It was only after moving east that it became almost impossible to find a real deep-dish pizza. Even in Connecticut, where we lived for years and had Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, a perennial “Best Pizza” (and not bad), my wife and I, there as here, have been looking for real, good deep dish without success.

I get that there are lots of New Yorkers around who like to fold their pizza slices in half. So be it. But if you are going to have a Best Pizza contest you have to take into account best “style” of pizza. A deep-dish slice is to a flatsie what a beef hamburger is to a plant burger. Both can be delicious, but they are not interchangeable. — Craig Donovan, Hollywood

A: Craig, I know what you mean, it’s all about the New Yorkers here! But as I began my search for Chicago-style pizza for you, I was surprised at the abundance of places that serve the doughy, cheesy pies you are craving. There are also several that dish up Detroit-style pizza, a deep-dish pie with an airy dough and perimeter of caramelized cheese, sauce on top.

These deep-dish pizzas are big, built to feed two to three people. The restaurants warn that they need at least a half-hour to prepare them. So call ahead or have a leisurely dinner, and bring along your New York friends; most of South Florida’s deep-dish joints also serve the “flatsies,” or thin slices, which as you say New Yorkers love to fold before they take a bite.

BROWARD COUNTY

Il Baretto Italian Cuisine, 220 S. University Drive, Plantation; 954-473-9400; ilbarettoristorante.com

A small stuffed deep-dish pie goes for $26; a large is $39. As a patron posted in “Let’s Eat, South Florida,” the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group: “People rave about Il Baretto and after just one pizza, I get it. It’s about as legit a deep dish as you can get … Our pizza was a Chicago Deep well done with sausage (hold the grated Parmigiana cheese). It weighed in at 8 lbs., 10 oz., just 5 ounces short of my son’s birth weight. This was a hefty delicious meal.”

Chicago Stuffed Pizza Co., 238 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-by-the Sea; 954-533-1808; chicagostuffedpizzamenu.com

This joint serves a deep-dish pie with an extra layer of dough on top. You can get it plain with cheese inside ($28.99) or with a variety of toppings and stuffings (the Special is loaded with sausage, onions, mushrooms and green peppers; $40.95). If you’re with some New Yorkers, this joint will sell them the pizza they like; a basic NY Cheese Pizza is priced at $17.99.

Emmy Squared, 468 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 754-296-0076; emmysquaredpizza.com

Emmy’s offers create-your-own Detroit-style pizzas ($14 for a six-slice pie, $23 for 10 slices). There are also vegan and gluten-free pies, as well as signature pizzas such as the Birria ($19 or $26) and the Big Hawaiian, with pepperoni, bacon and pineapple ($19 or $25). The shop, part of a chain with stores around the country, also serves burgers, salads and sandwiches. South Florida also has a location in Coral Gables.

Sarpino’s Pizzeria, multiple locations; gosarpinos.com

Sarpino’s recommends its deep-dish varieties for those who are “looking for something thicker, without compromising on delicious crunchability.” Pies include the Sausage ($18.99) and the Vegan ($18.99). Warning: The Fort Lauderdale location is crazy-busy on weekend nights.

Capone’s Italian Pizzeria, 3775 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-986-9192; caponesitalianpizzeria.com

This place shows its love of Chicago not only through deep-dish pizza but with its “Chicago Hit List” of items such as Chicago roast beef ($16.68) and Chicago Dog (on a bun with peppers, onions, tomato slices, pickles and relish; $8.63). Capone’s is known among locals, though, for its deep-dish pies ($20.13). Here’s what one foodie said on “Let’s Eat, South Florida“: “Capone’s on Hollywood Blvd. has the best deep-dish pizza. It is worth the drive from Pompano every time. Helpful hint … we order ahead to eat here, it takes an hour to bake.”

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Danny’s Pizza Kitchen, 3501 W. Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach; 561-200-0739; dannyspizzakitchen.com

The basic Cheese deep dish goes for $19.95; carnivores will enjoy the Meat Lovers, with pepperoni, ham, bacon, sausage and meatball ($27.50). There’s also a Buffalo Chicken for $26.95. New York traditionalists searching for a single triangular slice can get one here for $3.50.

Giovanni’s Pizza, 21401 Powerline Road, Boca Raton; 561-483-7900; giovannispizzaofboca.com

Giovanni’s has 10 deep-dish varieties, including the Supreme (pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers and black olives; $36.08) and the Veggie (mushrooms, green peppers and onions; $31.81). There are also New York-style pizzas, salads, subs and pastas.

Death by Pizza, 528 NE Second St., Delray Beach; 561-666-9111; deathbypizzadelray.com

Here you will find Detroit-style pizzas that serve two to three people, with more than a dozen varieties. Try the Mr. White (ricotta, mozzarella and basil pesto; $26), Eggplant Parm ($30) or Gandolfini (sausage, roasted red peppers and garlic, caramelized onions, broccoli, mozzarella, sweet sauce and basil pesto; $30).

Motor City Pizza & Coney, 1538 SW Eighth St., Boynton Beach; 561-736-3000; motorcitypizzaconey.com

The dough blend of owner Bisar Gorani, imported from his native Kosovo, relays a deep crunch, and he uses whole-milk cheese instead of the usual Detroit-style brick cheese from Wisconsin. “It’s my recipe,” Gorani told Sun Sentinel back in 2021. “I wanted to use bread from Kosovo because it reminds me of home. Which is funny because Detroiters tell me this pizza reminds them of home, too.” A deep-dish pizza is $18.

Both counties

Jet’s Pizza, multiple locations; jetspizza.com

Jet’s is a chain that began in 1978 and is known for its Detroit-style pizza. According to Casey Kolp, owner of the Boca Raton and Royal Palm Beach shops: “We make our own dough fresh every morning and use only the finest Grande cheese without additives or fillers.” A large pizza with pepperoni goes for $18.48.

Reefs and trails await underwater explorers just beneath the surface of the ocean’s warm, blue waters off the shoreline in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Need an escape from the daily stresses of life? Grab a snorkel and mask, wade into the surf and submerge yourself in a world in which the only traffic you’ll encounter is a vibrant school of fish swimming by, or a graceful sea turtle crossing your path.

