Barrancotto’s

Barrancotto’s: A Vilano Beach Landmark

The Gla-May Restaurant

Located at 165 Vilano Road in Vilano Beach, Florida, this historic property was originally constructed in 1952. Architecturally, the single-story concrete block building is a rare surviving example of the post-World War II Streamline Moderne style, an evolution of Art Deco, characterized by strong horizontal lines, a flat roof, unadorned walls, and a curved, projecting wing with distinct glass-block windows.

Long before it became a local landmark, the property at 165 Vilano Road was home to the Gla-May Restaurant. It opened in 1952 as the Gla-May Coffee Shop, operated by Mabelle B. Orde and Gladys M. Colley, who maintained their living quarters in the right wing of the building. It wasn’t until 1957 that it was purchased by chef Fred Spires and his wife, Miriam, who maintained a reputation for a creative menu until it closed in the early 1960s. Fred Spires partnered with Herman Queen to reopen Queen’s Steak House in Anastasia in 1962, where he was the head chef.

If you lived in Vilano Beach during the restaurant’s heyday, you could enjoy a fresh Florida shrimp cocktail for just 85 cents, fresh seasonal melon for 35 cents, or sweet pink Florida shrimp for $2.00. The menu featured premium entrees like a U.S. prime boneless sirloin strip steak, dubbed the “Stick ’em up Pardner,” for $4.50, and deluxe crabmeat for $2.25. For $2.50, diners could indulge in the “Hawaiian Dream”, a thick slice of tender ham broiled with a pineapple slice, red cherries, brown sugar, and cloves, completely rounded out with sweet potatoes. A hot turkey sandwich with a cranberry garnish, fries, and coffee cost a mere $1.50, while a hot plate of fried ocean shrimp was just $2.10.

Desserts were equally a steal: ice cream or sherbet was twenty cents, homemade chocolate pie with old-fashioned whipped cream was forty cents, and an apple pie enclosed in a flaky crust was 35 cents, with cheese, whipped cream, or ice cream available for just an extra dime.

Barrancotto’s Roma Restaurant

The building enters its most prominent historical chapter later in 1964, when it became the new home of Barrancotto’s Roma Restaurant. Founded in 1946 on San Marco Avenue by World War II veterans Sam J. Barrancotto and Agnes Frances Panepinto, the establishment was recognized as St. Augustine’s first Italian restaurant. Originally a simple coffee shop and diner, the establishment underwent an extensive renovation in 1951 to introduce its signature Italian cuisine. After Hurricane Dora damaged their original location, the family relocated to the Vilano Road property, where they operated a vibrant, beloved community destination for 43 years.

Based on the 1983 review from The St. Augustine Record, the menu at Barrancotto’s Roma St. Augustine’s Original Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria focused on traditional, straightforward Italian classics managed by the father-and-son team of Sam Sr. and Sam Jr. Appetizers kept things simple and affordable, featuring minestrone with bread for 75 cents, a large antipasto intended as a full meal for two priced at $4.75, hearts of celery, and an anchovies and lettuce dish.

The heart of the menu relied heavily on a variety of standard pasta and spaghetti treatments. Diners could order spaghetti served with marinara, mushroom sauce, or aglio e olio, with prices ranging from $3.75 to $4.95. More substantial pasta bakes like ravioli, lasagna, and manicotti were also available for just a bit more. For non-pasta entrees, the kitchen turned out classic proteins like chicken and veal parmigiana, chicken cacciatore, and a standout veal and peppers dish featuring large chunks of meat, peppers, and mushrooms swimming in a steaming tomato-based sauce. These traditional plates were served with a side of spaghetti, a dinner salad, and hot bread and butter.

True to its identity as a pizzeria, Barrancotto’s also offered a solid pizza selection. Options ranged from a budget-friendly “plain” cheese pizza for $3.95 up to $7.50 for a pie loaded with “the works.” Seafood lovers were catered to as well, with the menu highlighting fresh coastal catches like oysters, shrimp, and scallops.

Closure

After A1A was rerouted and a new Vilano Bridge was constructed in 1995, activity along Vilano Road dwindled. Although infrastructure improvements were planned between 2003 and 2008, reinvigorating Vilano Road traffic. New construction, like Publix and various hotels, was built from 2011 to 2023. Unfortunately, Barrancotto’s would not survive to see these improvements, shuttering its doors in 2007.

Historic Designation and Future Plans

The building managed to survive numerous coastal storms and hurricanes over the subsequent decades, including major damage from Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Irma (2017). Recognizing its immense cultural value to the post-war tourism boom and the evolution of roadside coastal enclaves, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners designated the structure as a local landmark in early 2024, paving the way for it to be rehabilitated as the centerpiece for a new community establishment, Snappers Restaurant.

The former Barrancotto’s Roma Restaurant is currently owned by restaurateurs Margo Klar and Nathan Stuart, owners of the St. Augustine Fish House & Oyster Co., Tally Fish House & Oyster Bar, Outback Crab Shack, and The Boathouse. They plan to renovate the 2,153-square-foot building and expand it by 1,813 square feet. Site plans for the upcoming Snappers Restaurant showcase a common dining area, sushi bar, ice cream shop, full bar, and event space, accommodating up to 194 guests.

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