April 24, 2024

SUBSCRIBE | REFER

Today’s Forecast

85º | 10% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:53 a.m. | Sunset 7:58 p.m.

LAL_High Tower Roofing_Weather Sponsorship_7.1.2023-6.30.2025

🍕 Serving up a slice of history

The exterior of a tan, one-story building with dark trim and large front windows. A small sign for a church is fixed on one of the walls.

Do you remember when this spot on Main Street was one of Lakeland’s hottest restaurants? | Photo by LALtoday

Today, Lakeland is packed with pizza parlors — but it was a different story in 1948. Back when the city was starting to build up around downtown, a new restaurant eventually known as Strollo’s completely changed the dining scene.

Italian grocer Lorenzo Strollo moved to Florida from Youngstown, OH in the 1940s and partnered with restaurateur Vito Giannini to introduce Italian food to Lakelanders. (You may recognize Giannini’s name from another local eatery, Vito’s in Dixieland.) Together, they opened their restaurant at 1295 E. Main St. in 1948. It was first known as “the Glass Diner” before becoming Strollo’s.

While pizza was first popularized up north in the late 1800s, it hadn’t made its way to small towns like Lakeland yet. Strollo’s was the first to serve the unfamiliar dish, selling it for just $1. Not to be outdone by other eateries, it was also the first local spot to serve hard liquor after it was legalized in Lakeland in 1963.

A black and white photo showing cars parked outside downtown storefronts in Lakeland in 1948. — Strollo’s wasn’t far from downtown Lakeland, pictured here in 1948.
|
Photo via Florida Memory

Since it was situated near downtown, the restaurant became a popular dinner choice. It eventually expanded to include 400 seats for guests and offered cocktails, spaghetti, seafood, and more in addition to pizza.

Our readers told us it was one of their favorite spots, with reader Karen K. saying they “wish we could still go every Friday night like in the old days!” Reader John M. told us it had “great Italian cuisine, including wonderful pizzas, and a lounge that was a regular hangout for many Lakelanders.”

Strollo’s closed in 1981, but nostalgia runs deep: a matchbook from its early days recently sold for $24 online (that’s 24 times what a pizza originally cost).

You could say that Strollo’s paved the way for the pizza parlors of Lakeland today. While the restaurant’s location is now a church, you can find your next slice at one of our favorite pizza joints.

Events

Wednesday, April 24

Line Dancing & Karaoke | Wednesday, April 24 | 5-11:45 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Hit the dance floor to learn new moves at 5 p.m., then take to the stage for karaoke at 8 p.m.
Lakeland Book Crawl | Wednesday, April 24-Friday, April 26 | 8 a.m.-6 p.m. | Locations vary | Price of purchase | Find deals at local independent booksellers this week — today’s stop is Pressed Books & Coffee.

Thursday, April 25

Improv Acting for Teens | Thursday, April 25 | 3-4 p.m. | Larry R. Jackson Branch Library, 1700 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Teenagers can learn how to create scenes and characters on the spot.
Trivia Thursday at Crave | Thursday, April 25 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ, 2250 Griffin Rd., Lakeland | Free entry | Answer general knowledge questions to win prizes and free food.

Friday, April 26

Introduction to iNaturalist | Friday, April 26 | 3:30-4:15 p.m. | Circle B Bar Reserve, 4399 Winter Lake Rd., Lakeland | Free | Learn how to use this app on a guided hike to prepare for the City Nature Challenge.
Tribute to Jimmy Buffett, Jim Croce, James Taylor, and Toby Keith | Friday, April 26 | 7 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | $10-$150 | Sing along to these four artists’ biggest hits performed by Street Chicken and Cory Greenway.

