business beat

No Pizza, No Problem

Tommy’s Hideaway Officially Opens

By Cameron Healy

Each meal is made with tender love and care by co-owners of Gulfport’s newest food joint, Tommy’s Hideaway. Tom Lussiano and Larisa Curbelo may have had to put their pizza-making dreams on pause, but that didn’t stop them from coming true.

Tommy’s Hideaway officially opened Feb. 7 and received great feedback from the Gulfport community. People flooded the doors the first day and they’ve been busy ever since, according to Lussiano.

Since they don’t have pizzas on the menu just yet, they’re noticing customers mostly order subs for lunch and their specialty pasta dishes for dinners. Lussiano said they have more than 250 fresh sub rolls in their kitchen each day, ready for whatever crowd comes in.

“We have a meatball appetizer and a meatball sub, so we sell a lot of those. And then the wings we have three different styles of wings. So people are getting a chance to try that food where they might not have with the pizza,” Lussiano said.

The two noticed the restaurant already has regulars. Curbelo recalled a couple came in every day since the place opened. She said another couple stated they’re going to try something different every day. With no pizza to order, Curbelo said it’s a nice opportunity for people to taste their other options.

“We make everything with so much attention,” Curbelo said. “Every plate that leaves the kitchen, we make sure it was made with love because it’s important to us.”

Lussiano said no plate leaves that kitchen without a big thumbs up from

Curbelo.

They wouldn’t be able to run the restaurant without the help of their servers. Lussiano said all four of the employees stayed from the previous restaurant, Dog Pier.

“We are very fortunate,” Lussiano said. “We’re trying to create this little family that is gonna go on this fun little journey with us and so far, it’s been great.”

These owners don’t just sit back and watch the money roll in, they make an effort to be hands on. Lussiano and Curbelo wear long black aprons over their black t-shirts and their black Tommy’s Hideaway hats while in the kitchen and out front with the customers.

“We’re here 14 hours a day, so we get in at like 8 o’clock. He starts rolling his meatballs. We make everything fresh in the mornings,” Curbelo said.

Lussiano credited Curbelo with how hard she works preparing her homemade red sauce in the mornings – and she makes a lot of it.

The two look forward to being a part of the community now they are officially open. They plan to donate to and participate in Gulfport’s 19th annual Get Rescued festival on Feb. 25.

“We want to be involved in the community so I think this is a good start for us,” Curbelo said. “We are going to do a menu special for that day.”

They hope to serve Gulfport their pizza options soon. Once they receive the city’s approval, they have Joe Hashim to work his pizza magic. According to Lussiano, Hashim is a local who has over 30 years of pizza experience.

Lussiano told The Gabber the only barrier remaining for pizza is approval from the City of Gulfport’s Community Development department. The Gabber spoke with Clark Streicher, Gulfport’s building official, about the status of the permits and found it could be another three weeks before the city approved the permit, at which time Lussiano would have to pay for the permit and get another inspection before the city can clear the business to use its pizza oven.

Tommy’s Hideaway, 3121 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport. tommypizzapub.com