I stopped in on a rainy day and ordered a pizza, the Meat Lovers, which listed bacon, capicola, pepperoni, and am. (That confused me until I realized it was just missing the h.) But that’s all it was missing. There were plenty of the promised meats, so much so that I couldn’t seen the crust beneath the toppings. But I could see the edge (the crust’s crust?) and taste it, too. I liked the elasticity of the dough, and it had a pleasant buttery note.
Pizza
Antonella’s Pizzeria
Address
City
Phone
Price
360 W. Fairbanks Ave.
Winter Park
407-636-5333
$$
Antonella’s Pizzeria is owned by members of the LaCommare family. If the LaCommare name is familiar to you it’s probably because you knew Stefano’s Trattoria in Winter Springs when the brother and sister’s parents, Stefano and Marie, were the owners. The older LaCommare’s sold the restaurant, including the name, and so the younger family members, who all had worked at the popular trattoria for many years, decided to get their own place.
But they didn’t want a large full-service restaurant. A pizzeria that focuses more on takeout and delivery seemed manageable, so that is what Antonella’s is.
Unfortunately — for me, anyway — the delivery area only extends in a five-mile radius from the restaurant, so I made my own pizza runs to try out the pies.
Antonio’s House of Pizza
Address
City
Phone
Price
528 Park Avenue S.
Winter Park
407-636-7222
$$
Formerly Maestro Cucina Napoletano, Antonio’s HOP still features pizza, of course, but not the Naples style. Now the crust is crustier — not wrong, just different. Good toppings on the pies, and the Spaghetti Bolognese is wonderful
Black Magic Pizza
Address
City
Phone
Price
121 N. Bumby Ave.
Orlando
407-286-1310
$
A literal hole-in-the-wall pizza outlet.
Brad’s Underground
Address
City
Phone
Price
4400A Curry Ford Road
Orlando
None
$$
Brad’s Underground has introduced pizza by appointment only. Want one of Brad’s pies for your dinner tonight? Maybe the day after tomorrow. (Maybe.) And you say you’d like it for dinner? That’s fine, you may eat it whenever you like, but you may have to pick it up at 2 o’clock.
Brick & Fire
Address
City
Phone
Price
1621 S. Orange Ave.
Orlando
407-426-8922
$
Originally one of the tenants of Church Street Station, Brick & Fire cut its losses and moved from the historical confines of that downtown entertainment complex to a location on South Orange Avenue whose only history is as a Moe’s Southwestern food chain and a Pizza Hut joint. Better pizzas are coming out of chef Mark Dollard’s ovens, and the place is often filled with neighbors and workers from the nearby medical complex and their families. The wine list here isn’t stellar, but it’s cheap. Note: there is a second location at 1410 Semoran Blvd., Casselberry; phone 321-332-6430.
Buttercrust Pizza
Address
City
Phone
Price
4781 S. Orange Ave.
Orlando
407-237-9981
$$
I must admit that when I first picked up my order – this is a storefront space with no seating – I was disappointed at the size, especially considering the $21.95 fee. But what it lacked in width it made up for in height, and there was great value in the product. In fact, after my companion and I had already had too much to eat, there was still enough left over for two cold-pizza breakfasts.
Capone’s Coal Fired Pizza
Address
City
Phone
Price
3216 Margaritaville Blvd.
Kissimmee
407-893-2625
$$
Part of the Promenade at Sunset Walk entertainment and dining complex, Capone’s is a second location of a Ft. Myers restaurant. Pizza is definitely a must here, though the meatball appetizer is pretty good, too.
Chianti’s Pizza & Pasta
Address
City
Phone
Price
685 Towne Center Blvd.
Sanford
407-878-5900
$$
There’s nothing special about the atmosphere, but the food is very good, and the service is sincere. I liked my lobster ravioli, and the “Big Meat” pizza was good, too, although it could have used a bit more of the big meats. There is a second location in Longwood.