We have lived in Gainesville forever, and driven past this place many a times. My husband suggested we finally try this place out and I didnt hesistate to say YES!
It was around 3 on a wednesday, place had a few other patrons. Inside its quiet, dark, and the booth was comfortable. Jessica was our superb waitress.
We asked how big the salads are since we usually share a small at our other pizza place, and she indicated that the small was really not for sharing. We ordered a large Micanopy Salad (7.50) Which is a big salad with mixed greens, carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions. All the dressings are house made and we chose the balsamic Vinaigrette. The salad was really fresh, and the dressing was very yummy. Next time we will try the Lemon Vinaigrette for sure. I am a sucker for house made dressins!
We wanted to try a pizza, and as soon as I saw the description for their Vongole pizza...I was done. Â Vongole- Garlic Butter, Cedar Key Clams, Capers, Roasted Garlic, Parmesean, Romano, and Parsley. (13.50) only comes in the thin crust which is what we wanted anyway. The other option is a sicilian style which are thick crust pan pizzas. (next time!)
The Pie came out and it was a golden crusty amazingness topped with tons of (still in the shell) clams, garlic, capers....Perfectly cooked all crispy. The clams were tender, and salty and so fresh. We polished off the whole thing. It was delicious!
We will go back, cause we want to try everything now. The service was outstanding, the ambiance is chill, and to just take a nice drive out of town to still eat local is what we love to do.
VIBE: Â Small roadside beer and pizza joint in small cinder block building in Micanopy along 441. Â Have about 6 bars tools at bar and table seating. Â Very popular with locals and those who come from Ocala to eat here. Â I have stopped here when needing a break along I-75. Â Not far, use your GPS to get there.
ORDER THE: Â Pizza and beer.
BEST PIZZA JOINT IN TOWN!!!
The pizza is amazing! The crust is crispy and delicious, fresh toppings and great combinations. Create your own also available.
Service is always friendly and the food is made to order but comes out in a timely manner.
Prices and the best part...very fair and affordable.
So much better than the overrated and overpriced Satchel's.
We like to eat at the Blue Highway, particularly since it is only one of a small handful of places nearby when we don't feel like cooking at home and don't want to have to travel all the way to Ocala or to Gainesville.
It is a pretty small restaurant--almost always VERY loud. Â Hard to have a conversation because they are almost always full. Â The food prep and service are also quite slow so don't come here if you are in a hurry.
On the up side...the prices are reasonable, the portions good sized and the food pretty darn yummy. Â My favorites have been the panini sandwiches but I've also liked some of the different Pizzas and calzone. Â We eat here about once a month for either lunch or dinner. Never on a weekend.
Also, there are usually many people in the kitchen area, but seems to be a lot of chaos in terms of who is doing what.
We would like to eat on regular plates and drink out of something besides cheap plastic throw away. Â It is nearly impossible to cut a calzone with plastic ware.
A nice, homey local eatery. Â Friendly if scattered staff.
My girlfriend and I recently visited Gainesville for the first time. Hungry on arrival, local friends immediately escorted us to the Blue Highway. We didn't even look at a menu--our hosts stressed, and I mean STRESSED, the importance of THE BUFFALO TEMPEH PIZZA WITH GORGONZOLA DIPPING SAUCE. Holy shit. Get it, get it!
Review Source:From the outside, it looks like something you should pass by. Do NOT be fooled! Inside, you'll find great service, excellent food and people who truly love what they do. I wasn't even hungry when we went, but by the time we left I was clutching the leftovers like a prize. The pizza crust is delicious; whatever toppings you get, you'll be good because a fine pizza starts with a well-made crust. The Greek salad (with tempeh added; so tasty) was more than enough for two people to share as a meal, and the bread triangles that came with the hummus (I'm guessing they owe a lot to the pizza crust) put to shame the usual pita bread mini-wedges you find at most restaurants. Even the Key lime pie is worth ordering, something which, alas, cannot be said for every KLP in North Central Florida. It's a small place that fills up quickly, so going at an off hour might be a good bet, and yes, this location only uses disposable dinnerware; this is something you'll need to take up with the good people who run Micanopy if you want it to change. If you drive by, give this little restaurant the second glance it deserves and treat yourself!
