When asked how many pizzas Sarrica's Little Italy sold from their new downtown Lafayette location during Festival International, Santi Sarrica could only smile and shake his head. The orders were happening too quickly to keep track in the moment, but now things are quieting down — and the Sarrica family has big ideas for their new space.
The Acadiana Beer Garden is still under construction at the former Wurst Biergarten location, with plans for a new kitchen to support the venue's anchor restaurant. There's no sign on the front gate announcing the authentic Neapolitan-style pizza inside. Sarrica's point of sale is under a temporary tent in the open-air space, with a glimpse of pizza ovens lined up behind. But the pies have been flying out onto Jefferson Street ever since Sarrica's Little Italy announced their soft opening — and a rebrand from "Sarrica's Italian Pizza" — the week before Festival.
SarricaÕs Italian Piazza owner Santi Sarrica shows of a pasta dish in is new location at Acadiana Beer Garden on Jefferson Street Thursday, May 2, 2024 in Lafayette, La..
"We wanted to create a better experience for our customers," says Sarrica, speaking of the decision to move from the Johnston Street food truck the business occupied until recently. "We're going to build a nice retractable pergola so we can have winter and summer space, nice decorations, flowers. I want people to feel like they're in Italy."
The move happened serendipitously, as so much has for the Sarrica family. After moving to Lafayette from New York a year ago to be close to Gina Sarrica's father, the couple started selling pizzas out of their home. Customers quickly took notice and started spreading the word on social media, and when it became clear the couple needed a professional kitchen to operate, a local fan of their pizza offered his truck.
The food truck, dubbed Sarrica's Italian Pizza, only lasted five months before it became clear yet again that the business needed to expand. That's when Robert Guercio stepped in, in yet another example of perfect timing facilitated by a shared Sicilian background.
"I'm 25% Sicilian," says Guercio. "When I met Santi it was an instant connection."
The Sarricas felt the same way. They had walked past the Wurst Biergarten months before and stopped to admire the outdoor space. When they later saw the location was for sale they were disappointed they wouldn't be able to experience it — not knowing they would soon have a role in shaping a new concept.
"We thought it was such a shame it was being sold, there's so many beautiful things you can create in this space," says Sarrica. "Two days later, this guy messaged us on Facebook. He didn't know us, had never had our pizza, but his mother had. So he investigated us a little bit and checked our pages, and loved what he saw and what people were saying. So he messaged us and said 'I have a proposal for you guys.'"
That message was from Guercio, and now his proposal has blossomed into an updated venture for both parties. Both want to create a family-friendly experience at the Acadiana Beer Garden, whether eating pizza at Sarrica's, ordering a beer, or enjoying the crafts and food markets that Guercio plans to host at the beer garden on weekends.
"We'll have a lot of stuff here for kids and families to enjoy," says Guercio. For the Sarricas it's an ideal home for their business model, which is centered around family and community.
"It's not about food or having the best restaurant in Lafayette," says Sarrica. "It's about building community, and this is just a tool. Of course we want to create a great product and use the best ingredients. But the cherry on top of everything is what you have inside, what you really want to express. It's all about love."