After closing two years ago, the Italian restaurant opens on Thomasville Road.
For Adam Bardhi, opening the new Milano Pizza is like returning home. The casual Italian restaurant opened its doors with a soft opening last week in Midtown’s Capital Plaza (across from Whole Foods) at 1874 Thomasville Rd.
The original Milano closed two years ago at the Northwood Center after having to leave due to the building of the new Tallahassee Police Department. Milano had been at that location for 13 years as a regular neighborhood fixture. Adam is now looking forward to seeing many familiar faces.
Adam Bardhi stands by the array of toppings for pizza at Milano. Photo / Tallahassee Table
“I can’t wait,” he said. “I see a lot of customers coming back. I’m very happy. I feel like I was never closed. … Everybody is very supportive.”
After eagerly awaiting the opening, my husband and I wanted to stop by Monday night for a quick meal. We got a takeout order of a personal pizza, with mushrooms and meatballs, plus an order of chicken wings. I look forward to going back and trying more of the menu.
I ordered Milano’s personal pizza with mushrooms and meatballs to go. Photo / Tallahassee Table
Milano is known for its New York-style pies with a thin crust. This pizza was excellent, with a generous amount of sliced meatballs and mushrooms and a good balance of mozzarella and a flavorful tomato sauce. I liked it so much, I ate most of the pizza myself.
We took home a tasty order of chicken wings from Milano. Photo / Tallahassee Table
My husband also liked his saucy chicken wings with plenty of kick.
For many fans of the Bardhi family’s cuisine, these flavors are familiar.
Adam is also the man behind the longtime restaurant, Village Pizza & Pasta, on Village Square Boulevard in the Northeast (near Total Wine). His older brother, Zeke, is the owner of the fine dining Italian restaurant, Z. Bardhi’s, open for more than 20 years on Kinhega Drive.
Adam Bardhi with friend Ziki Akdemir at the new Milano restaurant in Capital Plaza. Photo / Tallahassee Table
Adam, with the help of his friend Ziki Akdemir and his nephews Sammy Bardhi and Omar Dernjani, has launched part of Milano in the site of the former Tasty Asian. He and his team are still working on the second part, which will take over the former space of Hot Birdie’s Chicken.
Adam said the restaurant will be adding about another 50 or 60 seats, with an outdoor patio where the drive-thru was located, so altogether they will have seating for about 100. He hopes the second phase will be opening in a month. Once that side is finished, workers will cut an arch to connect the two parts.
Both sides will offer the same homey menu, with house made gnocchi, garlic rolls and from-scratch crust.
Here are the menus at the new Milano Pizza. Photo / Tallahassee Table
Diners can create their own pizza or choose one of the specialty pies with preset toppings, such as The Soprano, which includes pepperoni, meatballs, beef sausage, salami, mushrooms, onions and green peppers or the Primavera with fresh vegetables.
Milano also offers pasta entrees served with soup or salad and garlic rolls; gyros and subs; calzones and stromboli; salads and dinners such as chicken marsala, eggplant Parmigiana and shrimp scampi. The restaurant serves beeer and wine.
“Every day is different, but we are ready,” Adam said. “Big orders, small orders, doesn’t matter. Whatever they need, call us.
When you go …
Milano is at 1874 Thomasville Rd.; 850-320-6772.
Hours: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday hours may be later.
Top photo / Milano Pizza
