When we think of Miami, pizza might not be the first thing that comes to mind. You might think of it as more of a ceviche, Cubano-sandwich, frozen-drink-by-the-pool kinda town, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But cravings strike, and melty, cheesy and crispy pizza is definitely one of our go-tos. Good thing we deliver more than a few options. Here are some of the top picks for the world’s best food, aka pizza, in the Miami area. Enjoy, but maybe wait a minute, for the sake of the roof of your mouth.
Stanzione 87
Stanzione 87 is Neapolitan to the core. The pizza is wood-fired and all the wine is natural. They take care with every step of the process, fermenting their dough for a minimum of 72 hours and hand-making their mozzarella each morning. You’ll find their pizzas are perfectly cooked, kissed with a little fire and smoke. The menu is lengthy, with tons of options, but if we had to choose, we’ll always go for a red-sauced Napoli pie with buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, black olives, capers, anchovies, oregano, and basil, or simply a ricotta-and-prosciutto-filled calzone. Grab a bottle of sparkling; the Colessi Col Fondo pairs perfectly with that crackly crust.
Sarpino’s
You’ll find a few Sarpino’s locations throughout the Miami area, and they are all about convenience but do not sacrifice the quality of their pies to bring that to you. They offer high-quality ingredients; think rich tomato sauce, tangy hand-pulled mozzarella, and the freshest vegetables to bring it all together. Again, another large menu with lots of options, but we like their specialty pies, like the Hot Honey Pizza, topped with Mike’s Hot Honey, pepperoni, and feta cheese. Or the Sarpino's White Pizza, topped with tomatoes, garlic, onions, oregano, and their cheese blend. Oh, and if you’re plant-based, they have a whole section of vegan pies.
800° Degrees Pizza
800° Degrees Pizza is entirely wood-fired. They’re cooking their pizzas in ultra-hot ovens that — you guessed it — can reach temperatures as high as 800 degrees. Starting with dough scratch-made each day, fresh produce, and artisanal meats and cheeses, the cooking temperature helps give the pies just the right amount of smokiness. We love that their pies come in two sizes, 10 and 14 inch. If we go smaller, we can try a few, like the Quattro Formaggi Pizza, a white pie topped with smoked mozzarella, gorgonzola, fontina, and wildflower honey, and the Carni Pizza, a red sauce pie with Italian sausage, pepperoni, and bacon.
La Pizza
At this South Miami pizza joint, it’s all about different styles of crust. They do all their pies in three different styles: Roman (thicker and rectangular), Brooklyn (thin with a cornmeal coating), and Neapolitan (thin in the middle, puffy on the edges) so you can really go custom. Indulge with the Pizza Burrata Prosciutto & Figs, a pie that comes with a sizable, delicious ball of fresh cheese in the center, or the Pizza Carbonara, inspired by the pasta dish and packed with bacon, onions, and Parm. Maybe order a Napoli salad for a dose of arugula to balance all that cheese.
Vito’s Gourmet Pizza
Vito’s started with two families, the Maffei and Simone families, in Bari, Italy, over 90 years ago. They’ve passed down their family recipes through generations and arrived in the South Florida area in 1980. They’re doing pizza and a laundry list of Italian American classics, too, like chicken Marsala, eggplant and pesto sandwiches, and baked ziti. If you’re going the pizza route, try the Barioni, topped with pepperoni, pesto, tomatoes, and a three-cheese blend, or get extreme with the Chicken Bacon Ranch, which comes with breaded chicken, ranch dressing, mozzarella, bacon, parsley, and Parmigiana.
Rey’s Pizza
You can find Rey’s all over the Miami area. They don’t sacrifice quality on any front. They use California whole milk mozzarella, imported Gouda and Romano cheeses, their sauce is custom-made for them, and nothing is ever frozen. They bring a bit of the local Cuban flair to their pies, too, topping them with jamón, plantains, and picadillo. One of the rare pizzerias that opens at 8 a.m., they also serve breakfast in addition to most of their pies. Try a classic café Cubano, or start your day with one of their shakes. There seems to be nothing Rey’s can't do.
Brickell City Pizza
When you’re looking for that all-American-takeout, comfort-food-style pizza, it’s Brickell you’re after. With that thin, soft-yet-crispy New York crust, you can satisfy all those game-day pepperoni pie cravings. And it’s not just pies they are delivering. Think about all the accompaniments, too, like chicken wings, house-made garlic rolls, and Caesar salads. If you’re feeding a crowd, we love the build-your-own Xtra Large 18-inch pies that will satisfy even the pickiest pizza eaters. Oh, and remember to get a Nutella Bomba, a roll filled with Nutella and topped with raspberry sauce and powdered sugar.
Rockboy Pizza
At this Brickell restaurant, you can get their whole menu delivered until the wee hours of the morning — 3:44 a.m. — which is great for those night owls or anyone who might need a little something to soak up the evening’s cocktails. They do pizza in four different sizes, and all of their options are custom. Choose from toppings like banana peppers, corn, and buffalo chicken — it’s a paradise for any bizarre cravings. For smaller appetites, they also deliver slices, both square Sicilian and traditional.
Thick & Thin Restaurant & Pizzeria
This family-owned-and-operated Italian restaurant has been serving the Boca area since 1985. Of course there is pizza on the menu, but they also have a menu full of pasta, seafood, and subs. On the pizza front, we love the white pie, topped with ricotta, Romano, and mozzarella cheeses, and the Grandma’s Pizza, with a thin crust, crushed tomato, garlic, basil, provolone, and mozz. Thick & Thin prides itself on their subs, so you should try one. You can’t go wrong with the meatball or chicken Parm. Their size is no joke; one sub is likely enough for two to share.