Of course, before you dive in, there are several things to figure out: the right location for your skill level, the necessary equipment, access points, cost, safety factors, and parking and other amenities.

We’ve taken all of this into account when compiling our list of must-snorkel spots that are easily accessible right from the beach — no boat required — and are either free or, in some cases, involve only parking or park fees.

SAFETY FIRST

Before anything else, let’s talk safety. Here are some important tips for snorkelers, courtesy of the Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation department’s website:

• Know your personal swimming limitations and snorkeling abilities.
• Always snorkel with a buddy so you can share your experiences and have somebody to help if needed.
• Check the ocean conditions, including waves, currents, wind, water visibility and weather.
• Decide on entry and exit points.
• Keep in mind that the best time to snorkel is within two hours before or after high tide.

“If unsure of skills, stay within lifeguarded areas,” Fine said. “Look but don’t touch is the slogan to follow with snorkeling, and keep feet and hands off coral and marine life.”

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

Next, we asked marine biologist and Master Scuba Instructor John Christopher Fine — who calls Boynton Beach home when he’s not traveling around the world exploring shipwrecks and studying ocean pollution — about the equipment first-time snorkelers need before heading out into the water.

He said to start with the basics: a mask, snorkel and pair of fins (or swim shoes). Also, “wear a dive skin or nylon tights and top to protect from sun as well as stings,” he added. “Skins are inexpensive online, last a long time and are far less expensive than coral-killing sunscreens.”

A dive flag and float are required for safety and to comply with Florida law, he said.

“For beginners, I suggest a car inner tube on a yellow (polypropylene) line with a weight at the end, so the line can be dropped and the tube not float away,” he said, adding that a dive flag can be tied to it or secured with a special device.

“A tube is great to rest, holding on to it,” but it should be made of strong materials, not a typical pool float.

PLACES TO SNORKEL

Ready to jump in? We’ve gathered six snorkeling spots where you can meet marine life and experience the serenity of the sea.

And if you want a snorkeling sneak peek beforehand, just search YouTube.com for underwater videos by divers and snorkelers featuring the locations on our list below.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Phil Foster Memorial Park Snorkel Trail 
900 E. Blue Heron Blvd., Riviera Beach

HOURS: Sunrise to sunset

PARKING: Free

INFORMATION: discover.pbcgov.org/parks

An underwater paradise awaits snorkelers of all levels on the south side of the Blue Heron Bridge, just beyond a guarded swimming area. Venture out about 200 feet to explore submerged structures and shark sculptures while keeping an eye out for some of the trail’s residents, including squid, octopuses, spotted rays and starfish. Six hundred tons of rock were used to build the artificial reef, made of limestone boulders and prefabricated reef modules that span 2 acres in 6 to 10 feet of water, according to the county. Need to take a break? Cool off in the shade on the beach under the bridge. To the south, you’ll see Peanut Island, another popular snorkeling location accessible by boat or ferry.

Ocean Inlet Park/Lofthus shipwreck
6990 N. Ocean Blvd., Boynton Beach

HOURS: Sunrise to sunset

PARKING: Free

INFORMATION: discover.pbcgov.org

Whether you park and walk across Ocean Boulevard or under the road by the jetty, when you see the shoreline rocks along the guarded beach on the south side of the inlet, you’ve found the entry point to another popular snorkeling spot. Suit up with your equipment and wade into the ocean. Sea turtles, nurse sharks, reef fish and corals have all been spotted in the waters. For intermediate to advanced snorkelers who swim beyond the guarded area, be aware of boat traffic.

For those looking for a challenge, the Lofthus shipwreck is 1.1 miles north of the inlet, about 150 yards offshore in about 10 to 18 feet of water, Fine said. Park at Ocean Inlet Park and make the trek along the beach before the high-tide mark. He has seen guitar fish, a nurse shark and spiny lobsters hanging around the wreckage.

“Watch the weather. When the ocean is rough, waves break in shore and the shipwreck remains are not safe to dive,” he said. “Calm ocean and little wind make it a fun place to explore.”

Red Reef Park Snorkel Trail 
1400 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton

HOURS: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

PARKING: $35 on weekdays and $50 on weekends/holidays (day pass); $3 per hour at metered lot across State Road A1A

INFORMATION: myboca.us

Twenty artificial reefs just offshore and a jetty that extends from the beach into the water make up the snorkel trail. Walk directly into the ocean from the guarded beach and be on the lookout for sergeant major, parrotfish, bar jack and spottail pinfish. Snorkelers also have reported seeing a small reef shark, eels, lobsters, crabs, stingrays, barracuda and a sea turtle on their adventures.

Fourteen of the reefs were installed in late 2021, which extended the snorkeling trail. They are constructed from native limestone boulders sourced from a quarry near Fort Pierce, according to the city.

“Creating an artificial-reef snorkel trail offers residents and visitors another unparalleled outdoor experience in the city,” said recreation services director Greg Stevens. “This unique attraction not only provides a stunning adventure for snorkelers but also fosters a thriving and sustainable habitat for local marine life.”

It’s the ideal location for children to learn to snorkel and get up close with ocean life as well.

“I was able to view beautiful sea life such as turtles, colorful and bigger fish,” said 12-year-old Boca Raton resident Shea Ferris, who snorkels there. “It’s a safe and peaceful place for them, and I was able to enjoy everything around me.”

BROWARD COUNTY

Shipwreck Snorkel Trail
Datura Avenue and El Mar Drive, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

HOURS: Sunrise to sunset

PARKING: Metered parking on side streets or at South Ocean Lot, 4324 State Road A1A

INFORMATION: discoverlbts.com/diving-snorkeling

Just south of Anglin’s Fishing Pier, one of Broward County’s most popular dive and snorkeling areas provides a trail in 10 feet of water and three coral reefs just off the beach.

“Recognized as ‘Florida’s Beach Diving Capital,’ Lauderdale-by-the-Sea’s quaint Florida town is teeming with beautiful marine life in the calm, clear waters less than 100 yards off the white sand beaches, making it one of the best beaches in Florida to go snorkeling or diving with the little ones,” said town spokeswoman Aimee Adler Cooke. “The whole family can enjoy snorkeling, diving, kayaking and paddleboarding right off the beach.”

