Florida Pizza

Thanks for the suggestions

I'll be visting Fort Lauderdale in a few weeks. I've been to Anthony's Coal Fired and thought it was pretty decent. Anybody have any other suggestions in the area?

Surprised you thought it was only decent...I love the place. It is a different type of pizza though..Did you happen to also order their wings?

More traditional type would be John The Baker...I love that place, too. Fantastic garlic rolls..thin crust pizza..Very good...I THINK

quote:

Originally posted by NJskeeter

I'll be visting Fort Lauderdale in a few weeks. I've been to Anthony's Coal Fired and thought it was pretty decent. Anybody have any other suggestions in the area?

My goodness! Primanti Bros. - the Pittsburgh legend known for its "meal on a hunk of bread" sandwiches - has opened in Florida!

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=primanti+bros+ft+lauderdale&fb=1&view=text&latlng=7340060286224089153&dtab=2&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=result

And they are getting rave reviews for their pizza! Strangely, they have never offered pizza in their original stores.

Try it and let us know.

quote:

Originally posted by NJskeeter

I'll be visting Fort Lauderdale in a few weeks. I've been to Anthony's Coal Fired and thought it was pretty decent.

I liked their crust, but the sauce was a little too sweet for my taste.

quote:

Originally posted by Baah Ben

Surprised you thought it was only decent...I love the place. It is a different type of pizza though..Did you happen to also order their wings?

More traditional type would be John The Baker...I love that place, too. Fantastic garlic rolls..thin crust pizza..Very good...I THINK

Oh I thought it was very good, just not blown away. I'm from New Jersey and have had the best of the best around here and have travelled to New Haven, so I'm very hard to impress. I didn't try their wings because I like mine fried.

As for Primanti Bros...the Lauderdale location looks like it's a block away from where I'm staying. I ate at one near Pittsburgh over the summer and didn't like their pizza at all. A major pet peeve of mine is onions in pizza sauce, and their sauce had a lot of onions in it. If I wanted onions in my pizza, I'd order it as a topping. Anyway, that wasn't the only thing I didn't like about the pizza. It came out far too underdone for me. This primanti's looks different because I hear they serve breakfast too. Actually I think they're open 24/7. Chances are I'll give them a shot for lunch since I'll be on the beach nearby.

I'll keep my eye out for John the Baker, from your description it sounds good to me.

In Bradenton exit 220 D.Americos Pizzeria just opened up. The owner is from NY and makes a great pie. Or 25 miles north of you Exit 246 (Big Bend Rd. Apollo Beach/Riverview) East Coast Pizza The owner is also from NY. They have been there for almost 4 years, and also makes a great pie.

Skeeter - John The Baker and Mario the Baker..All interrelated cousins, brothers, in-breds, whatever. If you go at lunch, they have a special where you get an individual pie (thin..get their sausage) along with the star of the show..Their incredible garlic rolls. No, these are not those lousy knots/twists whatever..These are nothing like that! The best I have ever had. I doubt you will find these in NJ/NYC.

I've never found them any place else than in these restaurants from this particular family. Your pizza (especially for you) will be an after thought. I would not order anything else at Mario's or John The Baker, but the pizza and the garlic rolls.

Try Anthony's wings. They are really special. Made with fresh rosemary, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Just give them a shot one time. And no, this is Florida and not New Haven or Manhattan. But, Anthony's is good enough for a lot of us transplants...Hey, aside from Cuban food, BBQ and perhaps seafood, nothing is going to compare to NYC in Florida is it?

Incidently, if you are near Anthony's again on Federal Highway in Ft. Lauderdale, head north and go to Tom Jenkin's for some of the best BBQ you will ever have. Next to Arthur Bryant's and Big Bob Gibson's, its the best I've ever had. That will most likely be better than NYC! You might like Tark's, too.

One other place you will like coming from Jeerzee...The Rustic Inn on Griffin Road (get the golden crabs if they have them) I don't think you are going to find a place like this in NJ/NY either.

