No matter the time, mood or occasion, pizza is one savory classic with which you simply can’t go wrong.
Whether grabbing a lone slice for lunch or a large cheese to indulge in from the comfort of your couch, everyone needs a pizza shop they can rely on to satisfy those weekend cravings. Ahead of National Pizza Day (Feb. 9), I have a plethora of go-to spots for meat-layered, meatless and extra cheesy selections. For those looking to take advantage of the upcoming Valentine’s holiday, here are a handful of my favorite pizza shops in the Daytona Beach area.
Sergio’s Pizza Kitchen and Italian Restaurant
1500 Beville Road, Daytona Beach; 386-317-4777, Facebook.com.
This charming local pizza shop, nestled within The Shoppes at Beville Road,has made a name for itself since its recent opening, with several frequenting customers boasting the “best pizza in Daytona” online. Owner Sergio Oliverio, no stranger to the pizza-making game, previously owned another successful eatery, then Sergio’s Pizza Restaurant, for over three decades in Long Island, New York. Oliverio notes authenticity, freshness and generationally successful recipes as the foundation of his menu — a collection of made-fresh-daily selections that embrace the restaurateur’s Italian roots.
Each pizza uses house-made dough, “only 100% mozzarella,” and delicious, scratch-made sauce from a homemade 60-year-old recipe that calls for San Marzano tomatoes, creating slices where high-quality flavor and freshness shine through every cheesy bite. Sergio’s offers a range of pizza styles like stuffed, Sicilian, thin crust and Mediterranean, with classic options including the Drunk Grandpa ($16 for 12-inch pie) — vodka sauce topped with fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese; the Everything Pizza ($16 for 12-inch pie) — sausage, meatballs, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, spinach, broccoli and mozzarella cheese; and, my personal favorite, the Grandma ($20 for 16-inch pie) — thin, golden Sicilian pie crust topped with fresh tomato sauce, garlic, basil, parmigiana cheese and an olive oil sprinkling. The eatery also offers cauliflower and gluten-free crusts.
Pete’s Pizza
1441 S. Nova Road, Daytona Beach; 386-253-3707, petespizzadaytona.com
Pete’s Pizza lived up to every rave review and passionate recommendation I received during my weeks-long pizza tour. The Daytona Beach shop, with roots planted in New York, has served authentic New York-style pizza for more than 50 years, over 30 of which have been right here in Daytona Beach. The family-owned shop embraces its Italian roots and takes a simplicity-never-fails approach to pizza, noting during my visit that the eatery ensures the use of only the highest-quality cheeses, fresh ingredients, homemade sauce and a simple, four-ingredient pizza dough made without sugar.
The eatery’s pizza menu includes gluten-free, stuffed, veggie, thin-crust, and meat-piled options, with my personal favorites being the classic pepperoni — priced at $3 per slice or $17.50 for a 16-inch pizza — and the Pete’s Special — priced at $19.95 for a 16-inch round pizza and includes meatballs, pepperoni, sausage, bell peppers, onions and mushrooms. The pizza’s crust was thin and crispy with a good chew, providing the authentic northern flavor of some of my favorite shops back home.
Whether ordering a whole pizza or slice to go, it’s no secret that Pete’s does pizza right.
Don Giovanni Contemporary Italian Pizzeria
1930 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach; 386-310-4135, thedongiovanni.com
Don Giovanni is a community favorite whose classic Italian pizza consistently impresses. Owner Giovanni Spinosa brings generational recipes and authentic flavors — the very ones that once decorated his family’s dinner table in Italy years ago — here to both his Ormond Beach and Port Orange kitchens.
The restaurateur offers house-made pizzas with firm, golden baked crusts that start at $10.99 and are created using homemade sauce, fresh ingredients and authentic, Italian-imported mozzarella cheese. The local shop’s pizzas are never too greasy nor overly smothered, always providing a perfect balance of tangy sauce and fresh toppings.
The eatery offers gluten-free and vegan cheese options, and its pizza menu includes an array of options such as the classic cheese pizza; the thick-crust Sicilian; the pepperoni, bacon, ham and salami-layered meat lovers; the Don Giovanni — a mozzarella base, topped with prosciutto, arugula, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls and extra virgin olive oil; and the margherita — a red-based selection layered with fresh basil and mozzarella.
Panheads Pizzeria
113 S. Orange St., New Smyrna Beach; 386-428-8738, panheadspizzeria.com
This family-owned New Smyrna Beach staple serves up unique pizza in a casual, rock-themed local shop. The Guy Fieri-approved restaurant was started as a brother and sister family-venture, created to carry on their grandmother’s beloved pizza recipes. All pizzas are made fresh, in-house with a promise of high-quality ingredients, homemade red sauce and dough, as well as their own delicious cheese blend — not to mention Panheads slow smokes its own meats and creates its own rubs and seasonings.