She said the town is a designated Blue Wave beach, a distinction given by the Clean Beaches Coalition to clean and environmentally responsible beach communities.

The Shipwreck Snorkel Trail, which includes an anchor, five concrete cannons and a ballast pile, was dedicated in 2002 by explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau (Jacques Cousteau’s son), according to the town.

The waters also are home to the SS Copenhagen, a British shipwreck in a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve, that is reachable by boat.

Vista Park Reef
2851 N. Atlantic Blvd., Fort Lauderdale

HOURS: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

PARKING: Metered parking lot open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

INFORMATION: parks.fortlauderdale.gov

Just steps from the parking lot at Vista Park, a hidden gem among snorkeling enthusiasts is bustling beneath the blue ocean waters. The reef line starts about 300 feet out from shore and extends past the buoys. The area is the midway point of the reef that runs north and south. More advanced snorkelers can head out to the deeper depths of the reef. What will you see? Hard and soft corals, tropical fish and sea fans. Go early when water clarity is at its best.

Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park/Erojacks
6503 N. Ocean Drive, Dania Beach

HOURS: 8 a.m. to sunset

ADMISSION: $6 per vehicle (up to eight people); $4 for a single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle; $2 for pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass

INFORMATION: floridastateparks.org/mizell

There are various places to snorkel along the 2.5 miles of beach in the park, but one of the unique areas is the Dania Beach Erojacks, an artificial reef that runs east to west made up of concrete jacks structures. To find it, park by the Whiskey Creek Hideout, walk across the bridge and to the right, follow the service trail signs in the sand heading south. You will enter the beach area at the spot where the reef is less than 600 feet offshore. The Dania Beach Pier is visible just to the south. Put your dive flag out and look for eels, fish, coral, slipper and spiny lobsters, stingrays, puffer fish and starfish. Keep in mind that the northern end of the state park, including the jetty parking lot, Jetty Pier and beach access, is closed to the public for construction.

Voters in Tuesday’s Democratic primary are the ones who will likely decide whether a changing of the guard at the Broward Sheriff’s Office is necessary, or a second full term for Tony is warranted. The Republican Party did not put up a candidate for November, leaving an independent candidate, BSO retiree Charles Whatley, as the lone challenger for the November general election..

The Sheriff’s Office is a far-flung enterprise that employs about 5,500 law enforcement, fire department and medical services personnel. It contracts public safety services to a dozen of Broward’s 31 towns and cities. It provides protection and security for Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, county courthouses and Port Everglades, the massive seaport. It also operates a forensics unit and real-time crime center that received a $1.5 federal million grant this year.

Challenging the incumbent are:

• Steven “Steve” Geller served 28 years with Plantation Police as a patrol officer, school resource officer, major case detective and captain, supervising internal affairs and other units. After retiring in 2018, he joined the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, where he was involved in use-of-force investigations of local police officers. Geller, 55, holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in criminal justice from the State University of New York, Albany, and a master’s in public administration from Florida Atlantic University. (Geller is not to be confused with long-time County Commissioner Steve Geller, who is also a former state legislator.)
• David Howard is a West Palm Beach police retiree who most recently served as Pembroke Park’s police chief for nearly three years after starting the department from scratch. He served nearly three decades in West Palm Beach, retiring as a watch commander. A U.S. Air Force retiree with 30 years of active and reserve service, he spent a year as a first officer with Silver Airways, the South Florida-based regional airline.
• Alvin Pollock is a retired BSO colonel who served in a variety of capacities through 40 years with the office, finishing his career as third in command. He oversaw the Department of Law Enforcement and all patrol support services and was a watch commander overseeing patrol functions and operations. As courthouse commander, he was responsible for security and operations within the county’s  courthouses. He also served as a road patrol sergeant who supervised deputies, as a detective with the organized crime task force, and as a deputy sheriff.

Rollercoaster term

To say that Tony is vulnerable to a challenge is an understatement. Appointed as the county’s top law enforcement officer by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019 to replace Scott Israel, who was removed from office, the sheriff has been on a rollercoaster ride this year.

Tony has taken a variety of hits for cost overruns during the building of a new $74 million training center, complaints from client cities that they’re being charged too much, and criticism for 21 jail deaths over four years and episodes involving two pregnant women who gave birth while incarcerated.

Nearly a year ago, the agency was rocked by the crash of an aging fire rescue helicopter that took the lives of its pilot and a civilian on the ground in Pompano Beach. A public argument ensued between the sheriff and county commissioners over maintenance and the pace and funding of fleet modernization.

Earlier this summer, Tony pitched Broward County commissioners a 2024-25 fiscal year budget of $1.53 billion, a 48% increase. The request for the agency’s first billion dollar-plus budget was roundly panned by commissioners, who pointed out that such an outlay would trigger a 33% increase in property taxes.

Tony argued he needs more money to hire more people to guard and operate the county’s detention centers, patrol roads, and provide security at the burgeoning international airport from a new substation. He also argued that higher pay is needed to retain and recruit staff and keep his office competitive with other agencies that are in pursuit of the same law enforcement talent.

“Broward County’s population has increased almost 13% since 2010 and is estimated to grow to over 2 million by 2030,” he wrote in his formal budget request. “This unprecedented growth has increased the need for better tools and increased personnel to provide public safety services.”

The final word on the budget will come in September.

This past spring, an administrative law judge recommended that the sheriff should receive a written reprimand and be required to undergo ethics training after concluding that Tony violated state law by failing to disclose in 2019 that his driver’s license had previously been suspended. Judge Robert L. Kilbride also said Tony should be placed on “probationary status” for 18 months.

A hearing on the recommendations scheduled for Thursday by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, an arm of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, has been postponed, according to a public agenda reviewed by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Critiques

Given the opportunity, the three challengers served up a variety of critiques when asked in a Sun Sentinel candidates’ questionnaire to evaluate Tony’s first term. The sheriff declined to engage in the exercise.

“Sheriff Gregory Tony’s tenure as the head of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) has been fraught with controversy and allegations of deception,” Geller said. “From the very beginning, Tony has been under intense scrutiny due to a lack of transparency. There are serious concerns about his integrity, particularly in relation to his failure to disclose critical information about his past, including an incident during his adolescence where he shot and killed a man. This information was not revealed during his appointment process, despite specific questions about any past arrests.

