Pizza in Miami Beach

 hi there _ I'm from the UK and am heading out to Miami for vacation - big fan of Pizza - where's the best in Miami Beach ? 

Pizza Rustica

http://www.pizza-rustica.com/

Don'

Considering the pizza commandments thread, it looks like there is some serious sinning happening here.
You know that there are many folks here who would agree, or believe that a pizza should not come out of a pan.
The descriptions and ingredients are way too busy. If you cannot remember the descriptions and ingredients after ordering a pie, you have more than you need.

===http://www.pizza-rustica.com/pizzarustica_menu.html===

I wonder if all the toppings help obscure the rest of the pie? Maybe on purpose? These two are the closest to getting to basics. In fact they seem too close to each other...

===Margherita -  3.00   9.00   12.00
Plum tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, flavored with garden grown basil, a touch of fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil.

Tomato Basil -  4.95   15.00   19.00
A choice combination of fresh plum tomatoes, garden grown basil, fresh mozzarella with a touch of rich asiago cheese and cracked peppercorn.
*Try it on Rustica's Delicious Whole Wheat or Original Crust.===

This offering bothers me. It is hamburger!! Not steak. That said, I bet a carpaccio pizza could be interesting...
 
===New York Steak -  4.75   14.00   18.00
Richly flavored ground top sirloin with sweet red onion, roasted peppers over fresh mozzarella and plum tomato sauce.===

With all the varieties of cheese from Italy, why Swiss?

== Quattro Formaggi -  4.75   14.00   18.00
A delicious white pizza special, topped with the finest Asiago, creamy gorgonzola, sharp Swiss and fresh mozzarella cheese with diced fresh plum tomatoes and kalamata olives.===

Or a potato pizza? Oh wait. I like potato pizza. It is better than it sounds and one of the first photos I ever posted.

===Pizza con Potate -  4.75   14.00   18.00
Topped with thinly sliced, roasted potatoes, fresh mozzarella, kalamata olives, sweet red onions, roasted peppers, fresh rosemary and black pepper. ====

But this one is totally criminal and should not be listed where it is among the other offerings.

===Chocolate Pizza -  N/A   14.00   18.00
Thin Pizza filled with fine Hazelnut Chocolate imported from Europe. ===

There is no doubt that they do focus on quality ingredients, and I cannot criticize that.

mark

I agree with Miami Don, whenever my wife and I are in Miami, actually North Miami Beach, we always head to Miami Beach to have some Rustic Pizza, I like the one in the Cameo Theatre lobby better than the one further south on Washington. The Art Deco aka South Beach district of Miami beach is chock full of different pizzarias inlcuding Cuban and Argentinian style pizza, however for us Rustic Pizza is the best by far.  Cuban pizza is like Sicilian style, a bread like crust but with Cuban seasoning in the tomato sauce

Jon...Try Steve's at 123rd and Biscayne Blvd in NMB.  It's on the east side of the road.  Don't worry about what the place looks like on the outside..or the inside for that matter.  You're there for the pizza.  Just go up and order a pie.  See what you think.

I can't speak to Rustic Pizza..Never been there.  Or, if it's near that movie theater turned night club, I've been there.  In that case..It's all about Steve's IMHO.   

Try Steve's.  Incidently, they do sell slices.  If you just want to try a slice on your way to MB, I suggest going when it's crowded so the "slice pies" are coming fast and furious out of the ovens...See what you think. 

I love to go on Saturdays at around noon to see all the NY transplants there from Aventura.  Steve's has been around at this same location at least 40 years....There are other "Steve's this and Steve's that" but they are not affiliated with this one.   There is only one legitimate Steve! One of my all-time So Florida places.  I don't think you will be disappointed. 
 
And while you are up there, there is a pretty good steak sandwich joint up on around 131st +/- on the same road and the same side of the street..Also been there for at least 30-40 years.   It's very good.  I always forget the damn name of this place and I have been there many times.  Family run.  They know what they are doing. 
 

My ex's parents live in N.M.B. Whenever we visited, they would order from Steve's on biscayne. We ate at that steak sandwich place too.

Woody's Famous Steak Sandwich
13105 Biscayne Boulevard
North Miami, FL

Baah Ben


Jon...Try Steve's at 123rd and Biscayne Blvd in NMB.  It's on the east side of the road.  Don't worry about what the place looks like on the outside..or the inside for that matter.  You're there for the pizza.  Just go up and order a pie.  See what you think.

I can't speak to Rustic Pizza..Never been there.  Or, if it's near that movie theater turned night club, I've been there.  In that case..It's all about Steve's IMHO.   

Try Steve's.  Incidently, they do sell slices.  If you just want to try a slice on your way to MB, I suggest going when it's crowded so the "slice pies" are coming fast and furious out of the ovens...See what you think. 

I love to go on Saturdays at around noon to see all the NY transplants there from Aventura.  Steve's has been around at this same location at least 40 years....There are other "Steve's this and Steve's that" but they are not affiliated with this one.   There is only one legitimate Steve! One of my all-time So Florida places.  I don't think you will be disappointed. 

