One of the most popular restaurants in Gainesville is Satchel’s Pizza. Eating here at Satchel’s is a restaurant experience. I almost expected to see Cheech & Chong tossing pizza in the kitchen. It looks like a sixties hippie hangout decorated with some of the funkiest, junkiest collections of yesteryears media devices that you have ever seen. Throw in some old trophies, bicycle wheels, hubcaps, old phone cases, and a stripped-out Ford “Scooby-Doo” Van, and it’s “Sanford and Sons” on Steroids.
While we waited for our table, we walked back to Lightnin’ Salvage Enterprises. It includes a gift shop, a toy store, a bar, and a live music venue called Lightnin’ Salvage Enterprises. They sell vintage toys, local handmade items, home goods, and anything else that you might not need. If you stop at Satchel’s Pizza, you must walk back and check out this place.
Satchel Raye says his goal is to cover all the buildings on the property with mosaic tiles. There are tiles on the walls, on the tables, on the benches, and even in the bathrooms.
Satchel’s Pizza opened in March 2003. Their mission is to make great food in a beautiful atmosphere and serve up something for all the senses. Satchel’s is not only a feast for your taste buds serving some of the best pizza in the state but a feast for your eyes as well. And if you are there on select nights, live music will be playing at Lightnin’ Salvage Enterprises.
Playground
If you happen to arrive at a busy time and have to wait for a table, then send the kiddos off to Satchel’s outdoor playground. There are lots of places for the kids to play. The wait can be long on a busy night, but trust me, the pizza is worth it.
Greenhouse, Vans & Planes
You can eat your pizza in a sixties Ford Econoline van that is fitted with a dining table inside. You might have to wait to eat there. It seems to be the most popular table in the house. Well, not the house. You know what I mean.
If the van is occupied, never fear for you can Gorge yourself in a Greenhouse, or Put away that Pepperoni Pizza under a Plane.
We were seated inside a room filled with stained glass windows.
With all the hodgepodge of wall offerings, I could only imagine what I would see when I opened the menu. But, they really only offer two choices. Pizza, Salad, and Calzones. You can choose just over 30 toppings from Anchovies to Zucchini. Keeping it simple, we ordered our pizza topped with pepperoni and mushrooms and paired it with their homemade Ruby Root Beer. Early on, Satch says he booted Pepsi and started making their own sodas. You can order a flight of all six of their flavors. Along with the Ruby Root Beer, enjoy flavors like Lola Cola, Ginnie Ginger Ale, and Lemmie Lemon Lime. We shared one of their famous salads with apple slices, pecans, Romano cheese, and a house-made vinaigrette go along with it. The salad and the pizza were delicious! The sodas – while they were a novelty, I think I’ll stick with my Diet Coke.
Dessert
As if a big tasty pizza and salad were not enough, take a look at the dessert menu and order one of their sweet delights. Choose from cookies, bonbons, cake, or cannoli from the menu on your Viewmaster. This was high-tech back in my childhood days.
After eating, stop by the Lightning Salvage Junk Museum and take home that one-of-a-kind treasure, or shop in the toy store gift shop for retro toy choices. If you remember all the toy advertisements you saw on the back cover of your comic book, they probably have it here. YoYo’s, Whoopie Cushions, Lite Brite, Spinning Tops, and Kazoos. Remember the Joke Handshake Gag Buzzers? They have Sea Monkeys, X-Ray SpeXs (Eyeglasses that let you see through clothes), Spirographs, and Viewmasters. This brought back many childhood memories. Though I must say, the X-Ray SpeXs never really worked.
Satchel’s was a fun place to enjoy a pizza and look around. It is one of the funkiest and fun places to dine in Gainesville and was definitely one of the highlight dining experiences that we enjoyed during our stay in Gainesville. If you want to see what else we did during our visit- check out my 10 Day Trip to Gainesville.
Satchel’s Pizza
1800 NE 23rd Avenue
Gainesville, Florida,