“What sets me apart as the best candidate is my unwavering commitment to honesty, integrity and ethical standards,” Geller said, adding that he has “maintained an impeccable record throughout my career.“ He said he never has faced termination, “been asked to resign, or faced any disciplinary action.”

Pollock, the retired colonel, took a sharp pencil to Tony’s public safety track record, which he said “has been marked by significant controversy and disapproval both organizationally and county-wide. It is not my assessment but the public’s assessment that is important.

“The public is clearly unsatisfied with public safety provided by BSO. Recently, Lauderdale Lakes and Pompano Beach called on Tony numerous times for a meeting regarding increasing violent crime,” Pollock wrote. “Tony’s response, he didn’t want to ‘over police’ the community. The public is being underserved and only gets lip service after pleading with BSO for help.”

He also took note of the deaths in Broward’s jails, as well as the women giving birth while incarcerated, which he called “completely unacceptable.”

“Public safety is compromised under Tony’s direction due to his top-heavy command structure, ineffective leadership, lack of accountability, and mishandling of BSO’s budget,” he added.

Howard said he would offer a “responsible and balanced budget proposal” for public safety needs that would not place “an undue financial burden on residents.”

He listed violent crime, gang activity, and staffing shortages in corrections as priorities, and said he’d conduct a “thorough review of existing programs and initiatives.” and develop a “multi-year” strategic spending plan.

“I would identify and eliminate any redundancies or inefficiencies to free up funds for more pressing needs,” he wrote.

Strong support for the incumbent

Despite the challengers’ efforts, Tony commands a level of support that appears to collectively outstrip the dollars and other backing garnered by his opponents.

State campaign records show Tony’s  Broward First PAC, which was formed several years ago, had collected more than $2.6 million through the most recent reporting period. It’s received contributions from large law firms, wealth managers, entrepreneurs, as well as the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which gave $30,000 last spring.  The money in his campaign fund also exceeds his opponents’ funds.

Endorsements have arrived from large groups such as the Broward County AFL-CIO and The Hispanic Vote PAC. An endorsement from the Dolphin Democrats, though, went to Geller.

“To be honest with you he is very articulate; he came across with a lot of passion,” said Andy Madtes, president of the umbrella labor union group. “I don’t have any skin in the game here. He came across as someone who really wants to change the trajectory of the agency.”

Sheriff uses image of VP Harris in mailer to Democratic primary voters, funded partly by Republican DeSantis allies

Madtes said the AFL-CIO screening and endorsement process normally involves member unions casting votes. But for the sheriff’s race, Madtes said, “we deferred to the unions that work directly with the sheriff’s office because they have more of an interaction.”

“It just turned out the unions … feel he’s trying to look out for the workers,” he added. “They think he’s done a decent job.”

Tony has picked his spots when discussing issues publicly. He declined to participate in candidate interviews with the Sun Sentinel editorial board  (which endorsed Geller) as well as a forum hosted by the Broward League of Women Voters.

Besides the visit with the Broward AFL-CIO, he also spoke with Hispanic Vote.

Eric Johnson, one of Tony’s campaign consultants, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that his client prefers not to discuss flashpoints such as the budget request and the driver’s license case.

“We’ve kept the campaign very positive on his record for public safety and emergency response,” Johnson said.

“Crime is down in Broward County,” he added. “Emergency response times are faster. And ultimately next Tuesday the voters will make a determination on his record as sheriff, and we are confident he will have an overwhelming victory.”

A mailer from Tony’s PAC features a picture of him with Harris, paired with a quote from former President Barack Obama.

It’s notable for the speed. The mailer from the Broward First PAC arrived in Democratic voters’ mailboxes in Broward County on Friday, just 20 days after Harris entered the presidential race when President Joe Biden ended his campaign for a second term.

Harris has generated enormous excitement among Democratic voters — exactly the supporters he needs in the four-way primary for sheriff. (A Florida Atlantic University poll released Wednesday found that 94% of likely Democratic voters in the state said they’d vote Harris for president).

The winner of the Democratic primary for sheriff — Tony, Steve Geller, David Howard or Al Pollock — faces only nominal opposition from an independent candidate in November, and is virtually certain to win the general election.

The photo of the sheriff in uniform standing next to the vice president was taken in March, on the day Harris toured the site of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas mass shooting to discuss gun-violence prevention efforts. The photo was posted months ago on Tony’s Instagram page.

The Broward First mailer is one of many about the sheriff’s race landing in Democratic voters’ mailboxes from candidates and their associated political committees.

The mailing featuring Harris is careful. It doesn’t state that there’s an endorsement of Tony from Harris or Obama.

Its theme is “change,” given that Harris would be the nation’s first woman president and the first with parents who were from Jamaica and India. It reminds voters that Tony changed the agency as “the first African American to serve as Broward County’s sheriff.”

In case all that’s too subtle, the Obama quote states, “We are the change we seek.”

There’s an ironic element to Tony’s Broward First committee paying for a mailer featuring Harris.

Some of the financial muscle behind Broward First comes from Republicans close to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is not exactly a fan of the Democratic presidential nominee. Example of a DeSantis comment: “Her tenure as VP has been disastrous.”

Tony is sheriff because of DeSantis, and the Stoneman Douglas massacre.

DeSantis appointed Tony in 2019 after he suspended previous Sheriff Scott Israel. The governor charged Israel with incompetence and neglect of duty in connection with the 2018 school massacre, in which 17 people were killed and 17 injured, and the 2017 mass shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, in which five people were killed and six injured.

In 2020, when Tony ran and won a full term as sheriff, his political action committee Broward First got fundraising help from big-name Republican DeSantis allies. As he geared up for the 2024 election, the Republican heavyweights close to the governor again helped raise money for Broward First.

Since Broward First geared up its fundraising for this year’s campaign in the spring of last year, it has raised $820,000. About two-thirds came during the second six months of 2023.

Voters have received some negative information about Tony as well. Democrats received an anti-Tony, pro-Geller mailer from a committee called “Honesty and Integrity for Broward Citizens.”

“Gregory Tony is a proven liar who is not fit to serve,” it declares above a picture of the incumbent.

