Safety Harbor Pizzeria Wins Big at International Competition

One of my favorite pizza spots is creating a lot of buzz this week from a big win in ITALY! The Nona Slice House is once again taking home multiple medals from the International Pizza Competition in Parma, Italy. This is their third time competing and each time they've brought home some hardware. Proving once again that they might have the best pizza in Tampa Bay.

Owner Jamie Culliton has been around this block a few times. He has won multiple awards for his freestyle acrobatics and the taste of his pizzas. He has taken his star-studded staff to compete at the International Pizza Expo in Vegas and the Pizza Tomorrow Summit. Recently Jamie and his fellow pizzaiolo McKenna competed in an international Pizza Senza Frontiere competition with the U.S. Pizza Team. They took home the trophies for best pizza freestyle. Meaning, they can really throw their dough.

If you've never been to The Nona Slice House, you're in for a treat. The staff practices their "dough show" for competitions year-round. All you have to do to see the action is ask your server for a "dough show" and one of the pizzaiola's will come out and give you (and the whole dining room) a show.

The Nona Slice House is located in Downtown Safety Harbor at 997 Main Street. They've been open since 2019. The Nona offers 3 different styles of pizza on their menu. Classic New York style crust, just how the transplants like it. Neapolitan style pizza (my favorite). It's got the super thin and crispy crust and is made with fresh mozzarella and San Marzano tomato sauce. They also offer Detroit style pizza, which is baked in a blue steel pan. It has that super crispy crust on the outside and light and airy on the inside. They offer pizza by the slice every day with specialty meat and veggie slices that rotate daily. Check out more of their menu here.

Everyone is passionate about their favorite pizza place. And luckily in the Tampa Bay area, there are a lot of great places to choose from with all different styles of pizza. A lot of people in Florida have relocated from the Northeast, so the fan favorite around this area is thin crust. Some places also specialize in Neapolitan style, deep dish, and even Detroit style. If you're looking for a new date night or family-friendly spot, look no further than these Tampa Bay pizza restaurants with raving reviews.

Obviously, you have to start with the crust. Anybody can make a tasty sauce and order the finest ingredients. But the crust is where it's at. 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.

Did you know that February 9 is National Pizza Day? Pizza and wings are some of the more common foods you'll find at a party for the "Big Game". That's what inspired us to make this list. Don't settle for the big food chains and instead support a local business. These are all pizza restaurants around Tampa Bay that we have tried, or have had numerous recommendations to check out. Have a spot you think should be on the list? Let us know on social media.

As much as we would like to, we can't include every Tampa pizzeria on our list. We narrowed it down to the ones that have the best reviews on Yelp. But that doesn't mean we can't give a few shout outs to some of our other favorites. If we left these names out it could start a serious food fight. For that super thin crust, Colony Grill is the place to go. Madison Avenue in Dunedin has some of the best creations, including a Chick-fil-A pizza and crab rangoon pizza. Plus, they have the biggest pizza in Tampa Bay. For a great date night spot, and to try some homemade Neapolitan pizza, try Fabrica or Bella's Italian Café.

When you ask someone from Tampa what the go-to pizza spot is, odds are they'll say Eddie & Sam's. It's located in the heart of Downtown at 203 E. Twiggs Street Tampa. They've been open since 1998 and are known to have that authentic New York style crust. Plus they offer gluten free options and Sicilian pizza! Our only wish was they were open later.

If you're ever craving deep dish pizza, Cappy's is the place to go. With 7 locations across Tampa Bay, you have plenty of chances to give them a try!

Alfonso's has been a Tampa staple since 1978. Located off Florida Ave, not far from Busch Gardens. Not only is the pizza delicious, but they might have the best garlic knots in Tampa. Just like we mentioned above, it's all about the crust. Alfonso's makes everything homemade. From their dough, to their sauce and pastas. We were invited to try them out last year and have been returning ever since.

New York, New York might be a close tie with Eddie & Sam's for authentic New York style pizza. They have 8 locations across Tampa and some open till 3-4am.

Not only does The Nona have classic New York style and Neapolitan, but they also offer Detroit style pizza. If you've never had it, the pizza is baked in a blue steel pan with a cheese baked into the crust. Topped with warm marinara. It's crispy on the outside and airy on the inside. If you don't want to commit to a whole pie, they offer it by the slice on Tuesday's, and other daily specials.