July 17, 2025
Popular Local Pizzeria Sammy Joe’s Grows With The Community in The Villages
By Kyle Coppola
Popular Local Pizzeria Sammy Joe’s Grows With The Community in The Villages
What began as a small pizza shop in Lady Lake in 2013 has grown into a beloved local staple in The Villages. Sammy Joe’s Pizzeria Café, owned by longtime residents Carol and George Laufersky, has built a loyal following for its family-friendly atmosphere, hearty meals, and dedication to community service.
After opening to success in Lady Lake, Sammy Joe’s relocated in May 2015 to the Mulberry Grove Plaza in The Villages to accommodate its growing customer base. The move allowed the family-run eatery to expand its menu, create a more defined restaurant theme, and deepen its ties with local residents.
(One of the most popular dishes is the spaghetti and meatballs.)
Named after the Lauferskys’ youngest son, Samuel Joseph, affectionately nicknamed “Sammy Joe” as a toddler, the restaurant remains a family affair. While Samuel is still in school, he can often be seen helping out or enjoying his namesake pizza, “The Sammy,” when he’s not in class.
The restaurant offers something for everyone, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner served daily. Morning offerings include both classic and creative dishes like creamy scrambled eggs. Lunch caters to diners on the move with fresh salads, pasta bowls, and grinders. Dinner features New York-style pizza, homemade lasagna, chicken parmesan, and nightly specials.
(The garlic knots hit on all the right notes and are bursting with flavor.)
Beyond the food, Sammy Joe’s is known for its warm service and community involvement. Carol and George, who met while working in the local restaurant industry more than two decades ago, have made it a priority to give back. They’ve donated meals and support to local events and programs, including regularly feeding Villages High School athletes before games.
(Don’t sleep on the Stromboli this thing is delicious!)
Located at 8760 SE 165th Mulberry Lane, the restaurant operates seven days a week and offers a full menu of favorites, from jumbo wings and garlic knots to strombolis, calzones, and more. It’s a great place to dine in but you can always get takeout to go as well.
For those looking for a hearty meal and a welcoming place to gather, Sammy Joe’s continues to deliver, just like they’ve been doing for over a decade.
(The signature jumbo wings are packed with seasonings and sauces that make you want more.)
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