The flip side declares that “Our current Sheriff has lied and broken the rules time and time again.”

The beneficiary of the mailer, Geller, is shown in a picture from his time in the Plantation Police Department and praised as a candidate of “Integrity. Leadership. Experience.”

And it attempts to remind voters of Tony’s links to DeSantis including a news headline when DeSantis called Tony a favorite Democrat. It came from December 2023, when DeSantis was seeking the Republican presidential nomination. Asked to name his favorite Democrat in Florida during a CNN town hall, he said Tony was one of the “good ones.”

The committee has taken in $172,000, according to reports filed with the Florida Division of Elections. All but $7,000 came via four contributions on July 6 and July 10, from Mark Groban, a family friend, of Rockville, Md.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon.

On Friday, the nonprofit organization, launched by innovative schoolhouse and community fulcrum Space of Mind, will kick off a monthly series called Delray Nights Throwback to celebrate the old-school downtown vibe and the tribe that made it distinctive. 

The inaugural gathering will honor John Paul Kline, the revered chef who opened 3rd and 3rd, the music-friendly restaurant and bar in downtown Delray Beach, in 2013. Kline died three years later.   

Taking place at The Hub at Space of Mind (101 NW First Ave.) from 8 p.m. to midnight, the inaugural Delray Nights Throwback will include sets from local favorites Spred the Dub, along with light bites from chef Jessie Steele, a donation bar and an atmosphere that aims to recreate the spirit of Delray’s old-school music venues. Tickets cost $50. (Teacher tickets are 50% off to celebrate the back-to-school season.) Visit FindSpaceOfMind.com.

Ali Kaufman, founding director of the Community Classroom Project and its culinary program, the Community Classroom Kitchen, had a relationship with Kline that predates 3rd and 3rd. Friday’s event will raise money in his honor. 

“I’m looking forward to celebrating with JP’s longtime friends and all the lovers of the OG Delray local scene this Friday. We’ll be raising the vibe, raising some picklebacks and raising some funds to launch the John Paul Kline Culinary Arts Scholarship,” Kaufman says. “We will continue to carry on his dream of celebrating food, art and people, always all at once.”

THURSDAY

Weekend movies: Three Cinemark theaters in South Florida are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the chain’s debut with the Big in ’84 film series, offering $5 screenings of popular films from 1984, including “Purple Rain,” “Footloose,” “Ghostbusters,” “The Karate Kid,” “Gremlins,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and more. The films will be shown at the Cinemark Boynton Beach 14, Cinemark Bistro Boca Raton and Cinemark Paradise 24 in Davie through Sunday. Visit Cinemark.com.

The DJ is you: Best known for its burlesque brunch, hip vibe and elevated lounge-food menu, Pompano Beach restaurant-bar Revelry will host another bring-your-own-vinyl night, Wax On Wax Off, where experts help you learn to create a vibe while spinning your favorite records in 15- to 30-minute sets. Sign-up begins at 7 p.m. All genres welcome. Visit Instagram.com/revelryfla.

Bump & Shot: Bice Ristorante in Palm Beach will launch its inaugural Caviar Bump & Shot Happy Hour on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m., when a special station will feature three types of caviar from Palm Beach-based Altima Caviar. The “bumps” of caviar will be served on a mother-of-pearl spoon and paired with a chilled shot of Truman Vodka (Austria). The price ranges from $25 to $50 depending on the grade of caviar selected (you can keep the spoon and shot glass). Attendees also may order caviar at a 30% discount and the vodka for 20% off during the event. Visit Facebook.com/bicepalmbeach.

Ticket window: Billy Joel is coming back to South Florida for a performance at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Saturday, Nov. 23. Ticket presales will take place on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., via the Hard Rock Facebook, X and Instagram accounts, as well as at Ticketmaster.com (password: MOVIN). The general on-sale begins at 10 a.m. Friday at MyHRL.com. 

Good life decision: Clematis by Night brings free music back to the Great Lawn in downtown West Palm Beach on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. with Poor Life Decisions, Justin Enco’s Delray Beach-based rock quartet that has always deserved a wider audience. Seek them out — satisfaction guaranteed. Visit WPB.org/events.

FRIDAY

Weekend laughs: Actor, comedian, author, Peabody Award winner and radio host D.L. Hughley returns to the stand-up stage at the Miami Improv for performances at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $40+ at MiamiImprov.com. … Comedian and impressionist Aries Spears (he did nearly 200 episodes as a regular on Fox’s sketch comedy series MADtv) is at the Dania Improv in Dania Beach at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $30+. Visit DaniaImprov.com. 

Friday tributes: Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale will host 1980s rock cover band Hairdaze and Guns N’ Roses tribute Appetite for Destruction on Friday, with tickets for the all-ages show starting at $9.25+ as part of a four-pack. Doors open at 7 p.m. Visit JoinTheRevolution.net. … Rush tribute band Afterimage will perform from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Friday at Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach. Admission is free, with table seating for two starting at $30. Visit Galuppis.com. … Magic 13 Brewing Co., a sweet spot in Miami’s Little Haiti, will have nationally touring Queen tribute band Almighty Queen at 9 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $20+. Visit Magic13Brewing.com.

Let’s talk about sax: Smooth jazz saxman Jeff Kashiwa (The Rippingtons, The Sax Pack) has shows at 6 and 9 p.m. Friday at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton. Tickets start at $30+ at FunkyBiscuit.com.

Free music: The free Summer Jamz concert puts an exclamation point on the season at Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale on Friday with a performance by popular R&B group Jagged Edge (hit “Let’s Get Married,” “Where the Party At”). Summer Jamz takes place from 7 to 10 p.m. and includes food and drink, vendors and a kids’ zone with bounce houses, yard games and more. Admission is free. Visit Parks.FortLauderdale.gov.

SATURDAY

Rompers room: Members of the South Florida Chapter of the Mrs. Roper Romp will bring their roving band of bewigged and muumuu-ed Helens to The American German Club of the Palm Beaches in Lake Worth Beach on Saturday. The night will include music from the band Private Stock, which covers classic hits from the heyday of “Three’s Company,” and German Fest activities from 5 to 10 p.m. Admission is $30 and includes German and American food and all-you-can-drink beer, wine and soft drinks. For information, search for “South Florida Chapter of Mrs. Roper Romp” on Facebook.com.

