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The Best Pizza In Florida Is A 2-Hour Drive From Tampa

Author Jen Glorioso

It’s hard to be picky about pizza. I mean, where can you go wrong? But only one place has been named the best pizzeria in Florida, and it’s about a 2-hour drive from Tampa. Keep reading to find out who has the best pizza in the Sunshine State.

When a lot of people think of the best cities to get a great pizza, they immediately think of places like New York or Chicago. But since Tampa is a melting pot of cuisine options, you’re likely to find the exact kind of crust you’re craving. From thin crust to deep dish, Detroit style or Neapolitan style, there’s a spot in Tampa for that.

There’s a lot that goes into making the perfect pizza. Anybody can make a tasty sauce and order the finest ingredients. But the most important part is the crust. To get that nice crispy crust, it’s important to let the dough set and rise for at least 24 hours. All the best pizzerias treat their dough with care.

So who has the best pizza in Florida?

According to The Taste of Home, the best pizza spot in Florida is located in Gainesville. A small restaurant called Satchel’s Pizza takes the crown. They’ve been in business since 2003 and have a 4.5 rating on Yelp. A lot of reviews rave about their deep dish crust (with cheese baked into it), homemade sodas and colas, and calzones. The atmosphere of the place is also a selling point for a lot of people. With quirky art, stained glass windows and you can even eat your pizza in a van, under a plane, or in a greenhouse.

Would you make the drive to try the best ‘za in Florida? We know people who have driven over an hour for a good slice. If we ever make it to Gainesville, we’ll let you know what we think of Satchel’s. Let us know your favorite pizza spot on social media!

Jen was born and raised in the Tampa Bay area. She’s been with Beasley Media Group since 2022. In her spare time, you can find her at Tampa Bay Lightning games, Tampa Bay breweries, or the beach. Catch up on Jen’s content about the highest-rated restaurants/bars in Tampa, things-to-do around the area, and upcoming concerts.

Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

Our lives were changed when we tried Alfonso’s Pizzeria in Tampa. This mom and pop restaurant has been a staple in the community since 1978. It’s definitely one of the best kept secrets in Tampa Bay. They invited us out the other week to try their menu and see what the hype was about. Now, we’re here to tell you why you need add Alfonso’s to your go-to pizza spots in Tampa.

Nestled between Lake Magdalene and Carrollwood lives Alfonso’s. They’ve been at the same location off Florida Ave since 1978. Fast forward to now and Alfonso’s youngest son, Marco, has taken over the business. Marco and his wife Brittany do everything from making the pizza, to running their social media and everything in between.

One of our favorite parts about Alfonso’s is the homey vibe you get when you’re there. The restaurant is decked out in homemade art and plants hang everywhere! You can tell the staff works really well together and they strive to connect with every customer that comes in. We even noticed that when the phone was going off like crazy, Brittany already knew who she was talking to and what they wanted.

Marco strives to keep everything on the menu made in house with the highest quality ingredients. He keeps the recipes a family kept secret (seriously, he wouldn’t even tell us what goes in their delicious sauce.) You can really tell a lot of love goes into each dish at Alfonso’s. They make sure that the dough has plenty of time to set and rise to puffy clouds, they also make all of their salads and pasta dishes with freshly chopped veggies. Marco didn’t tell us what’s in his sauce and dough that makes it so good, but he DID tell us some menu items that you need to save room for on your visit.

The most popular menu item you’ll get at Alfonso’s is the pizza (obviously), but there’s so much more on the menu to offer! Marco told us that the pepperoni/mushroom combo is their most popular pizza. The garlic knots are a MUST no matter what you’re ordering. They’re huge and loaded with fresh garlic, oil and cheese galore! Marco also told us that their Philly is a very popular menu item! First-timers definitely need to save room for Alfonso’s homemade lasagna (one of our favorite things we tried), and their true Italian cannoli.

See why you need to try Alfonso’s Pizzeria

  • The Garlic Knots...

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    We seriously cannot talk about these enough.. We’ve been dreaming about them ever since we made our first visit last week! PRO TIP: Save that garlic oily goodness to dip your pizza crust in later!

  • The Lasagna

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    The sauce? Delicious. The Pasta noodles? Perfectly al dente. The amount of cheese? Perfect!

    We know you’ll probably come for the pizza, but you’ll be staying for the lasagna!

  • The Fresh Salads

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    We understand salad isn’t the first thing on your mind when you go to a pizzeria. But we tried their homemade Greek salad during our first visit and it did not disappoint! 10/10 would definitely order again.

  • Delicious Pizza

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    We went with just a simple pizza for our first time. But hey, that’s how you test a really good pizza, right? Alfonso’s did not disappoint! The crust was perfectly crunchy and the quality of the sauce and cheese made everything melt perfectly in one bite.

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    For veggie lovers, we recommend trying the White Spinach Pizza! The ricotta and spinach combo is *chefs kiss* but feel free to add more veggies! We think tomatoes or mushrooms would’ve been a nice addition!

  • The Calzone's

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    We didn’t get to actually taste this bad boy, but look how HUGE this calzone is! It’s definitely 2-3 meals by itself. It looks delicious, we just didn’t have the room in our stomach for it! Next time we go, it’ll be on our must try list.

  • Homemade Desserts

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    Brownie +cannoli = Brownoli. The combo we all deserve to try. This was a late-night snack created by Marco and he had to keep it on the menu. Everything is homemade, including the sweet cannoli cream.

  • The Vibes

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    This adorable Bobs Burgers themed photo of Marco and Brittany is one of the many home made art pieces they have hanging up!

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    This view hole from the kitchen was made for THE Alfonso, so he could keep an eye out on the restaurant.

    Here's Why You Need To Try Alfonso's - The Oldest Pizzeria In Tampa

    Photo: Glorioso/BBGI

    Marco and Brittany (the cutest couple ever) give the restaurant a homey vibe with all of their plant babies hanging around the place! They make sure you leave their place as family, not just another customer.

  • Follow Alfonso's On Social Media!

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Author Jen Glorioso
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