Last month, infamous Barstool Sports empire builder Dave Portnoy had eyes across Tampa Bay on him, as he brought his “One Bite Pizza Reviews” to more than a dozen local shops.
For the uninitiated, the series finds the 47-year-old ordering a cheese pie and actually taking several bites before rating the pizza on a scale of 1-10, decimals and all.
Not a polished food critic by any means (“football pizza” is one of his favorite descriptors, meaning he would it during a game), Portnoy in and out of these spots pretty quickly, although sometimes he attracts a crowd.
A controversial figure who’s spouted anti-union rhetoric, and faced sexual assault allegations (which he’s denied), Portnoy serves the reviews up to more than 1.26 million subscribers on YouTube alone.
He’s keenly aware of the influence and never trashes a place, but he’s quick to heap praise on places he likes, including Forbici in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village, St. Pete’s Violet Stone, Clearwater’s Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza, and the Nona Slice House in Safety Harbor, which topped the heap of 22 shops One Bite Pizza last month.
Have a look at the rankings, with a little commentary from Portnoy, below.
Here's how Barstool boss Dave Portnoy ranked Tampa Bay pizza spots
By Ray Roa on Wed, Apr 10, 2024 at 12:27 pm
Scroll down to view images
Sally O’Neals Pizza Hotline (6.1)
1319 S Howard Ave., TampaPortnoy loved Judith O’Neal so much that he rated her a 9.8. He thought that pie looked like a Greek pizza, and lauded the menu overall, but said the pizza wasn’t his style “Some people love it—kind of greasy, messy, floppy—some people will wolf that down. I ain’t one of them,” he said. Too bad Dave didn’t make it across the street to Bella’s to try another classic Tampa pie.
Photo via sallyonealspizza/Facebook
Joey Brooklyn's Famous Pizza Kitchen (5.9)
210 1st Ave. N, St. Petersburg“This is drunk pizza,” Portnoy said about the First Block staple that feeds the hungriest of St. Pete partygoers.
Photo via One Bite Pizza Reviews/YouTube (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Lee’s Grocery (6.3)
2210 N Central Ave., TampaLee’s is a Tampa Heights favorite for its wings, impressive beer selection and oven-fired pie. Portnoy picked up “hippie vibes” and called the shop a “cult classic pizza place.”
Photo by Ray Roa
Palazzo Pizza (6.4)
1818 W Platt St., TampaPortnoy liked the vibe at this South Tampa shop, adding that the pie “looks like hockey rink pizza.” He loved owner Jason Fox, and didn’t even want to tell him the real score. “I’m gonna tell him 7.1,” Portnoy added.Photo via Eatpalazzopizza/Facebook
Venezia Italian Restaurant (6.7)
373 St Armands Cir., Sarasota,“A little on the floppy side,” Portnoy remarked as he moved across Sarasota.
Photo via One Bite Pizza Reviews/YouTube (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Britt's Pizza (6.8)
10709 Gulf Blvd., Treasure IslandThe Thunderbird resort confused Portnoy when he was in Treasure Island for yet another “resort town pizza,” which he thought was doughy.
Photo via BrittsCoalFirePizza/Facebook
Delosa’s Pizza (7.1)
12800 Village Blvd., Madeira BeachPortnoy got a little sauce on his purple hypercolor Surf Style tracksuit when he visited John’s Pass for what he’s dubbed “resort town pizza.” “Good, not gonna change my life,” he said of the pie from the 40-year-old Madeira Beach staple. “Every town has one of these.”
Photo via delosaspizza/Facebook
Rico's Pizzeria (7.2)
6547 Gateway Ave, Sarasota“‘Best pizza south of Jersey’?,” Portnoy asked, reading the sign. “That is not true.”
Photo via One Bite Pizza Reviews/YouTube (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Gianni's Pizza & More (7.3)
4925 FL-64, BradentonSomeone stole Portnoy’s first pie here, and he was worried staff undercooked the replacement pizza since he was waiting. “The most basic 7.3 I've ever had in my life. It's just like a straight fastball, really not a lot of movement,” he said. “Good, not great pie, that's all this is.”
Photo via One Bite Pizza Reviews/YouTube (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Brooklyn Pizza Company (7.4)
10785 Park Blvd. SeminoleOwner Brad Fisher says he uses a nearly-200-year-old dough recipe, with Portnoy picking up on the tried and true results. “Nothing tricky, you know what you’re gonna get. Good, solid, set-your-watch-to-it kind of pizza,” he added.