Review Source:My friend Justin and I ate here for dinner as my beloved Pearl Country Store was about to close up shop for the night and nearly out of BBQ, apparently. (They serve BBQ from 11am to around 8pm but sometimes run out before that.) I'd been to Blue Highway once before but it had been a while, so it was interesting to be back. The building and atmosphere are inviting, cozy, and enchanting--like most aspects of the small town of Micanopy. Blue Highway was busy when we got there around 7:30pm and we asked for a seat outside in the small garden area which was certainly the best option. Indoors was crowded and the small outside seating area was fun, intimate, and refreshing.
Justin ordered one of the small pizzas and seemed to like it. I ordered a flatbread dish with lamb feta cheese, olives, and a mint sauce--a modified approach based around a Greek gyro, it seems. I wasn't that impressed with it: it sounded good on the menu, but would have been far better as a real gyro than a flatbread approach and the lamb was certainly lamb but tasted more like roast beef. Aside from pizza, they have a variety of sandwiches, these flatbreads, and a lot of "small dishes" which are mainly of an expectedly Italian theme--the antipasto looked good on the menu. Next time, I will try the pizza certainly and I don't think it's really fair to judge a pizza parlor based on its odd flatbreads alone. One other thing however I disliked was if you order Coke, Diet Coke or I suppose any soft drink, they serve it by the can, which means you order another can should you want refills. That's not very classy nor pragmatic: who drinks only one can of Coke if they order a whole (even small) pizza? I feel pitchers or at least refills are far more appropriate anywhere with waiter service, Blue Highway included.
I prefer this location over the Tioga one because of it's cozy atmosphere! Super delicious pizzas and wings. Not a big fan of their huge meatball calzone. I go there about twice a month and get a pizza punch card if you plan on returning... It ends up being about a dollar off each pizza when you've filled up the card.
Review Source:Shockingly amazing!! Not your typical side-of-highway pizza joint. The pizza is fresh and delicious and made to your liking. The garlic bread is phenomenal and not your average garlic bread but rather strips of baked goodness that's accompanied by marinara sauce. And I have to mention the salad and how it has such an interesting blend of ingredients such as pecans, feta cheese and a tasty vinegarette.
Review Source:Excellent, tasty pizza. The Margherita is a surefire winner, the Vongole is also fantastic. I've had others, which were also good, but those are the standouts. The dining room is a bit weird here - I prefer the Tioga location, but the pizza just seems to taste better at the original location. Draft beer selection is lacking - they should try to improve/expand that.
Review Source:As previously mentioned this place is in the middle of nowhere and its small. However the service and the pizza are great!!!
I went there once and got the calzone, it was really good and I was only able to finish half of it. The second time I went with a friend to try their pizza and it was good. I have high expectations when it comes on how a pizza should taste or how the crust should be in order for me to consider it a good pizza, and Blue Highway passed my test.
The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because all I had was a (fabulous) sandwich.
Never heard of or ever noticed this place until yesterday I started looking for a place to eat while riding up 441. Â Wasn't really hungry but knew if I didn't stop somewhere soon, I wasn't going to have an opportunity to eat again for several hours. Â Just wanted a bite so I wouldn't be starving 2 hours later. Â Blue Highway was simply the first place I came to after deciding I needed to eat. Â My expectations were very neutral, maybe even negative considering the outside looked more like "hole in the wall" than anything else and there was only 2 cars parked outside. Â
I've only been there once, and they weren't busy.  I'm no expert and don't know how Italian is "supposed" to taste.  Only had a panini sandwich (never had panini before either).  But I was thoroughly impressed.  The menu was imaginative and different, the atmosphere warm and inviting though hard to describe accurately ( some sort of mix of serious  upscale restaurant, sports bar, and pizza joint/Italian restaurant).  My service was impeccable.  The sandwich like nothing I've ever had and absolutely delicious.  I overheard several of the other diners complimenting their dishes as well. Â
I don't travel that area often, but when I do, I'll be stopping at the Blue Highway to sample other menu items.
