The Pizzerias of 30A

Is it Italian food, or is it American cuisine? I’ve heard people debate that very question for years and years, but the only thing I know for certain is this: pizza is hot, circular deliciousness, while cold leftover pizza is a highly sought after meal for lazy youth and busy adults alike. With as many regional styles of pie as there are, from New York to St. Louis to Chicago to Detroit and more, pizza isn’t just one the most popular dishes in the USA, but it is a highly personal one as well. Just like the beach views, the pizzerias on and near 30A are beyond reproach. If you’re planning on coming to the area and need to figure out where to get a slice, the following blog will have you covered.

THE RULES: I’m not just including pizzerias alongside 30A itself, but ones close by in areas such as Santa Rosa Beach. While I am including pizzerias that have a location outside of this immediate area, in places like Destin for example, pizzerias exclusively in cities not on 30A won’t be included. Alright, let’s talk some pie!

PAZZO ITALIANO

Located in: Destin, Santa Rosa Beach

Website: https://www.pazzodestin.com/

A full blown Italian restaurant with pasta and traditional Italian cuisine that is so good, it’ll make you slap your momma, even if that sort of reaction is generally reserved for BBQ and soul food. We’re talking authentic lasagna, eggplant parm, fettuccine alfredo and more, cooked to perfection. But since this is an article about pizza, let me talk a bit about their bursting with artisanal flavor wood fired pies. This isn’t your grandma’s pizza, we’re talking a true high end experience here. Like every single item on their menu, the pizza at Pazzo Italiano just has to be tasted to be believed.

Personally, I wouldn’t just consider Pazzo Italinao to be some of the best Italian food in 30A, and not just some of the best Italian food in all of Florida, but in the entire country, and possibly the world. It is truly an experience not to be forgotten, so if you’ve yet to try this one, do yourself a favor and make a point to ASAP.

TICHELI'S ITALIAN PIZZA

Located in: Seacrest Beach

Website: https://www.tichelispizza.com/

A family tradition in Seacrest Beach, Ticheli’s isn’t just a fun, friendly full of rockin live music and unbelievably good pizza, it’s also a wandering food truck! While “Seacrest Beach” is a popular area in 30A, Ticheli’s pun game is strong as they tout their famous “Seacrust”. However, luckily for stomachs and tongues everywhere, their pizza game is equally strong, if not moreso.

What helps give their pies such a unique flavor is the fact they use real imported wheat flour from Italy in their pies. On top of this, the secret Ticheli homemade pizza sauce has a taste that would make even the eldest of the pizza Gods smile. Somehow, this magical pizza pie got its start out in Alexandria, Louisiana, and thankfully has made its way out here in 30A to stay.

BRUNO’S PIZZA

Located in: WaterSound

Website: https://brunospizza30a.com/

At Bruno’s homemade sauce, dough and the freshest ingredients available all equal up into one of Florida’s tastiest pizza pies. 30A’s oldest pizzeria, Bruno’s Pizzeria, is a true testament to the love of food. For over 30 years, Bruno’s has consistently been voted the best pizza around by its legions of fans, and one bite, nay, merely one smell of their marvelous cuisine will explain why.

A simple yet flavorful menu, Bruno’s embodies the classic American pizza joint perfectly. A fun gimmick, each of their specialty pies is named after one of the many lovely local cities. If you are ever feeling adventurous, I highly recommend their Point Washington pizza, although the Inlet Beach is fairly difficult to beat itself. Whether you try one of their specialty pies, create your own, or decide to go the calzone route, you’ll never regret your decision to dine at Bruno’s.

AMICI ITALIAN KITCHEN

Located in: Inlet Beach

Website: https://amici30a.com/

Pizza, pasta and more, if you are looking for the finest of Italian foods, you will find them at Amici Italian Kitchen. Located in the 30Avenue shopping center, it’s difficult to put into words just how delicious the food here is. Perfectly spiced and seasoned, their sauce alone is a reason to live, and that right there could probably be considered the understatement of the year. Amici is upscale Italian cuisine in its purest form, and has earned every kudos it has been given.

Of course, all the classics you expect to see at a pizzeria are in full force at Amici, but it’s their list of unusual pizzas which generally grabs my attention. For example, the Mac N Cheese pizza, topped with a crushed Goldfish cracker topping, is sure to speak to the inner child within, and when you are feeling all grown up, the Funghi pizza features several different types of mushrooms, creating a truly spectacular bite. Regardless if you go a bit more experiential or stick to the classics you’ll never be disappointed when dining at Amici.