Wednesday, May 1

Lakeland Regional Health 2024 Career Expo | Wednesday, May 1 | 4-6 p.m. | Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, 1324 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Learn about LRH careers + benefits, tuition reimbursement, and more at this annual, interactive career fair open to aspiring healthcare workers, high school seniors, and college students.*

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Number

1,500. That’s how many Floridians are on the national waiting list for an organ transplant. Mayor Mutz recently declared April “Donate Life Month” to encourage organ donations. Sign up to be a donor online or in person when you renew your driver’s license. (LkldNow)

Environment

The city expects that 1,000+ gallons of wastewater were released in a recently discovered spill near South County Line Road, possibly due to a wastewater force main break. Emergency contractors are on site to put line stops and bypasses in place by tonight.

Coming Soon

BayCare’s new South Florida Baptist Hospital is set to open this May at 3202 N. Park Rd. in Plant City, replacing the existing hospital on Alexander Street. The 424,000-sqft facility will include an emergency center, ICU, operating rooms, and a labor + delivery unit. (The Ledger)

Ranked

No. 2. That’s what Florida Southern ranked on CollegeXpress’ list of the best colleges for coffee lovers. Check out Morning Grind, FSC’s student-run coffee cart and experiential learning lab — it’s open through this Friday before closing for the summer.

Award

Talbot House Ministries’ Good Samaritan Free Clinic received a Silver Rating from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. The clinic provides access to preventative care, prescriptions, and medical referrals for uninsured, low-income Lakelanders.

Cause

You’ve heard of kissing frogs, but what about kissing pigs? Read Lakeland’s annual Kiss the Pig fundraiser is happening through Friday, May 3. Vote for which community leader will kiss a pig to raise money for Read Lakeland’s literacy programs — each vote is $1.

Edu

President Randy K. Avent will address Florida Poly students before retiring as the spring graduation commencement speaker. The ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 5 at 2 p.m. in the RP Funding Center. Don’t forget our graduation pro tips.

Health

Listen and learn. Watson Clinic has released the first episode of its new podcast, “Health Talk.” The podcast will feature Watson Clinic’s providers to discuss disease prevention, medical treatments, and common conditions.

Real Estate

Andrea Dockery of RE/MAX Experts in Lakeland won the Southeast Region’s Broker/Owner of the Year - Single Franchise award. She was also inducted into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame after more than quadrupling the office’s staff since becoming the owner in 2017. (The Ledger)

Community

Happening this Saturday, April 27: Join Lakeland Regional Health for a Spring into Wellness Fair at the new Kathleen Campus. Tour the state-of-the-art facility and enjoy health screenings, food trucks, carnival games, face painting, a DJ, free snow cones + more.*

Try This

🗓️ Add to calendar

The Swan Derby raises funds for Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine. | Photo by @sunshinestatedrones

It’s almost summertime, but we’ve still got a spring in our step. Don’t miss these final springtime events happening in and around Lakeland.

Swan Derby, Frances Langford Promenade

Watch swan paddle boats race to the finish line on Lake Mirror this Friday, April 26. The free event begins at 5:30 p.m., featuring food trucks, live music, fireworks, and a derby hat contest.

Mayfaire by-the-Lake, Lake Morton

This Mother’s Day weekend, visit one of Florida’s largest annual outdoor art festivals. Browse 150+ artist booths, ranging from jewelers and clay artists to painters and photographers.

Whitehead’s Blueberry Farm, 1024 Macon Rd., Winter Haven

Head to this farm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in April to pick your own blueberries and support 30+ local vendors and food trucks.

We’re putting together our summer events guide, and there’s just one thing we need: your events. Learn how to submit yours to our community calendar for free.

More to do this season

The Buy

A two-in-one wine stopper and pourer. We love: The drip-proof pour and how easy it is to flip the lever down for air-tight storage.

Share LALtoday

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

Facebook

Twitter

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_15}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.

Claim your rewards

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Connor

From the editor

Pining for a restaurant of yesteryear? You’re not alone. Strollo’s was just one of the beloved bygone restaurants our readers have told us they missed — see what else made the list.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

* This content is paid advertising, or contains links to our Six & Main marketplace, or affiliate partners which we may receive a commission from. ^ This content is created by our content studio.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | SHOP