Fantastic Pizza! Too bad its in the middle of nowhere (that doesnt stop it from getting packed at nights). The place is across a gas station (where there is a pretty good bbq joint - Pearl Country) and is this small little shop. Me and my friends saw this place when we were having bbq and it looked packed, so we made sure we came back to try it. We werent dissappointed.
The food was great. The beer selection was pretty good too. I've had the sicilian pizza (big enough for 2) and normal pepperoni. But my favorite is the buffalo chicken pizza. The ingredients are fresh and the buffalo chicken wasnt too spicy. Never really had anything else but the pizza, but that's the real reason to come.
I will say that the prices are pretty expensive for pizza. It was great pizza though. I love wings, so the buffalo chicken pizza was perfect. If you're looking for cheap pizza, look elsewhere. But if you want to sit in a nice relaxing place and grab a pizza to share at the table. Come give this place a try.
We travel from Ocala to Gainesville to go to Basketball games and have the pleasure of going to Blue Highway for their fantastic pizza. Â It is usually very busy and we run into many of our friends so we also have an opportunity to visit with our friends. Â Thanks for the great food and casual surroundings!
Review Source:Found this diamond pizza joint 5+ years ago.
Joke is it's the best pizza between Gainesville and Ocala in the middle of no where Micanopy.
The place is small. Service always good. But the pizza is excellent !!
This is worth a trip out of town to try them. Satchels rates a 3 while Blue Highway a 5.
We had read the positive reviews, seen the commercials, and decided to make the drive out to Micanopy from Gainesville to try Blue Highway.
When we arrived, we were told there would be just a 15 minute wait. No big deal. So, my wife and I decided we would grab a drink at the bar while we waited. Shortly after sitting down at the bar, a hostess asked us to give up our seats, because customers had entered behind us who wanted to eat at the bar.
Shocked, but still wanting pizza, we left and drove to Satchel's.
I've driven by here plenty of times on the drive from Ocala to Gainesville but never thought about stopping in. Luckily, while back in Gainesville this weekend, some friends drove me here after my request for Satchel's.
I understand why people compare the two, but I think they are both great for different reasons. I've already reviewed Satchel's so I was happy to give BH a try.
We waited for about ten minutes, but I took that time to look over the menu. They have a lot of great choice that, from the outside of the restaurant, you really don't expect to see on a the menu.
Since my friends are regulars, I let them order the salad, appetizers and pizza. We had the blue highway salad with feta cheese, candied pecans, and kalamata olives. Sadly, I didn't really like the olive-pecan combo. Perhaps my palate isn't developed enough, but it was not for me.
As an appetizer we got a flatbread stuffed with delicious hummus. Redemption! I was mad that I had to share this with the whole table.
We got a Pizza Blanca and added mushrooms. I really loved the cheese on that pizza - it was filled with flavor. The crust was okay, I prefer mine a little less chewy.
The service was fast and friendly. They recognized my friends and reminded them to get their card punched for a free pizza. All in all, it was a great experience to dine there. I do love Satchel's but I was happy to add Blue Highway to the list of places for great pizza and atmosphere in Gainesville!
I don't go here often because riding across the prairie on a Vespa is -- well, windy! (Plus, Satchel's is a lot closer to where I live.) But I had a roasted eggplant/kalamata olive/garlic pizza at Blue Highway last weekend, and it was so nice, I thought I'd better write a review.
