There is a distinct, rhythmic hum to the Italian Market in South Philadelphia. It’s a sensory collision of wooden crates propped on asphalt, the sharp aroma of aged provolone floating out of century old cheese shops, and the crackle of crusty, seeded semolina bread being packed into paper bags. For Vincenzo Minniti, known to the internet as Vinny from South Philly, this neighborhood isn’t just a background setting. It is the very engine of his creative life.
An actor, podcaster, and award-winning filmmaker, Vinny recently sat down with Erica D’Arcangelo on the Pizza Story Podcast to talk about growing up with one foot in America and one in Calabria, Italy, his late blooming film career, and why South Philly pizza holds a magic that even the old country can’t quite duplicate.
Focaccia Dreams and the Orange Oil Blot Test
When it comes to his pizza preference, Vinny doesn’t hide his allegiance to the heavier side of the dough spectrum.
“I’ve always been a thick, doughy type of pizza lover,” Vinny admits. “I just love that doughy, almost-focaccia style. We call it Sicilian; in New York, they call it squares. That’s my first love.”
Growing up in St. Paul’s Parish during the 1980s and 90s, the neighborhood pizza scene wasn’t nearly as precious or artisanal as it is today. Vinny remembers a time when grabbing a slice was a simple, utilitarian ritual.
“Back in the day, it was just a slice with some burnt cheese on it,” he laughs. “I remember being little and just using napkins to try and sop up all that orange oil.”
Yet, even in those simpler days, local institutions were laying the groundwork for his lifelong obsession. There was Lorenzo’s on South Street, famous for its colossal, oversized slices and a “proper” sauce that notably skipped the dried oregano, a culinary choice Vinny still stands by today. There were the bakery pies from Sarcone’s, and the legendary, highly localized “Pizzazz” pie. The “Pizzazz” pie is a uniquely Philly creation featuring sliced American cheese, fresh tomatoes, and hot banana peppers.
From Beverly Hills Back to the Stoop
Though South Philly is his anchor, Vinny’s path to filmmaking took a major detour through Los Angeles around 2008. Arriving on the West Coast with a suitcase and an East Coast accent, he managed to land two restaurant jobs on his very first day, solely because he could speak Italian and knew how to pronounce “coffee” with proper tri-state area attitude.
He ended up working at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills, rubbing shoulders with the film industry’s elite. While the glamorous California lifestyle was a world away from Washington Avenue, it woke up a latent passion for storytelling that he’d carried since writing short skits as a kid.
When life eventually brought him back to the East Coast to focus on raising his family, those Hollywood ambitions were placed on the back burner. But Vinny was playing the long game. By late 2023, he began building his digital brand under the “Vinny from South Philly” moniker. He recognized that a strong, organic following is the ultimate currency in modern entertainment.
An Award-Winning Tribute to Washington Ave
Once he had the digital wind at his back, Vinny didn’t look to Hollywood for inspiration. Instead, he looked right out his front window. He penned and directed Washington Avenue, a gritty, authentic short film shot right in the heart of the Italian Market.
The story follows a 50-year-old butcher who finds himself at a life crossroads after the death of his father. Desperate to do something honorable, or at least memorable, with his life, he decides to bypass his daily routine and pull off a neighborhood heist with the local mob.
Operating with a skeleton crew and fueled by local passion, the film became an international indie darling, raking in awards from film festivals in Rome, Athens, India, New York, and Los Angeles.
“We’re always looking for validation as Italians, aren’t we?” Vinny jokes. “It validated my sense that maybe I could be a storyteller. The cast and crew put their heart and soul into it.”
The Ultimate Flavor Benchmark
Vinny’s palate is remarkably tough to fool, a trait he attributes to his parents moving back to Calabria in 2000. Frequent trips to Southern Italy redefined his understanding of what ingredients are supposed to taste like.
“I didn’t realize how good food really tasted until I went to Italy,” Vinny says. “You can pull a fig right off a tree there, and you’ll never taste that kind of intense flavor anywhere else.”
Yet, even after eating pristine, light Neapolitan pies garnished with fresh basil in the Italian sunshine, Vinny’s ultimate comfort food remains the distinct, robust style of the American northeast. To him, the intense competitiveness of the current Philly food scene has forced pizza to evolve from a cheap neighborhood commodity into a genuine art form. Pizzerias have to be excellent just to survive.
Currently, Vinny is channeling that competitive energy into his next big move: pitching a full-scale, episodic crime drama series alongside veteran Hollywood actor Joe Cortese (Green Book, The Death Collector).
But no matter how big the film sets get, you can bet Vinny’s heart, and his dinner order, will always be firmly rooted in South Philly.
Keep up with Vinny on instagram at @vinny_from_south_philly.