The eatery is known for its pizza flight — a more-bang-for-your-buck option priced at $29.99 that allows pizza-cravers to indulge in four unique selections at once. Panhead’s rectangular pizzas are made with a crust thicker than others, that offers a crispy outer crunch and soft, doughy center, and its menu includes my cheesy, personal favorite, the Nothing But a Good Time — pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, black olives; the Simple Man — Roma tomatoes, fresh basil and melted mozzarella; and the Sweet Home Alabama — roasted chicken, mushrooms, bacon, ranch drizzle.
Nonne’s Italian Restaurant & Sports Bar
5901 S. Ridgewood Ave., Port Orange; 386-675-6066, nonnesitalian.com
This new-to-Port-Orange eatery has already earned itself quite a robust following for its fresh-made pizza and innovative Italian offerings. Nonne’s Italian Restaurant & Sports Bar is a personal go-to — a laid-back, reliable favorite that keeps things simple, and makes a consistently delicious pizza whose crust is never too thick and doughy nor overly crisp.
Owner Joey Condercuri makes the dough from scratch daily, and layers his cheesy pies in a secret, homemade sauce — its rich flavor, which is neither spicy, nor overly sweetened, keeps me, like many, returning for another slice.
The eatery offers 12- and 16-inch pizzas beginning at $13, as well as a 10-inch, gluten-free cauliflower pizza. While its plain cheese is a never-fails favorite, Nonne’s menu also includes the packed supreme pizza — a personal favorite, layered with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, black olives and extra cheese; the meat lovers pizza — bacon, ham, sausage, pepperoni, ground beef and extra cheese; and the vegetarian pizza — mushrooms, onions, green peppers, spinach, fresh tomatoes, black olives and extra cheese.
Gabbie’s Pizza
5537 S. Williamson Blvd., Port Orange; 386-675-6586, gabbiespizza.net
With owners from New York, Gabbie’s Pizza serves up some of the best pizza in Port Orange, and boasts authenticity as the foundation of its extensive menu. The frequented pavilion shop offers regular 14- and 18-inch whole pizzas and 10-inch gluten-free pizzas beginning at $11.95, as well as by the slice cheese pizza for $2.75
The local go-to is known for its New York-style, hand-stretched pies, high-quality, flavorful ingredients and golden, crispy crust — not to mention you can watch the dough being tossed right in front of you at the eatery’s open kitchen area.
The pizza wasn’t overly sauced or soggy, and, during my visit, the owner noted that the scratch-made selections use only 100% Grande cheese — no blends.
The restaurant’s varied pizza menu includes the Biancaneve — white pizza with ricotta, mozzarella and spinach; the supreme pizza — sausage, pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, black olives and green peppers; the classic cheese — one of the most flavorful, plain slices I’ve tried with a perfect cheese-to-sauce ratio and subtle crunch; and the Ortolana — onions, mushrooms, eggplant, artichokes and peppers.
Bronx House Pizza
1290 W. Granada Blvd., Unit 200, Ormond Beach; 386-888-6699, bronxhousepizza.com
This “obsessively authentic” local chain is an ever-growing community favorite for good reason. As its name suggests, the popular pizza shop serves made-fresh-daily, New York-style slices as well as other Italian favorites. The eatery prides itself on its meticulously prepared pizza dough — created using a “multi-step fermentation process” — and promises light, crispy, golden-baked pizza whose subtle crunch, depth of fresh flavors and authenticity leaves a lasting impression.
Bronx House’s menu includes New York pizza — made with thoughtfully seasoned, vine-ripened tomato sauce and whole milk mozzarella — as well as double-fermented Detroit pan pizzas, build-your-own-style pizza, personal pies and cauliflower pies. My go-tos for the eatery’s gourmet pizza selections include the classic plain cheese (priced at $17.99 for a large, 16-inch pizza) whose crust wasn’t overly thin or crispy, but rather firm with a good chew, and the Beast of Burden — a house specialty pizza priced at $23.99 for a large and made with rich, tangy New York pizza sauce, pepperoni, meatballs, mozzarella and creamy ricotta dollops.
Pizza Pazza Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant
3761 S. Nova Road, Suite 224, Port Orange; 386-492-7831, pizzapazzaportorange.com
Pizza Pazza, a local gem in Port Orange that recently welcomed new owners, the Failla family, offers delicious, homemade pizza in a quaint, casual setting. In connection to both their Sicilian and northern pizzeria-owning roots, the family prides itself on high-quality cuisine, authenticity and rich flavors made possible through the use of homemade, slightly sweet sauce, hand-tossed dough, Italian-imported mozzarella cheese, and fresh ingredients.
The eatery’s pizza menu offers gluten-free, plain pizza and by-the-slice selections from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., and showcases a variety of 12- and 16-inch perfectly-thin pizzas that start at $10.99 and include selections like the Grandma — a rich layering of fresh mozzarella, homemade, slightly sweet sauce, chopped garlic, parmesan cheese and fresh basil; the Firecracker — long hot peppers, breaded shrimp, mozzarella di bufala, and fresh basil; and the bruschetta pizza — mozzarella cheese, fresh marinated tomatoes and a balsamic glaze.
Helena Perray is the restaurant and dining writer for The Daytona Beach News-Journal. A New Jersey native and passionate storyteller, she can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Support local journalism by subscribing