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Dine

A simple, sublime pie

At Cappy's, you get great, classic pizza and rather indifferent service. But did we mention the pizza?

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO- VAN SICKLER
Published February 15, 2007

	Employee John Allen prepares a to-go order at the Seminole Heights location of Cappy's Pizzeria, where a collection of kitsch and memorabilia gives the restaurant an old-fashioned feeling.
[Times photos: Chris Zuppa]

ADVERTISEMENT Scooter Gabel, co-owner of the Seminole Heights Cappy's prepares a deep-dish Chicago-style pizza, which features the cheese and toppings smothered by a thick tomato sauce.

TAMPA -- Pizza these days can be so complicated.

Low-carb, cheeseless, flatbread, covered in barbecue chicken or Thai-spiced tofu.

Thai what?

Sometimes all you want is an old-fashioned pizza parlor, the kind of cozy joint that serves simple, delicious New York-thin pies and pitchers of cold beer.

Cappy's Pizza in Seminole Heights is such a place, in a 1935 building off Florida Avenue that feels like it's from a bygone era.

Play a few rounds of Pac-Man and feel like a kid again - back when you scarfed down pizza and didn't worry about calories.

Former professional race car driver Scooter Gabel and his wife, Natalie Mandeville, Seminole Heights residents, opened this franchise of the original South Tampa Cappy's last summer.

They filled the interior with kitschy knickknacks and memorabilia, like a vintage Gulf gas pump and a Coca-Cola machine that once sold the little bottles for 6 cents.

Patrons sit in pewlike booths and eat at hollow glass-top tables filled with Monopoly money, G.I. Joe action figures and yellowing "share the wealth" cards from the Game of Life.

Menus are printed on the backs of old albums that make you chuckle: Jane Fonda's Workout, Dan Fogelberg, Abba.

The vibe is a lot like the original Cappy's: unpretentious, offbeat, totally casual.

So casual, you shouldn't expect coddling from the wait staff. If you want a bottle of beer, go to the cold case on the back wall and take one.

Sometimes this "whatever" service mantra borders on rudeness, like when I signed in on a busy Saturday night and waited near the front door for five minutes, only to have the waiter tell me tersely that they don't bother with the sheet on "nights when we're swamped."

When I asked for a receipt on one visit, they made a show of how inconvenient it was for them to comply.

If the pizza weren't so good, I might be more annoyed.

Fortunately, the pizza is so good, and it usually comes out fast.

Some swear by the thick Chicago pies, served in a cheesecake-style pan with the toppings and cheese below a thick layer of chunky tomato sauce. I found it too thick and messy.

Besides, it hides Cappy's best asset: the crust.

Crispy at first bite, airy on the inside, golden brown. Perfect.

The crust is mouth-watering in the mammoth calzones, which get a brush of butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese when they come out of the oven.

But the crust is best experienced in a thin New York-style pizza.

Aficionados know that the ratio of sauce to cheese to toppings is a delicate one.

Cappy's nails it.

You can choose from 17 toppings, from artichokes and feta to the more standard mushrooms and sausage.

At first visit, try the signature pies: the "Veggy," with olives, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and green peppers; and the meat lover's "Cappy," covered with ham, pepperoni, onion, green pepper, sausage and mushrooms.

Then create your own.

Traditionalists will love the pepperoni.

A thin pizza covered with artichoke hearts, spinach, olives and feta is delicious on its own but even better with Cappy's best salad, the hearty Greek.

A large salad is more than enough for a table of four to share. Or pair it with Cappy's warm cheese bread sticks for a light meal.

It's nothing like the whole pizza, but at least you still get that Cappy's crust.

Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at (813) 226-3403 or svansickler@sptimes.com Until a replacement for Chris Sherman is named, Weekend is featuring guest restaurant critics.

 Cappy's Pizzeria

4910 N Florida Ave., Tampa (also 3200 W Bay to Bay Blvd., Tampa)

Phone: (813) 238-1516

Hours: 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Details: Cash only. Beer and wine. Carryout; no delivery.

Prices: Pizzas, $8 to $19; toppings, $1 to $1.50; calzones start at $6.50; salads, $5.75 to $7.75.

[Last modified February 15, 2007, 14:47:14]