I have never eaten anything other than the pizza here. I was with a big group last weekend and got to see the panini and salads -- everybody was really happy with their food. But I just had to order the pizza because it's SO YUMMY. Especially with roasted eggplant! Another woman got the meatball pizza, and it was also amazing.
These are one-size, thin-crust pizzas, about 12 inches across. The crust is NOT as perfect as Satchel's (but then, that's like saying a steak is not as good as Peter Luger's in Brooklyn), but it _is_ a very tasty artisan crust.
You can smell the roasted garlic from Blue Highway (if you're on a Vespa, say) long before you come to the building itself. If you're in a cage (a car), the aroma smacks you in the face as soon as you get out. Just about every one of the pizzas has this luscious roasted garlic.
Also, it's a Southern highway cafe -- so the sweet tea is done right.
P.S. It's small, so you might have to wait for a table, especially on a weekend.
We went Saturday night at 8:20 (they close at 9). We ordered the antipasti plate and the Abruzzese thin crust and cannoli for dessert.
The antipasti plate was pretty good. Served with grilled focaccia with hummus, roasted vegs, marinated peppers meats/cheese, and small caprese salad. Nothing too special but if that's your sort of thing, by all means get it.
I usually order Margherita pizzas, but I wanted meat that night so I ordered the Abruzzese. The Abruzzese. My god. When it came to our table, there was a delicious roasted garlic aroma and plenty of it on the pizza. Probably not the best pizza to order on a first date but whatever, it was amazing and I will proudly display my stinky breath everywhere. The pizza had meatballs, roasted garlic, and lots of cheese. Like the other reviews mentioned, didn't really notice the sauce but there was plenty of cheesy goodness to make up for it. I am very excited for leftover pizza.
The cannoli was incredibly good as well. Served cold but the cream was sweet enough and had chocolate chips in it, not overbearing at all. I thought I detected a hint of cinnamon but couldn't see any in the cream. The shell was flakier than other cannolis I've had, but I enjoyed that.
The server was very sweet the whole night and very attentive even though we came in 30 mins before closing.
I'm super stoked to come back and try everything else. It's not THAT far of a drive, so get off your butts and go!!
When I knew I was coming back to Gainesville for a visit, this place was on my list of places I had to have while I was in town. It is off the beaten path as it is about twenty minutes south of Gainesville itself, but well worth the drive down there.
The place is kind of crazy and wonderful. There are strange art pieces lining the walls and a true mix of cultures both working there and patronizing the establishment. The dining room is small and cozy, but acoustically works out so that you can't overhear everything the table next to you says. This is particularly good when you have a loud group (me and my friends) come in and sit next to you.
Blue Highway serves gourmet pizzas with combinations of toppings that you would have to be completely insane or just really high to come up with, but if you try them, you start to believe that maybe coming up with recipes while high isn't such a bad idea. I mean really, eggplant and prosciutto, who thinks this is a good idea? I do now, after trying it. Also their rosemary cheese bread is a great start to any meal in which you are going to stuff yourself to the point of having to unbutton your pants.
And while Blue Highway is known for their pizza, that is not all they have. Not by a long shot. They have some amazing salads. Amazing and large salads. And their sandwiches are pretty tasty too. Although I have to admit, since I only had one chance to go back, I didn't get a sandwich. I stuck with the pizza. It is cooked in a stone oven and I am not entirely sure what they make the crust out of, but it has almost a fizz to it. I am sure they aren't using live bees or anything, but the crust has a buzz. But in a really really good way.
As I have said, the place isn't that big, and so there isn't much to say about it. Well other than, they have great food and it is cozy. Oh, I also forgot to mention that it is locally owned and the owner is often in the restaurant and I have had many a conversation with him. Everyone that works there is really friendly and the service is fast. And have I mentioned that the food is great? Worth the short drive from Gainesville to try if you haven't already.