Do you remember? The indelible hits of Earth, Wind & Fire (“Boogie Wonderland,” “Shining Star,” “September”) and Chicago (“25 or 6 to 4,” “Saturday in the Park,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”) come to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are available, starting at $49.15+, at LiveNation.com.

Makers market: Beloved Fort Lauderdale staple The Flamingo Flea flees north to its traditional Palm Beach County digs at Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. The indoor-outdoor scene will include more than 30 vendors (including my new favorite, the make-your-own Hawley Trucker Hat Bar) and Crazy Uncle Mike’s beer, full bar and acclaimed food. Yet another reason to be there — live music from Joshua Diaz (remember Kids?), beginning at noon. Visit FlamingoFlea.com.

Let’s get luau-ed: Temple Street Eatery will celebrate 10 years in downtown Fort Lauderdale, on the Federal Highway seam between Flagler Village and Victoria Park, with a luau-themed block party on Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. The event will be a showcase for the acclaimed Asian street-food inspired cuisine of chef/partners Alex Kuk and Diego Ng, surrounded by live music, Chinese lion dancers, special cocktails, games and giveaways. Visit TempleStreetEatery.com.

Drinking Italy: The buzzy Small Wine Shop in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village will throw a party for the traditional Italian summer celebration Ferragosto on Saturday at 8 p.m., with Italian bites and free-flowing Italian wines. Tickets: $50 (15% off for Wine Club members). Visit SmallWineShop.com.

Plight of the honey bee: Copperpoint Brewing Co. in Boynton Beach will celebrate one of our ecosystem’s most critical workers with a gathering called Flight of the Honey Bee on Saturday, which is National Honey Bee Day. From 2 to 6 p.m. you’ll find special flights of four beers made with honey, including their popular Bee’s Squeeze. Joey McCoy of McCoy’s Florida Honey in Loxahatchee Groves will speak about the importance of bees, accompanied by a live hive, and will have samples of a variety of their honey. There also will be bottles of honey for sale. Visit Facebook.com/CopperpointBrewingCo.

Sushi Jo SoSo: Sushi Jo will celebrate the opening of its new location in the SoSo area of West Palm Beach (6200 S. Dixie Highway) on Saturday at 9 p.m. with complimentary sushi tastings, drink specials and music from Spred the Dub and DJ H-Bomb. Visit Facebook.com/SushiJoWPB.

They will rock you: If you are curious about Unravel — winners in the under-20 category at the Battle of the Bands competition at Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton last Friday —  you can catch them at MarToni Pizza Lounge in Pompano Beach (555 S. Federal Highway) on Saturday at 8 p.m. Visit Instagram.com/unravel.band. (By the way, the other winners were the Miami-based Ryan Cooper Band in the over-20 category and, for the second consecutive year, Parkland’s Midnight3 took the People’s Choice award.)

Oakland Park cool: The free Oakland Park Art Walk on Saturday will showcase the funky diversity to be found along Northeast 12th Avenue. The three-hour open house (6 to 9 p.m.) will showcase creative and culinary talent in the area between Northeast 36th Street to 34th Court (east of the Brightline tracks, south of Funky Buddha Brewery). Participants include The Butcher’s Barrel,  Nour Thai Kitchen,  Rebel Wine Bar, Black Flamingo Brewery, D’Gusta Distributions and Beans-n-Dough Cookie Co. Visit OaklandParkFL.gov.

Cold as ice: The Wharf Fort Lauderdale will be the place to chill on Saturday during SlushyFest, with more than 75 unique frozen cocktails served at six bars at the waterside outdoor venue in the heart of downtown from 3 to 8 p.m. Admission is free, and drink prices vary. Just a reminder that The Wharf will be closing for renovations after send-off parties on Aug. 30-31. Visit WharfFTL.com.

Swift action: The dance-party sorority known as Le Petite Fete will host The Eras Party, a Taylor Swift dance night, at the legendary Gramps in Wynwood on Saturday. The 21-and-older evening will include a DJ playing her hits, a costume contest, lip sync battle, bracelet trading and more. Tickets: $15. Visit LePetiteFete.com.

SUNDAY

New Maren, old Maren: Maren Morris told social media followers that her new EP, “Intermission,” represents a “new chapter of my life” after the Grammy winner came out as bisexual in June. On her way to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Sunday, Morris has been sprinkling new songs into recent tour sets, but for the most part her concerts lean into the music that has made her such a popular country performer, including “My Church,” “80s Mercedes,” “I Could Use a Love Song,” “The Bones” and her Zedd collaboration “The Middle.” Tickets for the 7 p.m. concert are available, starting at $29.99, at MyHRL.com.

Horn of plenty: Former Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Ensemble trumpeter Summer Camargo, now a member of the house band on “Saturday Night Live,” will share music from her new debut album, “To Whom I Love,” over two nights on Sunday and Monday at All That Jazz Café in Sunrise. At 7 p.m. each night, Camargo, who turns 23 this weekend, will lead a band that includes Austin Ford (trumpet), Jim Gasior (piano), Michael Ramos (bass), Max Marsillo (drums on Sunday) and Tyler Pons (drums on Monday). The Monday show was added after Sunday’s concert was sold out. For reservations, call 954-572-0821, text 954-260-5076 or email allthatjazz@bellsouth.net. Visit Facebook.com/Summer.Camargo.

Celebrating India: India’s Independence Day celebrations will unfurl on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Hosted by the South Florida chapter of the Association of Indians in America, the event will include a free cultural program highlighting dance and music from across India, food, a vendor market, an art exhibit, henna artists, kids’ activities and more. Admission is free. Visit Facebook.com/AIASFL.

The King of tributes: Longtime local favorite Chris MacDonald will bring his popular “Memories of Elvis in Concert” show to the Miniaci Performing Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University in Davie on Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets start at $29.44+ at Ticketmaster.com.

LOOKING AHEAD

Keep on rollin’: Perhaps the ultimate outdoor, sing-along concert of the season in South Florida, Train and REO Speedwagon will perform at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Wednesday, Aug. 21. Get there for the opening act, the hilariously awesome Yacht Rock Revue. Tickets start at $48.65+ at LiveNation.com.

