A Gainesville Staple: Satchel's Pizza!

satchels pizza, best pizza in florida, things to do in gainesville, best pizza in gainesville, alumni activities gainesville, eat pizza in a vw bus

Sitting on the side of 23rd street in our 1960’s Ford Econoline teal van turned dining table, we couldn’t be any happier, or any more ready, to sink our teeth into that incredible masterpiece of a pizza! But before we go there, because we will most likely never return from the land of ooey gooey cheesy goodness, we have got to talk about the awesomeness that is Satchel’s Pizza!

satchels pizza, best pizza in florida, things to do in gainesville, best pizza in gainesville, alumni activities gainesville, eat pizza in a vw bus, fountain o junk

This unique and eclectic Gainesville staple is known for its off the chain use of random, colorful and otherwise discarded items. Old garden hoses and bike tires line the ceiling of the outdoor patio and bar area, while chandeliers made of keys, sunglasses, bottle caps and miniature glass bottles hang overhead.

satchels pizza, best pizza in florida, things to do in gainesville, best pizza in gainesville, alumni activities gainesville, crazy chandelier, chandelier made of keys, eclectic restaurant

satchels pizza, best pizza in florida, things to do in gainesville, best pizza in gainesville, alumni activities gainesville, cold drinks sign, eclectic restaurant

With plenty of places to strike a pose for the camera and plenty of nooks and crannies to chill out in, before we knew it we were surrounded by walls covered in beads, miniature zoo animals and other various nick-nacks that brought back childhood memories and spread a smile across every face that entered this awesome place… and we haven’t even gotten to the pizza part yet!

satchels pizza, best pizza in florida, things to do in gainesville, best pizza in gainesville, alumni activities gainesville, old cell phone art, eclectic restaurant

Did you know that back in 2012 Satchel’s nearly burnt to a crisp (inspiring story here)? You can even see the actual pizza that was in the oven at the time of the fire forever displayed in one of the tables! Now that’s what we call “well done.”

satchels pizza fire, burnt pizza, burnt pizza table satchels, satchels pizza fire 2012, when did satchel's catch on fire, pizza fire gainesville,

After walking around and admiring the endless sites, it was finally time to get down to business, and when we say business, we mean PIZZA.

Fun fact: Every Satchel’s menu features a different story on the back, all of which are extremely entertaining to read (and available on their site)! Mine told the story of how the “Fountain-O-Junk” was built, here’s a photo of this one-of-a-kind fountain in all of its glory below:

Could you imagine a game of “I Spy” in this place?!

satchels pizza, best pizza in florida, things to do in gainesville, best pizza in gainesville, alumni activities gainesville, eat pizza in a vw bus, best satchels pizza

Oh the pizza. With something for everyone to enjoy, Satchel’s even offers a flax seed and millet, gluten-free crust and 2 options for dairy-free cheese! Perfectly cooked, each GIANT slice melted my heart as my teeth sunk in through the layers of tender veggies and crisp, yet soft dough… take me back!

And now for the big daddy of all pizzas, aka. THE WORLD’S BEST PIZZA, aka. Drew’s weakness: The Deep Dish.

satchels pizza, best pizza in florida, things to do in gainesville, best pizza in gainesville, alumni activities gainesville, eat pizza in a vw bus, satchels deep dish, best pizza in the world

Pretty sure this beast weighed in at well over 5 pounds of mozzarella, meatballs, mushrooms and perfectly crisp dough, brushed with butter so you get that signature Satchel’s crunch. Note: There are A TON of toppings to choose from, allowing you to customize your perfect dream pizza.

Do you see those strings of perfectly melted cheese? Now, can you imagine them stretching and oozing from every corner of every mouthwatering bite?! Here’s a short video to help with the visual:

And when it was all over, we had only 1 wish left, that we could do it all over again. With our prized leftovers in hand, we watched the glow of Satchel’s fade in the distance, dreaming of the next chance we’d have to return…