This was another food trip made while I was loafing from illness. Â The opportunity to pass through or by Micanopy almost never presents itself, so when I had a rare day off from work and nothing to do, I decided to make a drive to Blue Highway for breakfast / lunch. Â
The atmosphere is classic small-town and you may get "the eye" from the local patrons upon entering, but the pizza is genuinely delicious. Â I ordered a margherita and found it to be fresh, savory, crispy and very satisfying. Â The combination of roasted garlic, tiny meatballs, basil, cheese and sauce blew me away. Â At first I didn't give the food enough credit because I had been slowly starving for nearly a week, but it quickly became obvious that these people make a very good pizza, and that not nearly enough folks in Gainesville know about it. Â Shame.
The best part of the trip, though, was slowly driving back to Gainesville (55 mph on 441 is apparently slow) with nothing to do and nowhere to go, enjoying the sky and the breeze. Â I even stopped on the way back to town just to walk along the causeway to Payne's Prairie just to dawdle for a while and enjoy the marsh scenery. Â Find me a standard pizza that can inspire such productive idling.
Tucked on the east side of 441, on a lonely stretch of road in Micanopy, lies Blue Highway. I'd passed it about a thousand times and it always struck me as the kind of place that could be either really good or really bad. So after reading the Yelps (with sensitivity to who authored them) off I went.
For the app we got the Blue Highway Salad with their homemade Creamy Gorgonzola dressing. In fact all of their dressings are homemade. Verdict? Another pinch of salt and the dressing would be immaculate.
We also split a Chicken Rustico Panini which was the least impressive item of the meal and certainly not great. The bread was a bit too far removed from what I would associate with a panini-- think ciabatta with a crumb lost somewhere between spongecake and savory cornbread with a pale, no where near crispy crust. But what about the pie?
We ordered the "Abruzzese" thin crust.
First impressions? Good quality  toppings: homemade meatballs, good cheese and fresh parsley.  Unfortunately I have no recollection of the sauce since there wasn't much on the pie and the pizza was also in desperate need of salt!
Crust? The cornmeal was a major component and not just for dusting; it is intimately part of the crust. Personally I feel that so much cornmeal provides the illusion of a crispy crust when it would otherwise be soggy.
Deserts
Cannoli and Key lime pie.
The cannoli was excellent! The filling was a perfect balance between sensible amounts of sugar, a whisper of cheesecake-esque twang, and a slight vanilla finish. The shell was the weakest link but still up to par.
They also make a respectable Key Lime Pie.
What would it take for 5 stars?
86 the cornmeal (use flour for dusting)
Give the pies a little more oven time
And for heaven's sake don't be afraid to use salt.
Don't touch the deserts.
Definitely worth considering for first and future visits; I shall return.
When I came here to write a review, I was incredibly surprised to see this many already written? I'm equally surprised by the wide ranging opinions of it.
I would consider it a diamond in the rough. I looked at the menu and was told by my friend (a local), everything is soooo good and always very fresh. I scanned the pizza selection but opted for a Tuscan bean salad and a Cuban sandwich.
My 3 bean salad was tossed with a light Italian dressing and onions and served on a bed of raw spinach. Very fresh and tasty.
The Cuban on other hand, although good in flavor, the bread and sliced pork inside came off on the tuff side. Not horrible, or uneatable, I just would prefer it softer on the palate. I had to order a second beer to wash it down. Ahhh!, now I understand their motives.
My friends pizza looked scrumptious and apparently was... it disappeared. A small here is a medium anywhere else. They make their own dough and I've got to try it next time I'm in the middle of somewhere, like Micanopy.
This place was like finding a diamond in the middle of nowhere, OK somewhere, which is where most are found, and has great potential, but I think most locals think its the best place in town. I would be surprised if it isn't.
The ambiance was small town friendly, and fortissimo. Everyone knew everyone, except the SR441 travelers that happened by. I'll go back if the opp presents itself.
I don't get the Blue Highway/Satchel's comparisons.