 
I have been there several times as my wife's relatives live about a mile north of there, Steve's is NYC style and I am with you, it's very good. Rustic Pizza is contemporary Romano style, completely different style
 
Isn't Metro Miami especially N M B, Miami Beach and Aventura considered the 6th Borough?

Yes Woody's was the place for steak sandwiches, real good root beer too! Another place was www.laurenzosmarket.com great meats bakery farmers market restaurant . Back then you could often see Burt Reynolds, Loni Anderson and Dom Deluise eating there.

Laurenzos is ok..I was never a big fan of this place when I lived in Aventura.  They do have an excellent selection of wines, but they have encountered lots of new competition.  There are several  specialty food purveyors up and down Biscayne like Whole Foods and this huge wine wholesaler slightly north of Costco on the opposite side of the street in North Miami Beach. 

MD - Woody's..Yup.  When you try Steve's (I know the day is still coming..Heaven help me if you don't like it after these constant attempts to get you up there), leave room for Woody's, too.  It's pretty good.  Hopefully, you will have business up there one day and get to try them both. 
 
Jon - Not far from it (6th Borough) Lots of NY'ers.  That's why they have so many businesses catering to them.  Places like the Sage Deli in Hallendale.  A good one.  

Baah Ben

Jon - Not far from it (6th Borough) Lots of NY'ers.  That's why they have so many businesses catering to them.  Places like the Sage Deli in Hallendale.  A good one.  

 
Is Coney Island Hot Dogs still in the Skylake area? I used to go to it when it was on 163rd St-No Mi Beach then it moved to Miami Gardens Dr-186th St.

You are talking about the place on 163/167th?  I loved that place!  They had a great hot dog and really good fries.  I use to go there all the time. 

Before I moved away from Aventura, that place was already gone.  IF they moved, I don't know anything about it.  They had a great hot dog.

It's long gone.   No hot dog joints anywhere near that area.  You'd have to go up into Broward County, or down to the city of Miami.

MD - Did you ever go to The Coney Island?  Their fries were just like Nathan's.  I loved that place.  On a Saturday, you'd get all the Ny'ers (just like at Steve's Pizza) going there.

I may have been there, but it was very long ago, and I don't really remember it well. 

By the way, they FINALLY finished renovating US-1, all the way down to Miami, and a lot of new restaurants have been opening up.  It's hard to believe, but there are four (4) BBQ joints in North Miami Beach and North Miami.  Where do they think they are, NYC?

Baah Ben


MD -  When you try Steve's (I know the day is still coming..Heaven help me if you don't like it after these constant attempts to get you up there)...
 

Baah Ben: I went to Steve's Pizza in the City of North Miami yesterday.
 
Here is the outside of the little building.  When I went at about 12:45 PM, it was quite busy, with the tables outside just about filled.
 

 
 
The inside is small, crowded, and a bit grubby.  I understand that this is a late-night hangout, and graffiti is not discouraged.
 

 
They were busy, and moving a lot of pizza, so I felt safe ordering a slice. 
 

 
 
I got a plain cheese slice, so I could more easily evaluate the crust, sauce and cheese.
 
Baah Ben, I am going to graciously hope that they have changed sources or cooks for the sauce since last you were there.  The sauce was disgustingly sweet.    I don't mean that someone took a pinch of sugar and added it to the pot to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.  I mean that it tasted like there was a half-cup of sugar per gallon.
 
Gaahk!!
 
 
I felt queesy for half an hour.  Good crust, though. 
 
The above refers to the Steve's Pizza at 12101 Biscayne Boulevard (US-1) in North Miami.   There also is a Steve's Pizza South, and a Steve's Pizza West.  I don't know whether they have any connection(s).
 

MD - I doubt they have changed anything including their lack of cleanliness.  Been there too many years to take a chance on changing their pizza.  Sure still looks like one of my favorite slice type pizzas. 

Sorry you did not like it.  But, thanks for giving it a shot and for the pictures.  Yeah, the place is a mess.  But, a lot of people love their pizza and disregard all else.

The other two places you mentioned are not affiliated with this Steve's.

BB, it's so SWEET.  I mean candy-like sweet.  I'm pretty open-minded about food, but still... 

Well, evidently a lot of people like it!
 
I found a place named Di Napoli that serves good wood-oven-baked pizzas  a few miles up the road near Dadeland.  I also am looking forward to the opening of an Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza in the same area, soon.

MD - I love Anthony's on Fed Hwy in ft. Lauderdale..right near the airport.  You are lucky one is coming to you!  I wrote them at least 5 times begging them to come up where we live.  They have a terrific website.
 
They have several places including one in Boca.  They make these balsamic and rosemary chicken wings in the coal fired oven...Really good.  Lucky Dadeland...I use to live in Perrine.

Yeah, Steve's is very, very popular.  It's been there for at least 35 years..maybe more.  I have not heard of a change in ownership and like I said, your great pictures did it justice.  That's the pizza....Good or bad as one determines.

Pizza in Miami Beach-----sounds like an oxymoron to me!

Russ