[Top] 121 Critic’s pick: Best pizza restaurant in Palm Beach County? Hint, it’s ‘Mamma-approved’

Critic’s pick: Best pizza restaurant in Palm Beach County? Hint, it’s ‘Mamma-approved’

Our critics pick the best pizza in Palm Beach County

How does one find the best pizza around? I look for consistency, quality (never gratuitous) toppings and a little something extra. My pick for favorite pizza in the county has that little something extra: Mamma’s approval.

Lynora’s

Don’t expect a heap of unorthodox toppings on your pizza at Lynora’s restaurants in Palm Beach County. The pizza menu here is beautifully simple: wood-fired pies topped with fresh, classic ingredients that will transport you to south-central Italy. That’s where Maria “Mamma” Abbenante hails from. Her quality-control of the ingredients, sauces and prep practices at her son Angelo’s hip, local mini-chain of pizzerias is Lynora’s secret sauce.

Her input accounts for the pizza’s consistently flavorful crust, the perfect char on its puffy edges, the mozzarella that’s handmade onsite, the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and the sauce – that addictive, scratch-made pomodoro – you’ll want to bottle and take home. (In fact, you can buy jars of Lynora’s sauce at Whole Foods Market locations.)

Pizza varieties here include bianca pies with a range of toppings like burrata-and-prosciutto, wild mushrooms, fontina and mushrooms and smoked mozzarella-and-capicola. Red-sauced pies include a tasty Margherita, a lovely prosciutto and arugula and a spicy cherry pepper and soppressata pizza. Plus, there are cauliflower crust and vegan pies as well. And if you’re looking for an appetizer to share, go for Mamma’s homemade meatballs (polpette della casa). They’re legendary in these parts.

Lynora’s: Locations and info at Lynoras.com

More:The secret sauce behind the hip, local Lynora’s chain? It’s Mamma.

While we’re on the topic of pizza, Palm Beach County welcomed these new Italian restaurants in 2021:

New pizza/Italian restaurants

Prezzo PBG

An outpost of a Boca Italian restaurant with iconic roots, Prezzo opened at the PGA Commons in November in the former Scusi (and before that, Vic and Angelo’s) space. With a menu rooted in New York and Northeast-style Italian and a red-tiled, wood-fired pizza oven, Prezzo offers a half-dozen savory pies, including a Margherita pizza topped with house-pulled mozzarella.

Prezzo: 4520 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens. 561-429-6938; EatPrezzo.com

More dining news:Prezzo Italian restaurant opens in Palm Beach Gardens

Looking for a new dining experience?:Here are 2021’s new restaurants in Palm Beach County

Tavern Pi

Abacoa chef and restaurateur David Schroeder (Brick and Barrel, Duke’s Tacos and Margs) opened Tavern Pi in October in the former Costello’s Trattoria location. The pizza “pi” here comes in two main styles: The first is an ultra-thin crust pizza that’s sauced red or white, creatively topped and cut into squares. The second is a Chicago-inspired, deep-dish pie that’s baked in a cast-iron pan.

Tavern Pi: 1209 Main St., Suite 102, in Abacoa, Jupiter, 561-776-5448, TavernPi.com

Elisabetta’s Ristorante

A part of the Big Time Restaurant Group family, Elisabetta’s made its downtown West Palm Beach, very Dolce Vita debut in a charming waterfront location in January 2021. In addition to dazzling appetizers, expect a nice range of wood-fired pizzas with a choice of sauce and robust toppings.

185 Banyan Blvd., West Palm Beach. 561-342-6699; Elisabettas.com

Restaurant review:Elisabetta’s, West Palm’s waterfront spot, offers a golden setting for savoring Italia

Marco’s Pizza

Marco’s Pizza, a fast-growing national chain, opened its fourth Palm Beach County location in West Palm Beach late last year. The dough is made fresh daily onsite and topped with a house blend of three cheeses and a proprietary pizza sauce. Specialty pizzas include the White Cheezy, which is topped with bacon, onions, tomatoes, garlic Parmesan sauce, the three cheeses, plus feta.

Mario’s Pizza: 1540 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach. 561-835-5300; Marcos.com

Love pizza?:One of the fastest-growing pizza restaurants just opened in West Palm Beach

Havana Nights Cuban Pizza

Here’s a pizzeria born of a food truck and inspired by the ownership’s Cuban roots. What is Cuban pizza, you ask? Havana Nights Cuban Pizza Co-owner Melvis Perez’s best answer:

“The dough is pretty thick, fluffy and airy. Not that chewy kind of crust. Most of the toppings are under the cheese, not on top. Since the pizza is pan-cooked in the oven, the cheese melts up to the edges. There’s no edges on the crust, so you can eat the entire thing.”

Havana Nights Cuban Pizza: 1180 S. Congress Ave., Palm Springs, 561-778-7999, HavanaNightsCubanPizzaMenu.com

Spadella

This new suburban Delray pizzeria takes pride in its hand-made pies and use of Italian products of certified origin, particularly from Naples. The dough is pre-fermented for 48 hours before it undergoes an active fermentation process for 24 hours. Expect a classic and well-varied pizza menu offering 10-inch and 14-inch pies at Spadella, which opened last fall.

Spadella: 15280 Jog Rd., Delray Beach, 561-270-3442, SpadellaRestaurant.com

What’s your favorite pizza restaurant?

Do you have a go-to spot for the perfect pie? Email us at llordi@pbpost.com. Please provide name and address of restaurant. We may run your choice in an upcoming readers’ pick list.