Fratelli’s Pizza
Fratelli’s has been a Deerfield Beach institution since 1997. It happens to be a reimagining of their family restaurant back in the Old Country, aka Italy. The family is trying to bring a piece of those classic Italian Sunday lunches and dinners to South Florida with their pizzas, salads, and legendary garlic rolls. We can’t resist the fried mozzarella sticks to go with whatever pie we’re ordering. A favorite happens to be the meatballs and ricotta, topped with imported cheese and sliced homemade meatballs. Go ahead and get an order of zeppoles to cap off the meal.
Son of a Pizza
If you’re in Homestead and looking for that spot for pizza, wings, and potato skins, Son of a Pizza is where you can go to please the crowd. There is no guise of health food here, so go all out. The pies aren’t fancy either, it’s Deluxe, Hawaiian, or Vegetarian for the most part, but if you feel inspired, go ahead and make your own. Mix and match the usual suspects, like mushrooms, bacon, and green peppers. Grab a basket of wings, fries, or calamari, and you’ll be set for a rib-sticking dinner.
Bella Roma Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
Another down-to-earth, highly unfussy but highly reliable option in the Coconut Creek area is Bella Roma. They make all their pies in 14-, 16-, and 18-inch sizes. Get your pizza and wings at the same time with the Buffalo Chicken Wing Pizza topped with medium-spicy wing sauce and diced chicken, or go a little fancier with the spinach & ricotta pie, with sautéed spinach, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. You can also get your pizza in roll form, in either their strombolis or pizza rolls. And if you’re gluten-free, they offer a 10-inch build-your-own pie.
Freehold
It's a good thing this hot spot in the heart of Wynwood delivers. No need to snag a hard-to-get table since we’ll bring one of their pies to you. The menu is pretty exclusively pizza (there's only one salad option), but man, do they know how to do it. Featuring top-notch ingredients, toppings pushed right to the edge, and a perfectly crispy yet perfectly supple crust, Freehold’s pizzas can do no wrong. We love the playful mashed potato pie, with bacon, scallions, mashed potatoes, mozzarella, and aged cheddar, and the cheese-less (trust us, it doesn’t need it) vegan pie with fresh tomato sauce, garlic confit, olives, and roasted mushrooms. Oh, and that salad? It’s arugula and totally worth ordering.
Russo’s Coal Fired Italian Kitchen
Chef Anthony Russo is imported all the way from New Jersey, and he’s bringing that classic Italian-American Jersey flair to the Miami area. His menu is filled with foods his nonna taught him to make, like pizza of course, but also chicken Parm, lasagna, and calzones. The food is made with love, and you can tell that from the portion size. Grab a prosciutto & arugula large pie, topped with mozzarella, roma tomatoes, Prosciutto di Parma, and fresh arugula, or dig into a New York calzone, filled with ricotta, mozzarella, ham, and Russo’s signature pizza sauce.
Barsecco
Barsecco might be known for its killer cocktails and vibe, but did you know you can get a little slice of that delivered? Sometimes we’d rather have a special night at home rather than out on the town, and we can create one by ordering Barsecco's Wild Mushroom Truffle Pizza, topped with béchamel, mushrooms, ricotta, mozzarella, and white truffle oil, or the classic Margherita. Grab some appetizers like guacamole and calamari, and it’s a party.
Groovy’s Pizza & Grill
Another highly unpretentious joint, and a joint it very much is. This is a spot for all your game-day needs. Think burgers, wings, cheese fries, and chicken tenders, oh — and, of course, pizza. Grab one of their house specialty pies, something crazy like the steak fajita pizza, with grilled skirt steak, red pepper, red onion, and shredded cheese, or be a little more conservative and get a Veggie Lovers pizza with green pepper, onion, mushrooms, tomato, and black olives. It never hurts to get some sweet ricotta-filled cannolis for dessert.
Pizza Pazza
At this Neapolitan-style pizzeria, you’ll find that craveable, soft-in-the-middle pizza with a pillowy, blistered, and crackly crust. Pizza Pazza ensures quality by importing most of its ingredients straight from Italy. It’s really about the pizza here, but they also have many options when it comes to the Italian classics like polpette della nonna, aka meatballs draped in melted fontina, and meaty, red-saucy lasagne. Since you’re here for the pizza, we’d recommend the Ciccio Stuffed pizza that’s filled with mozzarella, smoked scamorza, Prosciutto di Parma, and arugula, or the Meat Lovers pizza, which comes topped with San Marzano sauce, fior di latte mozzarella, sausage, pepperoni, and ham.
Piola
This restaurant comes to Miami straight from Italy, so that must mean they know their pizza. Piola started in Treviso all the way back in 1986, and now they have locations all over the world. Consistency is key with so many restaurants, but their quality is never sacrificed, from the house-made dough and sauce to the crust that is baked to a crisp in a custom brick oven. The pizzas range from the more traditional Funghi Misti, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and sautéed mixed mushrooms, to the more outrageous and innovative Houston, topped with red sauce, mozzarella, jalapeños, avocado, tomatoes, and fresh cilantro. Don’t miss dessert — there’s a chocolate pizza with Nutella, strawberries, and powdered sugar.
