For most Americans, Orlando, Florida is a Mecca of theme parks, chain restaurants and traffic. But underneath that layer of gloss lives a thriving nightlife few tourists experience and right in the middle of it all is Gino’s Pizza & Brew.



The company, actually dubbed Gino’s Pizza & Brew III (with numbers V and VI each a block away – more on that later) offers Orlando residents a little slice of New York. And while that may sound like lip service to many, it holds true for owner Ben Darwish, who hails from Queens and spent the better part of his formative years running pizzerias in New York.



Darwish moved to South Beach, Florida, in 1996 and opened his first pizzeria in Miami Beach, called Gino’s Pizza & Brew I. The second opened in Ft. Meyers, Florida, and the third in Orlando in 1998. A fourth store was added to the Miami Beach area, but Darwish eventually sold the three outside of Orlando. “They were off the beaten path,” Darwish explains of his reason to sell those stores. “They were all the way on the west coast, and South Beach was getting too far to drive to. I decided to concentrate on central Florida, particularly downtown Orlando.”



Having three locations downtown affords the restaurants both a heavy lunch crowd from the high-rise office buildings and an unrivaled nightlife. The hours are long here –– yes, this is one of America’s few 24-hour pizzerias, and the result is $2.7 million in sales, placing Gino’s at No. 73 on Pizza Today’s Hot 100 Independents list.



Today, Darwish has handed many of the daily operations to General Manager Juan Carlos (JC) Romo, who started with the company as a pizzaiolo in 2003. “I have a surveillance system on my laptop where I can see all the stores at any given time from any given location,” Darwish says. “It’s very important because I get a feel for what’s going on just by watching it as far as how the store is being kept clean, whether or not (employees) are staying busy, sanitary habits (that) need to be maintained at all times –– these are all things that I watch.”



And the business seems to run smoothly even around the clock. Here, you’ll find big, foldable slices sliding out of deck ovens that make the steaming air fragrant with basil and garlic. The crust is chewy, the pies consistent and sales are decidedly pizza-heavy ––Romo estimates it comprises 90 to 95 percent of sales, adding that on a busy night the kitchen can slam out 150 to 225 pizzas.

“Pizza-by-the-slice sales, especially at night, are huge,” Romo says, adding that the oversized 22-inch pie is also a latenight favorite. Slices range from $3 to $4 depending on topping, and the Jumbo pizza is priced from $20 to $30. “We do it the old-fashioned way,” Romo explains. “When we hire new people, we say ‘This is the way Gino’s does it.’ When you hire a hundred different people, you get a hundred different ideas. When you visit all the stores, you want the same consistency, the same flavors, the same recipes. That’s why people love it. When they come here or to (the other two locations), it’s the same pizza.” Everything is made in-house, from the dough to the sauce.



Among Gino’s simple menu are its specialty pizzas, many of which grace the front display case to tempt diners’ taste buds beyond the traditional pepperoni. The Meat Lover’s Pizza (pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, ham, bacon, tomato sauce and mozzarella) and the Veggie Pizza (onions, peppers, mushrooms, black olives, broccoli, spinach and fresh tomatoes) are two of the company’s biggest sellers.

In a move aimed at offering value to the customer, Gino’s offers combination lunch specials such as a slice of cheese pizza, a house salad and a soft drink for $6.75. Frequent buyer programs in which customers collect receipts from the restaurants in return for free food encourages repeat business. Both are moves that ensure Gino’s needs very little advertising beyond word-of-mouth. (“I’m from New York City, and this is it,” said a customer picking up a slice while Pizza Today visited late last year.)



Certainly, Gino’s Pizza & Brew has earned itself a stellar reputation in a town best known for its tourism. Letters and accolades from public figures and charities line the walls alongside pictures of celebrities and customers (late night visits are preserved in photos and guests come back later to pick them up. Some even choose to add their John Hancock and leave them for posterity, adding to the community atmosphere).

Romo says training is critical to keeping Gino’s operating up to its customers’ expectations. The original Orlando location is very small –– the kitchen boasts less than 200 square feet, requiring a carefully orchestrated dance down a long line ending with the cash register. (On holidays such as Halloween and New Year’s Eve, the line can stretch around the block). Several of the pizzaiolos have been on-board for many years, which helps product consistency, and when it comes to new hires, Romo requires three weeks of training before employees fl y solo. He keeps most employees focused on one area during the heaviest times because the original Orlando store is confined in such close quarters. Delivery is available, but Gino’s outsources it through a local delivery company rather than handle it on their own.



So, the question begs to be asked –– why open two locations each a mere block away from Gino’s Pizza & Brew III? “The ease of management is definitely a huge factor as far as moving employees around,” Darwish says. “When one store is short on food or any types of supplies, the other stores are there to assist.”

But three stores handling the volume of one concentrated area? Darwish says the immediate area could easily support more stores, and he hopes to open one more in downtown Orlando before retiring.

“During certain times –– lunch rush and late night between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. –– there is such a huge rush of people that you could have seven (or) eight stores in downtown Orlando and it would still be profitable,” Darwish explains. “We’re in the middle of the club and bar district, and half a block will make a difference for a drunk person to decide!”

Staying open 24 hours a day, such as the third store does, presents security issues, but Romo says the company hires an armed security guard to help handle the crowds. “We want our customers to be safe,” Romo says.

The subsequent two stores that have opened nearby have a slightly different atmosphere (for instance, the Church Street store is larger, newer and does a heavy lunch business). It’s Gino’s Pizza & Brew III, however, that seems to have become the destination spot in town. “Everyone who comes here, they say ‘Oh, I feel at home!’” Romo explains. “We have a new location and it’s gorgeous, but people prefer to come here because they feel at home.” 

Mandy Wolf Detwiler is managing editor at Pizza Today.