They're strong where the other isn't.
Blue Highway:
Excellent Pizza
So-So Atmosphere
Satchels:
Awesome Atmosphere
All right Pizza (The salad is amazing)
Best Pizza List:
1. Blue Highway/Big Lou's (you'd have to eat a slice from each at the same time to pick a winner)
2. Satchel's
good? sure. Â worth driving out to micanopy? no.
to be honest, i was a little let down. Â and by "a little let down", i mean "incredibly disappointed." Â no atmosphere. Â no interesting people. Â no... plates. Â all i heard about was how awesome blue highway was. Â now i'm all for random amazing restaurants/stores/people in the middle of nowhere, but unless you're doing a bit of antiquing with your great aunt mary on a lovely saturday afternoon, there is no good reason for you to be at this roadside attraction. Â
i don't like to write a review of a place unless i've been there several times and tried a variety of things but thumbs down, blue highway, i won't be bothering to go back.
While the service was great (the server had an enthusiasm that was almost overwhelming) the food was fairly boring and mediocre. Â We got their tossed salad and usually I think tossed salad means that the dressing is tossed with the salad but apparently that was not the case; although the balsamic vinaigrette was tasty and the greens and vegetables were nice (no iceberg lettuce). Â I did try a bit of Heather's hummus and it was really good with a nice hit (not hint) of garlic. Â But....the pizza at a pizza place should be the star, right? Â Well...I found their cornmeal crust tasteless, I know it's easier to make a crispy crust if you use lots of cornmeal but it doesn't necessarily make it more flavorful. Â The sauce didn't have much flavor (I prefer a spicier tomato sauce on my pizza, this tasted like canned tomatos to me) and the "fresh" mozzarella was most definitely not fresh mozzarella. Â I know it's nit picky of me but I *hate* it when restaurants give you paper plates and little plastic cups. Â Steve broke his plastic fork and it just feels wrong in a place that isn't a pizza counter or take out place to not have real utensils, plates and glasses. Â I doubt I'll make the trip out to Micanopy again when Satchel's is five blocks from my house.
Review Source:Mmm...pizza. Â I've had to cut down on my pizza intake of late, but we made an exception on game day to get out of town and try Blue Highway. Â How lovely! Â The waiter was incredibly attentive and the atmosphere was really warm and relaxed. Â D & I split an antipasti platter (with some of the best hummus I've had in a long time) and a build-it-yourself "perfecta trifecta" pie of garlic, (huge cut chunks of garlic are always a plus!) spinach, and mushrooms. Â A few complained of the cornmeal-style crust (nope, not like Zelda's) but I really enjoyed it. Â We'll be back!
Review Source:For years now I've been hearing, "If you like Satchel's, you'd probably like Blue Highway." I never make my way to Micanopy, but this past weekend I was fortunate to finally go. I've heard this place was eclectic and I was expecting crazy paint colors, whirlygigs, string lights, sunflowers and art, but I didn't find much of the sort. Blue Highway is on 441 in what seemed to be a non descript little building painted yellow on the outside and dimly lit on the inside. I was a little disappointed in the atmosphere only because of the comparison to Satchel's. But Blue Highway holds its own because they have a more expansive menu than Satchels. The appetizers boasted a generous antipasti platter of meats, cheese, and veggies, and white bean hummus. There were salads and panini, which I'm hoping to try on my next visit. But the pizza is truly a winner. You can't order by the slice here because pizzas are made to order and are sized to feed one very, very hungry person, or two moderate people. I went with the classic margarita: fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and sauce. The crust on their pie is divine. It's thin, but not too thin and crispy, but not so crispy that it scrapes the roof of your mouth. By far some of the best pizza I've had. My friend ordered the Abruzzese which was their cheese pizza with oregano and meatballs, also very good. The have several other combos or you can make up your own combination. This place is definitely worth the drive to Micanopy.
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