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...
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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!
Photo: Glorioso/BBGI
This view hole from the kitchen was made for THE Alfonso, so he could keep an eye out on the restaurant.
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.