to Frankie’s roots. During the 2008 recession, the pizzeria launched a food truck to keep staff employed. When COVID-19 hit, their ship- ping business helped them stay afloat. “We have customers in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Texas,” Roxanne says. “What’s really special is seeing them walk through the door when they’re back in Miami. We’re now serving fourth generations of families.” The Florida legislature hon- ored Frankie’s legacy in 2010, renaming the stretch of Bird Road from SW 89th Avenue to SW 92nd Avenue “Frank Pasquarella Way.” Today, Frank’s grandson Christopher, Rox- anne’s son, represents the third generation in the kitchen. Frankie’s platinum anni- versary celebration spanned two weeks and featured pro- gramming curated by Becerra, including historical walks, documentary screenings, and a Valentine’s Day party. The finale, a one-day-only cheeseburger pizza collaboration with local comfort food blogger Burger Beast, followed on February 15. “It still seems surreal that it’s 70,” Renee says. “I don’t want to call it an accomplish- ment, because it’s not really that. This is our life. This is our home. This is what we do.” Frankie’s Pizza. 9118 Bird Rd., Miami; 305-882-9925; frankiespizzamenu.com. Don’t Think Slice from p8 “We’re now serving fourth generations of families.”
