Grace Pizza and Shakes is a restaurant in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida that was founded in 1990 by Adrian and Gina Hembree. This local gem offers hand tossed pizza wood fired in their oven. Grace is much more than just the title of the restaurant however, it extends far beyond the kitchen and even beyond the doors. It is a belief and philosophy that all employees at Grace embody.
I first went to Grace pizza and shakes in 2023 for spring break, and I immediately knew I had stumbled upon a treasure trove. The employees treated my family with the utmost respect, and it felt like we were a part of their family.
After informing our server that it was our first time dining with them, we got an amazing in-depth explanation of the menu and their house favorites. As a starter, we got the whipped ricotta dip which was sweet, rich, and paired very well with the toasted bread they plate it with.
My brother and I also ordered their monster shakes that lived up to the hype. Personally, the shakes are enough to satiate me for the entire meal but the food is so good you can not just stop with a shake.
For the main course my family ordered two pizzas, the first of which being the Heat Wave pizza, which includes spicy marinara, shredded mozzarella, Calabrian chilis, Calabrese salami, Italian sausage, and is drizzled with local hot honey. This pizza was delicious and was interesting for sure. The savory flavors that came with the sausage coupled nicely with the sweetness and spiciness of the local hot honey.
The other pizza we got was the Newt’s Margherita pizza. This classic pie offered pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, roasted garlic, and fresh basil. To date, this is by far the best Margherita pizza I have ever had. It was so fresh, which is exactly what I search for in this variation of pizza.
When the end of the meal rolled around, everyone was stuffed, but we also were very joyful. This was the best dining experience I have ever had anywhere in my life and I couldn’t wait to get back there, which I did this year. I felt like I made another family in just over the hour we spent at Grace. I 100% recommend stopping in if you are anywhere near this amazing restaurant.
