Angelina's Pizzeria and Pasta Serves Up Family Style Italian

Even back in the early nineties, Palm Beach County was “getting too crazy” for Brian and Jan Ethridge. They decided to pull up stakes and move to a calmer place right here in Seagrove Beach where they opened Angelina’s Pizzeria and Pasta in 1994.

“We looked around and realized that most of the area eating establishments at the time were seafood shacks,” says Jan. “My husband Brian had worked in various New Jersey Italian restaurants and I had gone to culinary school in Rhode Island, so we started up Angelina’s, named after my Grandmother who hailed from Sorrento, Italy. Her likeness adorns our menu. We wanted our restaurant to have the look and feel of a family place and that is a large part of Angelina’s attraction.”

Jan wanted more of a “family” place than a “beachy” place, mission accomplished and the customers just keep coming. Angelina’s is, and has always been, a true family-operated business. Jan’s father, Albert, after retiring from his dental practice, joined the business working the bar 5 days a week.

“People just loved him, he had a great sense of humor and people would come and sit at the bar listening to his jokes for hours on end,” Jan says. He passed in 2001. Jan’s daughter, Jillian, pretty much grew up in the restaurant. When the school bus would let her off outside Angelina’s, she would run inside and set up at her favorite bar stool with her coloring books and note pads. Later, when she was old enough, she too worked at the restaurant.

Angelina’s offers peasant-style home cooked Italian food in a cozy family-oriented environment. The price point is good with a great wine list. No reservations are taken, but the food is well worth the wait during the busy tourist seasons.

Kitchen manager Shawn O’Drain, who started in the kitchen and has been kitchen manager for several years now, is considered family and his cooking magic permeates the establishment.  Although Angelina’s recipes started with Jan, Shawn considers himself to be the link between old school traditions and the present.

“Without this link, the traditions would be lost,” he explains. “I try to make every single simple thing the best that I can.  When I make the dough, there is no room for error. You must respect the process. As a restaurant, we basically make good stuff for a good price.”

Three of Shawn’s favorite menu items include: The Zesty Lemon Shrimp (ten large shrimp sautéed in olive oil, with garlic red bell pepper and dressing finished with lemon and chopped parsley), the Seafood Ravioli (shrimp and scallops sautéed in extra virgin olive oil placed in a creamy alfredo sauce served over fresh cheese ravioli) and the simple but tasty Linguini with white clam sauce.

“The key to many of our dishes is our Alfredo, it makes the most basic recipe quite extraordinary,” says Shawn. 

All pizzas are New York-style pizzas offered a la carte with a multitude of toppings on the menu. They come in three different sizes, 12, 16, and 18 inches. Lunch specials and lunch pasta features include their house salad and bread sticks and are available until 3 p.m. daily. Beverages include basic sodas, beer, and wine…imported draft and bottled beer (including beer by the pitcher) are available and fine wines are offered by the glass or bottle.

Angelina’s to go orders make up half of their business during the busy summer months. Pizzas and lasagnas are the most popular items for Take Out. If you are in the market for a comfortable sit-down lunch or dinner, Angelina’s is the place to be. Or, if you are of the “takey outey” variety, they’ve got you covered there too!

Angelina’s Pizzeria and Pasta is located at 4005 East Scenic Highway 30A in Seagrove, just east of Café 30-A. Hours of operation are Sunday-Thursday, 11-9; Friday & Saturday, 11-9:30. Phone: 850-231-2500. Visit their website at www.angelinas30a.com.