Photo via One Bite Pizza Reviews/YouTube (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Il Panificio (7.4)
1703 Main St., Siesta KeyPortnoy didn’t plan on rating pizzas in this southern region of the Tampa Bay area, but business brought him to the neighborhood so he tried a few, including this one that ranked highest for the Sarasota-Bradenton area. “Way better than ass. This is good, decent pizza,” he said.
Photo via One Bite Pizza Reviews/YouTube (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
DiGiorgio’s Pizzeria (7.5)
191 Orange St., Palm HarborTechnically in Ozona, Portnoy watch owner Anthony DiGiorgio fan out as he said locals could happily eat this “super basic football-looking pizza” three times a week.
Photo via One Bite Pizza Reviews/YouTube (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Marina’s Pizza and Pasta (7.5)
12121 W Linebaugh Ave., TampaThe suburbs got some love, with Portnoy and Barstool superfan Danny Boy Cane trying a taste of this Westchase staple.
Photo via marinaspizzatampa/Facebook
Piper’s Scratch Pizza Shop (7.6)
34940 U.S. Hwy-19 N, Palm HarborMacKenzie Piper is the namesake of this Palm Harbor shop, and she got to talk to Portnoy on the phone as he wished her a happy 22nd birthday. He liked the pie her family makes, too, saying, “It looks basic, but it's got that unique taste, which I actually really liked,” he said, noting that this was probably his 13th pizza of the day.
Owner Bruce Hershey told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that his pizza has a twist because of the way the shop prepares the sauce. He’s got a huge journal with notes from pizza’s he’s tried across the globe, and at Piper’s he’s nailed down a process that uses whole peeled plum tomatoes and fresh ingredients, with no sugar added. Most pizzerias, Hershey said, do not cook their sauce down, but his does. “Once you cook that down, it just elevates that flavor profile, he added.
Photo via PipersScratchPizzaShop/Facebook
Madison Avenue Pizza (7.7)
2660 Bayshore Blvd., DunedinMadison Avenue owner Sean Ferraro—who also delivers his pie by boat—got to watch Portnoy take on a slice. An employee predicted a 7.1 score, but the Barstool boss disagreed, ranking it much higher. “If this was your hometown pizzeria you would never have to leave,” he added. “This is way better than a 7.1. I’d fight that kid, almost, if I was the owner.”
Toby's Original Little Italy Pizza (7.7)
3523 49th St. S, St. PetersburgPortnoy was really impressed by the Foxon Park Beverages in the cooler, and loved the strip mall New York pie, too. “This is the best pizza I’ve had so far in the Tampa-St. Pete-Sarasota area, it hasn’t been really close to be honest,” he added.
Photo via One Bite Pizza Reviews/YouTube (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Cristino's Coal Oven Pizza (7.8)
1101 S Ft Harrison Ave., ClearwaterPortnoy didn’t have a lot to say about this pie, but he noted that it was flat, had good crisp, and zero flop.
Photo via Google Maps (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Nona Slice House (7.8)
997 Main St., Safety HarborThere’s a U.S. Pizza Team, and Nona Slice House owner Jamie Culliton is on it. The world-class pizza acrobat and four-time world champion made sure to show Portnoy the trophies, and a packed house watched the El Presidente give the cheese pie a pretty good score. “Super standard football pizza. Very down the middle, no tricks,” he added.
Photo via TheNONAslicehouse/Facebook
Pizza Box (7.8)
923 Central Ave., St. PetersburgAs it drizzled on him, Portnoy big upped the love and care the pizza chefs put into the pie, and was impressed with the offering. “ I thought it was gonna be little crunchier,” he said, adding that Pizza Box was one of the places that sticks out on his trip. “Really good. Listen, if someone wants to argue 7.9, I won’t laugh them out.”
Photo via One Bite Pizza Reviews/YouTube (screengrab by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Santoro’s (7.8)
1329 W Cass St., TampaJersey-style pie has earned this North Hyde Park favorite 555,500 followers on TikTok, which impressed Portnoy (he’s got 3.7 million) who lauded the undercarriage and said he would never get tired of eating this pizza. Owner Travis Kaiser, who named the Best of the Bay-winning shop after his son, called for an eight rating, but Portnoy replied, “This style no matter how good, never an 8. This is really good.”
Photo via Santoro’s
Page 1 of 2
Chava Communications
Read our sister publications
© 2024 Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