Baah Ben:

Thanks for reminding me about[url='http://www.mariothebakerpizza.com/locations.htm']Mario the Baker[/url]. A vendor in North Miami used to buy me lunch at the original location on West Dixie Highway frequently. Maybe it being free swayed my taste, but I enjoyed the single-serving pizza with pepperoni, and the great garlic rolls. Definitely needed to wash up after that - lots of olive oil, etc. If you follow the link above, you'll see that they have sprouted up all over the place (and still expanding).

Don - I wonder if someone brought the rights to franchise Mario The Baker? For years, they never were any place else but NMB. Then that neighborhood changed, for the worse. One of their cousins (I believe that's who he was) made a terrific business move and opened his own Mario's, but he called it John The Baker in Pembroke Pines right near where we lived. He absolutely killed! Same fantastic garlic rolls (have you ever had any better?)and great individual pizzas..thin crust, fresh clumps of sausage, etc. What a business he developed in the 5th fastest growing city in the entire country at that time...The early 2000's.

He was so smart. He sponsored local teams and hired high school kids to work in his restaurant. But, they had to maintain their grades. He would actually check their report cards each marking period. A wonderful young man and an asset to the community. I loved living in Pembroke Pines. The place was filled with families every single night.

I'd have thought he'd (his name is John) be the one who would have run with the franchise idea. That's what makes me think someone with deep pockets took over Mario The Baker and saw an opportunity to franchinse it and get into some better areas of town, too.

They are franchising or at least openiong other branches of Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, too. Boy, if I had to choose were to eat my pizza amongst these two places, it would be very, very tough. So different and yet both so good in their own ways.

Ok Don..Here's the big question I continue to ask...Have you tried _____________yet?

I just got back from Lauderdale a few days ago and didn't have time to hit John or Mario but went to Anthony's again and was totally blown away this time. We did try the wings and they were great. I've had better elsewhere but these were different and addictive. I had to save room for our ricotta meatball pie though. This pizza was exquisite. The mini meatballs were perfect and the blend of ricotta and mozzarella on top of their sauce was amazing. The best part was that underneath all that, the crust actually held up and stayed crisp somehow. This is a pie I will be longing for until my next vacation down there.

NJskeeter...Where do you live in Jeerzy? I'm from Bergen County..I am glad you liked Anthony's and the wings..Anyway, if you are in the Hackensack area...Go to Brooklyn Pizza..Another really good one! Coal fired pizza..Wonderful. I hear Hoboken has some really good pizza places, too. Boy, that town has come a long way dining wise from what I hear.

Next time you are back in So Fla do try to go to John the Baker (my favorite but it's out west) or Mario the Baker....Go at lunch during the week when they have their weekday specials. You get your own individual pie and 3 of the most incredible garlic rolls you will ever have in your life. I have never seen them served like this anyplace else.

Thanks for the report. Glad to see Anthony's is still great.

quote:

Originally posted by Baah Ben

NJskeeter...Where do you live in Jeerzy? I'm from Bergen County..I am glad you liked Anthony's and the wings..Anyway, if you are in the Hackensack area...Go to Brooklyn Pizza..Another really good one! Coal fired pizza..Wonderful. I hear Hoboken has some really good pizza places, too. Boy, that town has come a long way dining wise from what I hear.

Next time you are back in So Fla do try to go to John the Baker (my favorite but it's out west) or Mario the Baker....Go at lunch during the week when they have their weekday specials. You get your own individual pie and 3 of the most incredible garlic rolls you will ever have in your life. I have never seen them served like this anyplace else.

Thanks for the report. Glad to see Anthony's is still great.

I'm on the Union/Somerset county line and I'm rarely up in Bergen county for anything, and there's a lot of awesome stuff not too far from me. I'm originally from Elizabeth so I still make the drive to Spirito's for the best pizza/Veal parm combo on earth and then walk down the street to DiCosmo's for the best lemon ice on earth hands down. I also love the Reservoir in South Orange and Michelino's, which has a few locations around Union County. Anyway, back to the topic...I will definitely check out John or Mario next time we're down there, which will hopefully be within the next year or so. Thanks for the recommendations.