New pizza restaurant opens on Siesta Key

A new restaurant serving pizza and other casual dining dishes recently debuted on Siesta Key, taking over the former longtime home of another pizzeria.

Lenny'z Pizza & Island Bar is now open at 6645 Midnight Pass Road in the former space of City Pizza, which opened three decades ago and briefly rebranded as Pizza N' Brew in 2020 before permanently closing last year. (Another Pizza N' Brew location in downtown Sarasota also closed, with the new pizzeria Pie on Main opening in its former space earlier this year.) Lenny'z is owned by Dan Lennartz along with his wife Theresa, son Noah and daughter Tori.

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Lennartz said he would pass by the old City Pizza/Pizza N' Brew building while visiting the nearby Toasted Mango Cafe, and wondered what was happening with the space.

“I was getting my hair cut at Siesta Cuts and I happened to be in there with (Marylou) Segreti, the old owner of the building, and just struck up a conversation over a couple-week period," Lennartz said. "She did not want to sell to the big boys, so she said, ‘Let’s work up a deal' and so we did it, as long as we kept it pizza. She wanted to keep it pizza."

Lenny'z serves pizza by the slice or the pie, New York or Sicilian-style, with a cauliflower crust option as well. Some of their most popular pizzas include the margherita, white and Tori's Hot Honey Sunset (pepperoni with shaved parmesan and hot honey drizzle), Lennartz said. The menu also features burgers, subs, salads, wraps, chicken wings and tenders, appetizers and desserts, with a lunch special of a soda and two pizza slices or a wrap for $10.

The restaurant has a liquor license and offers wine and beer, including multiple local beers on tap, as well. Its happy hour, 3-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, includes $1 off select shots and draft beers, $2 off select appetizers, and $5 off domestic beer pitchers.

The roughly 3,000-square-foot space offers seating for about 90 people inside and around 30 on the patio currently, with plans to take out windows to add more outdoor seating, Lennartz said. The restaurant has kept City Pizza/Pizza N' Brew's old ovens, Lennartz said, but has otherwise installed new appliances and renovated the space.

Lenny'z is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. For more information, call 941-260-8879 or visit lennyz.pizza.

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New restaurant Lenny'z Pizza & Island Bar open on Siesta Key Sarasota