“Hubie Brooks. This guy wore me out,” says Shane Rawley, pointing to a framed picture of the former Major League infielder. “I gave up two career grand slams, both to him. He was another guy who was a way better player than he ever got credited for.” Rawley points to another picture, this one of the infamous Dwight “Doc” Gooden, former ace of the New York Mets. “One of the best games I ever pitched was against him. I beat him 2-1—we both pitched complete games. He’d struck out 16 in the game before and struck out 16 batters in this game to set a record. In the 8th inning they let me hit. I got a base hit, ended up on third base and he balked me in to put us up 2-1.” Rawley, still towering at 69-years-old, is walking through his restaurant, Shaner’s Pizza in Gulf Gate. The pizza joint, which Rawley opened in 1991 after a 12-year stint as a Major League pitcher, is a time capsule to an older, perhaps more magical era of baseball. Lining the green walls that wrap around the intimate, horseshoe-shaped space are dozens of photographs and signed jerseys from Rawley’s time in the big leagues, each one with a memory and a story to share.
From 1978 to 1989, Rawley was a Major League pitcher. He spent four seasons with the Seattle Mariners as a reliever, before the New York Yankees turned him into a starter in 1982. The lefty’s best years came with the Philadelphia Phillies, making the National League All-Star team in 1986 and finishing second in the N.L. in wins with 17 in ‘87. His career came to a halt in 1990, however, when the rotator cuff on his left shoulder finally cried uncle. “When you’re young and playing sports, you think it never will end,” says Rawley.
Rawley didn’t expect for his career to be cut short by injury. He didn’t expect to fall in love with Sarasota, where he first played in the minor leagues in 1974, and he never imagined that he would own a restaurant for 34 years—over twice as long as his Major League career. And yet here he is, decades later, still slinging—well in his case, rolling—the same dough that got Shaner’s off the ground.
Rawley hails from Racine, Wisconsin, where thin, crispy “Milwaukee-style” or “tavern-style” pizza is king. When opening Shaner’s in 1991 with a childhood friend, Rawley sought to recreate the style of pizza he couldn’t find anywhere else. “It’s something that every pizza joint I went to growing up had. It had a different type of sausage, a different type of cheese, a different type of sauce—it’s very unique,” says Rawley.
Rawley’s pies are distinct in every aspect, starting with the dough. Made in house daily, the team runs the dough through a sheeter to make it cracker thin, before spreading Shaner’s special spaghetti sauce on top and piling it high with mozzarella cheese. The first pie that Rawley wheels out features gobs of a special blend of sweet and hot Italian sausage—cooked on top of the pizza, saturating the pie with delicious fattiness—and thinly sliced pieces of pepperoni, jalapenos and banana peppers. The result is a flavor bomb, the acidity of the banana peppers cuts through the rich, fennel-infused notes of the sausage, while the cheese and sauce lean savory, not sweet.
The dough, however, gives the pie life. While the pie has a formidable, crispy undercarriage, the dough itself is not brittle. It doesn’t fall apart like a cracker, instead retaining the chewiness and mouthfeel of a thicker pie. The same principles apply to the margarita pizza, a white pie featuring a blend of mozzarella, parmesan shavings and grated romano cheese. This unctuous creation is topped with diced tomatoes—larger, rounder slices wouldn’t jive with the square cut of the pizza and would risk weighing down the crust—fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Like Shaner’s other pies, the margarita remains buttery and decadent, yet not heavy.
The most popular pairing with the pizzas is the chopped salad, a concoction of Rawley’s featuring mixed greens, cucumber, tomato, red onion, salami, egg and warm bacon, tossed in Italian dressing and topped with grated romano cheese. “What makes it so good and flavorful is that we chop the lettuce really thin and that gives it a great consistency,” says Rawley. Crunchy, refreshing and packed with flavor the chopped salad makes the perfect pairing—or dare I say, topping—for the pizzas. The menu features a bevy of other dishes such as pastas, wings, some of the finest onion rings and French fries east of the Mississippi and sandwiches. A standout is the Philly cheese sandwich (cheesesteak). The cheesesteak is a delicacy that, outside of a small corner of Southeast Pennsylvania, is often imitated, but never replicated. Rawley, who fell in love with the sandwich during his stint with the Phillies, does a fine job. Served on Philly’s beloved Amoroso hoagie roll, a pile of shaved and seared sirloin is coated in white American cheese and slathered in fried onions. The beef is tender, the cheese perfectly melted and well distributed and the sandwich is surprisingly juicy—the Amoroso roll is just strong enough to contain the delicious trio long enough to eat.
The burger at Shaner’s is another star. Two smashed beef patties are topped with melted American cheese, lettuce and tomato and sandwiched between a brioche bun. While everything in the burger checks out—tender, well-seasoned patties, griddled onions, loads of melted cheese—it’s taken to another level with the inclusion of a sweet bacon jam that ensconces the sandwich in a decadent glaze. Shaner’s is about the memories—those that exist inside the pictures that line the walls and those waiting to be made by the people who walk through the door.