ANGELINA’S PIZZA & PASTA

Located in: Seagrove Beach

Website: https://angelinas30a.com/

Angelina’s has a bragging right in being the first establishment in SoWal to serve hand tossed pizza, and when you take a bite out of the pie served there, you’ll know that 10,000+ hours at an activity truly does make you an expert. Serving up all sorts of homestyle Italian favorites alongside their pizzas, Angelina’s is one of those places that is equally perfect for an intimate date night or a big family dinner.

Angelina’s also serves up both popular styles of pizza derivatives, the calzone and the stromboli, while emphasizing the local, fresh seafood on their menu as well. If you’ve yet to try it, get your next pie there topped with their Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese, you’ll thank me later!

PICKLE FACTORY

Located in: Grayton Beach

Website: http://picklepizza.com/

Pickle Factory doesn’t sound much like a pizzeria, but that just goes to show you, things aren’t always as they seem. In fact, Pickle Factory is Chef Jeffrey Fehr reviving a restaurant he ran in Thailand for ten years, which was even voted as the best pizza in that nation by a major Thai publication. Originally a pickle making business, hence the name, the Pickle Factory that 30A is lucky enough to be home to serves up not just some of the best pizza one will ever eat, but all sorts of tasty treats not generally associated with a pizzeria, such as crab rangoon and one of my favorite sandwiches, the Italian Beef.

A restaurant with a story as interesting as its food is scrumptious, Pickle Factory is a must visit spot for locals and those just passing through alike. The next time you are there, try one of his genius Thai pizzas, the Kee Mao or the Chiang Mai. You won’t regret it, but you just may feel yourself irritated when you realize that this is the only pizzeria serving delicacies such as those.

FARM & FIRE SOUTHERN PIZZERIA

Located in: Santa Rosa Beach

Website: https://www.farmandfirepizza.com/

Located near Point Washington on Choctawhatchee Bay’s North Beach, Farm & Fire is a pizzeria unlike any I’ve ever been to, which is too bad, because it is so dang exquisitely tasty, most folks probably wish there was one a five minute drive or so away from where they live. Part speakeasy, part fine dining experience and part pizzeria, to quote Farm & Fire themselves, this is “Where farm meets fire”. Using only the freshest ingredients to formulate their pizzas, there is a reason why Farm & Fire has been a local institution for over 20 years.

Beyond pizza, Farm & Fire features a robust menu full of culinary delights sure to please even the pickiest or most pretentious of food critics. I thoroughly recommend their blood orange pie, which is similar to a key lime pie, and every bit as delicious, yet a completely different and unique experience. Just be warned, their cocktails are so mouthwatering, you may need to grab a cab home!

BIG WHEEL PIZZA CO

Located in: Grayton Beach (at Chiringo)

Website: https://www.facebook.com/bigwheelpizzaco/

I love pizza. I also love Grayton Beach, as not only is it alongside 30 A's stretch of the Emerald Coast, but it is possibly the world's most pet friendly town. Which means obviously I love Big Wheel Pizza Company, located inside one of Grayton Beach's most fun beachside bars Chiringo.

From classic pie's to some truly original creations, such as their Cuban pizza (it's like a Cuban sandwich, but a pizza!), Big Wheel Pizza Company brings another dimension to an already popular local hangout. Their meats, cheeses, vegetables and dough are all of the highest quality, meaning that the pizza you'll be shoveling down is worthy of being eaten on beaches as picturesque as ours.

BRONZINNI PIZZERIA

Located in: Seagrove Beach

Website: http://www.brozinnispizza.com/

Home to some absolutely fantastic New York style pizza, arguably America’s most popular style of pizza, is Bronzinni Pizzeria, a place so authentic in their tastes, you’ll think you are actually in New York City and that there may be somebody waiting outside to rob you. Of course I’m joking, but every ingredient here has been specifically chosen to not just represent their own restaurant as well the institution of New York style pizza in general.

A great spot to grab just a slice or a whole pie, Bronzinni Pizzeria isn’t just a spot for lunch or dinner. In fact, their breakfast pizzas are to die for, as is the rest of their breakfast menu. I can’t even write this without drooling all over my keyboard thinking about their biscuits and gravy. No matter what time of day you decide to stop by, Bronzinni Pizzeria will leave you feeling happy you did.

