PHOTO VIA MICHAEL COLLANTES
Chef Michael Collantes in the process of reviving his avant‑garde pizza concept Perla’s Pizza (Instagram), in Winter Park.
The OG Perla’s originally debuted in early 2021 in Ivanhoe Village before the partnership dissolved mid‑year, but it gained a cult following for its playful “Florida Man pizza” style, think red‑sauce pies topped with curled pepperoni, Calabrese peppers, pineapple jam, and even bananas on their iconic “It’s Bananas” slice. That concept remained with the other partner and eventually became Ziggie’s Pizza, which recently acquired the adjacent Thirsty Topher craft beer bar – albeit without the banana pizza recipe, which Collantes took with him in the split. Insert banana split joke.
Perla’s is expected to reopen in September at 959 W. Fairbanks Avenue [GMap], just doors down from Collantes’ Michelin‑starred omakase restaurant Soseki and sake lounge Bar Kada. The new venue features craft cocktails and a curated vinyl soundtrack, according to its website.
Collantes has teased a number of innovative new recipes, including a playful riff on NYC’s vodka‑penne pizza affectionately dubbed “Mom’s Spaghetti”(which sounds like an Eminem reference) and confirmed that bananas will once again make an appearance on the menu.
Follow their socials for updates so you don’t miss the opening date. We’ll be doing the same.