Country dance party: A dance party dedicated to the music, fashion and fandom of a platinum-selling star is now a familiar template but the themed night called Down South is different. Taking place on Friday, Aug. 23, at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale, this gathering will take place to the hits of country stars Luke Combs, Zach Bryan and Morgan Wallen. Kind of a brilliant idea. Tickets for the all-ages show start at $13+ at JoinTheRevolution.net. Doors open at 8 p.m. Bracelets optional.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.

Officer Johnny Alejandro Mateo faces one count of digital voyeurism, police department spokesperson Lt. Antonio Gonzalez said in a news release Wednesday night.

Gonzalez did not provide information about what led to Mateo’s arrest but said Mateo was being investigated by Sunrise Police for an incident that happened while he was off duty. Mateo, who was hired in 2017, was placed on administrative the day of his arrest.

Sunrise Police spokespersons did not return an email or a voicemail Wednesday night seeking information on their investigation.

Mateo was no longer held in the Broward County jail as of Wednesday night. Court records pertaining to the charge were not available.

This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.

The longtime Sunrise resident died on Sunday evening after a brief battle with stage 4 esophageal cancer, his surviving children confirmed. He was 75.

Public services are planned for noon to 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, at Menorah Gardens & Funeral Chapels, 21100 Griffin Road, Southwest Ranches, followed by a private reception that will include hot dogs.

A native of East Flatbush, Brooklyn, Garber opened Coney Island Joe’s at 6401 Sheridan St., and for 27 years his blue and mustard-yellow stand on Seminole tribal land became a no-frills shrine to New York grilled and boiled “dirty water dogs” topped with red onions and sauerkraut, ingredients he sourced direct from the Empire State.

Joe’s became a noshing must-stop for Brooklynites, or anyone craving a moist, flavorful dog with a signature snap on a fluffy white bun, the same type found on New York street corners from Gramercy Park to Coney Island. Its all-caps “Sabrett” logo and weathered signboard-on-wheels — “Hot Corned Beef, Hot Pastrami” — beckoned for miles around.

Two of Garber’s children, Tiffany Jara and Cheyanne Alba, on Wednesday remembered their dad as a Disney diehard and hot rod racing lover when he wasn’t serving comfort food under a tent in 100-degree heat. Jara and Alba each worked their father’s stand through middle and high school.

“It was many years of being paid under the table in hot dogs and knishes,” said Jara, 36. “I’m still addicted to Cheetos and Sabretts because of that man.”

The devoted father often took his children out for subs at Publix, toys at Walmart and back-to-school shopping at Sawgrass Mills mall.

“He loved taking us to Disney World so much,” Jara said. “He’d call us up in this high-pitched Mickey Mouse voice and go, ‘This is Mickey calling!’ and we’re like, ‘Dad, c’mon.’ He always made sure to hug us when we came and hug us when we left.”

And despite being a true-blue Brooklynite, Garber refused to turn away customers who ordered ketchup on their hot dogs, Alba added. Or worse: mayonnaise.

“Dad would go, ‘Ugh, what is that? What are you doing to it?’ ” Alba, 38, recalled with a laugh. “But he carried the condiments to give the public what they wanted. As long as they were stepping foot in his shop to try his hot dogs, he was there for it.”

In a Facebook post on Monday, friend Bert Stephens spoke of Garber’s ever-present happy face and warm greetings under the Sabrett tent.

“My heart is broken tonight as I say goodbye to my very dear friend,” he wrote. “If you never got to eat one of his hot dogs, or my favorite, the meatball Parmigiana, you only missed part of the incredible visit to the Hollywood Seminole reservation. Go fly high my friend, your work here is done!”

Pat Conlon, 71, called his close friend of 20 years a tireless worker, quick-witted with an easy laugh and unafraid to keep things lighthearted — even toward the end, when chemotherapy treatments made him too weak to work the stand.

“A few months ago, when he wasn’t feeling well, people asked which hospital he went to, and he said he went to the Broward Animal Clinic,” Conlon said, chuckling. “He’d say anything to get you laughing.”

Conlon and Garber bonded quickly over the drag-racing circuit — Garber drove “funny cars” professionally in the late ’60s — and several times the duo road-tripped to Gainesville for the drag-racing event Gatornationals. One weekend three years ago, driving up in Garber’s Jeep, the engine began leaking oil and billowing black smoke. A Gainesville mechanic confirmed the leak, but rather than fix it in North Florida, Garber insisted on driving it home, arguing the repair would force him to keep the hot dog stand closed too long.

“So we’d stop every 30, 40 miles and add seven quarts of oil just to get it home,” Conlon said with a laugh. “We must’ve put 48 quarts of oil in that thing. We limped it up there and limped it back but, boy, Elliott was determined to get back to work.”

Garber is survived by his widow, Debbie Ayers, his four children — Tiffany Jara, Cheyanne Alba, Shannon Cardinali and Brian Garber — and five grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations to cover funeral expenses may be made via Zelle at 954-829-9892. For information, go to dignitymemorial.com.

But prosecutor William Sinclair told jurors Wednesday that Palmer, 63, died shortly after 3 p.m. that April 13, a conclusion drawn not from expert medical testimony but from a handy piece of technology — the smartwatch on the victim’s wrist.

Palmer’s watch showed her heart beating regularly until there was a sudden spike in her heart rate, followed almost immediately by nothing, Sinclair said. And phone records show she was not alone. Her husband, Patrick Palmer, was with her.

Jurors began deliberations Wednesday in Patrick Palmer’s first-degree murder trial. If convicted, he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

The defendant, 57, originally told police that he shot his wife during an argument about his continued drug use — she had threatened to leave him if he relapsed again.

On the stand this week, he retracted his confession and said he could not specifically remember the circumstances surrounding his wife’s shooting.

The victim was shot twice in the head. The first shot did not penetrate the skull, according to trial testimony.

Palmer admitted his drug addiction and the argument with his wife, but defense lawyer Dione Trawick told the jury that he was incapacitated by drug use and blood loss after a suicide attempt when he gave his first statement to police.

“He was on a binge,” Trawick said. “He told you that. He doesn’t know what happened, but that doesn’t mean he killed his wife. He doesn’t know because he doesn’t remember because he was on a binge.”