BUD & ALLEY’S PIZZA BAR

Located in: Seaside

Website: https://www.budandalleyspizzabar.com/

This may sound like a strange thing to say about a pizzeria, but Bud & Alley’s Pizza Bar has some of the best brussel sprouts made by anyone ever. I mean it, not just in Florida, and not just in 2021, but anywhere, throughout the entirety of human civilization. This isn’t a surprise, as Bud & Alley have two other restaurants in Seaside, along with a rooftop bar that is sure to dazzle and delight. Bud & Alley know food the way a sailor knows the seas, the way Tiger Woods knows golf, or even the way I know Northwest Florida real estate.

Bud & Alley’s serves authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizza and housemade pastas, and I couldn’t be happier that they do. They house a wide selection of both red and white style pie and a host of other treats, including their white kidney bean soup and the aforementioned brussel sprouts that I have a hard time not talking about whenever I think of them. Sitting right alongside the Emerald Coast gives Bud & Alley’s a view as remarkable as their food, so the next time you are in Seaside and you’ve got a craving only pizza can fill, you know where to go.

PIZZA BY THE SEA

Located in: Seacrest, WaterColor, Gulf Place, Sandestin/Miramar Beach

Website: https://pizzabythesea.com/

Pizza By The Sea uses fresh dough, top notch ingredients and an overall love of pizza in order to satisfy their customers each and every time. With four locations across Walton County, there is a reason why many people consider it to be the very best pie in all of SoWal, if not along the Emerald Coast entirely. Honestly, I’ve met more than a few people who say that this is their favorite pizza of all time, and I totally understand that sentiment. Just listen to Pizza By The Sea themselves when it comes to their culinary philosophy:

“We bake our fresh dough to order, directly on the hot stone surface of the oven. You may have a bit of a wait, but we just don’t take shortcuts like some of the other guys just to make a “quick” pizza.”

As they are involved with a number of terrific non-profits, when you visit Pizza By The Sea, you can rest assured that your money won’t just going to keep the doors open, but to keep our local community functioning at an even deeper level. Pizza By The Sea is one of those places you can feel good about eating at, not just because of the friendly staff and delicious eats, but the extra mile they take to ensure 30A stays one of the greatest spots on God’s green Earth.

FAT DADDY’S PIZZA

Located in: Santa Rosa Beach

Website: http://www.fatdaddyspizza.com/

Fat Daddy’s Pizza is a fun, family friendly pizzeria who proudly serves the cheapest bottled beer in all of South Walton. Home to a multitude of specialty pies as creative as they are delicious, such as the Chicken Pesto Supreme, the Alfredo pizza and of course their yellow mustard covered Bacon Cheeseburger pizza. When you’ve just had too much pizza lately (is that even a thing though?), Fat Daddy’s Pizza also prepares sandwiches, calzones and salads, with some tasty desserts rounding off the menu.

With big screen TV’s and video game machines for the kids, Fat Daddy’s Pizza is the absolute definition of what many of us think of when we think of a pizzeria. That is why the monthly visit to Fat Daddy’s is a regular tradition for so many families in or near Santa Rosa Beach, because the memories one creates in a pizza establishment the caliber of a place such as this are irreplaceable. I’ve met plenty of folks who say this is their go-to pizza spot here in SoWal, and that is a statement I completely understand.

HUNGRY HOWIE’S

Located in: Santa Rosa Beach

Website: https://www.hungryhowies.com/store/hungry-howies-03048

The 11th largest pizza chain here in the United States, Hungry Howie’s is known for two things: cheap, tasty pizza and flavored crusts. They were doing it way before Pizza Hut or any of the other big chains, and that, along with their signature, hard-to-beat taste, is why they are probably more popular than many other larger pizza chains in America.

Sharing the glory at Hungry Howie's is their distinct calzone style submarine sandwiches, salads, desserts and wings, Hungry Howie’s is a perfect place to end a long day at the beach or office. Personally, the new “Everything Flavored Crust '' is by far my favorite, although before that came along, I’ve always been partial to garlic herb. Whatever yours is, Hungry Howie’s is sure to satisfy hungry pizza craving people every time.

30A may be a small stretch along Florida’s Emerald Coast, but as this list proves, it sure doesn’t taste like it. What’s your favorite pizza spot alongside 30A? Follow me on Facebook and if you have been thinking of buying or selling in Destin, 30A or beyond, visit my website today at BuyDestin30A.com to contact my directly.