Palmer had no financial motive to kill his wife because they were married and legally co-owners of their Pompano Beach home and the Chit Chat’s business, she said.

Sinclair scoffed at her account and the notion that someone else, perhaps Patrick Palmer’s drug supplier, could have committed the murder. There was too much cash lying around in the house, thousands of dollars that would certainly have been stolen if someone other than the defendant committed the murder, Sinclair said.

“So a drug dealer went into this home, loaded with cash, and didn’t take a dime?” he asked incredulously. “And killed her with a gun that was already in the home?”

Patrick Palmer used his wife’s phone to send phony messages to her friends to fool them into believing she was still alive after April 13, 2018, Sinclair said. But worried friends asked the Broward Sheriff’s Office to conduct a wellness check on April 17. It was then that the body was discovered. Patrick Palmer was found lying face down on his bed, his wrists slashed, holding a wooden heart that read, “Pat and Sherry Forever Soulmates.”

Jurors deliberated for about 90 minutes on Wednesday and will return Thursday.

Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. 

Tickets for the concert are scheduled to go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 16, at MyHRL.com. But, first, tickets will be available in presales the day before, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., via Hard Rock’s Facebook, X and Instagram accounts, as well as at Ticketmaster.com (password: MOVIN).

Joel last month concluded a record-setting residency at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden, a series that included 150 concerts over more than a decade. 

The New York native broke out more than 50 years ago with 1973’s autobiographical “Piano Man,” and any debate over his best song gets heated in South Florida. Candidates include “Just The Way You Are,” “The Longest Time,” “Vienna,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” “Tell Her About It,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “Uptown Girl” and others.  

For more information and updates, visit BillyJoel.com.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.

When it debuts in December, this new coastal Italian bistro from husband-and-wife restaurateurs Eddie and Christina Pozzuoli will take over the longtime Tavolino space in Coral Springs, the couple tell the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The Pozzuolis, who once owned Tavolino, want to transform their space into something new and swanky while also paying tribute to the past.

The new family-run restaurant, named after their children, Eddie, 6, and Vinny, 3, promises to be a seafood-forward Italian sit-down touting fresh daily catches, olive-oil carts with bread service, wine lockers and a 10-seat “pasta room,” where chefs hand-roll pasta shapes by day.

After a long career of giving other acclaimed South Florida restaurants like Prezzo and Corvina Seafood Grill a jolt of youthful ambition, the Pozzuolis say Eddie & Vinny’s, for once, is entirely their own.

“We want to light something on fire and go after it,” Eddie Pozzuoli says. “This is completely us from scratch.”

It is not, Eddie Pozzuoli adds, a comeback for Tavolino, the highly regarded Italian bistro that closed in April after 17 years, amid the growing legal and financial woes of its most recent owner, Sidharth Sethi, he says. The Pozzuoli family has owned the Tavolino building on West Sample Road since 2007 but sold the restaurant to Sethi in 2019. Then last fall, Tavolino’s chef of 15 years, Bruno Silva, exited the restaurant to open his own farm-to-table Italian eatery, Livello, also in Coral Springs.

“Bruno was what was keeping [Tavolino] together, so we wanted to turn the page and do something new,” Pozzuoli says.

Eddie & Vinny’s will carry traces of its predecessor’s DNA, starting with the name, a nod to Tavolino founder and Eddie’s father, Ed Pozzuoli Sr., and Christina’s father, Vinny. The menu, still unfinished, will pay homage to Tavolino’s classic Italian fare (veal Parmigiana and chicken Milanese, for example) while offering dishes such as blue crab bruschetta, Florida rock shrimp with broccoli puree and shellfish nage, and lobster linguine fra diavolo created by chef Jeff Tunks (Boca Raton’s Corvina Seafood Grill).

“This project connects our sons and our dads because we had so many good memories here,” Christina Pozzuoli says. “Our customers kindled relationships here. They had baby showers, bat mitzvahs.”

The 30-something power couple behind Eddie & Vinny’s rose up the culinary ranks by taking over Burt Rapoport’s rebooted Boca Raton Italian joint Prezzo in 2020, and expanding the trattoria to Palm Beach Gardens in 2021. Last spring, the Pozzuolis also became managing partners of Corvina Seafood Grill through their P Hospitality banner, and have since refreshed its cocktail program, introduced glasses of welcome cava for diners and added a “land” section of the menu for non-seafood eaters.

Christina Pozzuoli sees similarities between Corvina and Eddie & Vinny’s, describing the latter as Corvina’s “cool older brother.”

The Eddie & Vinny’s menu will carry “maybe 60% seafood and 40% Italian classics,” adds Eddie Pozzuoli. Other dishes will include steamed Prince Edward Island mussels with garlic, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme-limoncello cream and grilled crostini, and yellowtail livornese with Gaeta olives, capers and tomato. For carnivores, there’s a Tuscan cowboy ribeye steak topped with rosemary and balsamic glazed cippolini onions.

The Pozzuolis say they’re awaiting construction permits to start revamping the dining room, hopefully by September. The sumptuous vibe, which Christina Pozzuoli describes as “darker, intimate and more nightlife-y,” will come alive with dark navy and caramel-wood tones, and brassy gold barstools and banquettes. Gold pendant lighting will be fixed within black exposed ceilings, while a live-music stage will carry five-piece jazz bands and DJ sets.

Happy hour and lunch service will launch roughly a month after opening, Eddie Pozzuoli says, but craft cocktails and an Italian-leaning wine list will be available on opening night. Eddie & Vinny’s will also offer wine memberships, in which customers buy bulk wines at discount and store them inside chilled wine lockers to pair with meals on future visits without paying corkage fees.

“Because of Tavolino, we have a pretty good idea of what the clientele likes out here,” he says. “We don’t want to completely move away from the classics, and I don’t want to alienate what made us very popular, what made us near and dear to everyone’s hearts. There’s got to be something for everyone.”

Eddie & Vinny’s, at 10181 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs, is expected to open in December 2024.

Staff writer Phillip Valys can be reached at pvalys@sunsentinel.com. Follow him on Instagram @p.v.guide and X/Twitter @PhilValys.