Cristino's Coal Oven Pizza

Love love love! I have been eating here for over 14 years. I used to always grab pizza after my doctors’ appointments while pregnant with each of my kiddos. Now they are teenagers! Which speaks volumes to how long this restaurant is still standing, considering so many don’t make it. The food has always been consistent. Love the pizzas and the service is always great. It’s small, but always bustling. I highly recommend if you are a local or you are visiting!

The food taste authentic and the atmosphere was what I expected for Italian pizzeria. The service though keeps it from 5 stars. Never got checked on, never filled our drinks and my wife didn't like her drink but no one came back to ask. We had a 2 person table but almost knocked out pizza off the stand because it was so small.

✨ A lovely experience since we arrived ✨ The food and service were excellent. Our waiter Ledi was incredibly friendly, attentive and made us feel very welcome throughout our visit. It shows when someone enjoys what he does, and he definitely transmits it. 👏🏻 The atmosphere of the restaurant is magical... when we entered, we felt that we were transported directly to a cozy little corner in Italy. Every detail, from the decoration to the aromas, enveloped us in an authentic and delicious experience. 🇮🇹🍷🍝 My husband and daughter and I we all loved it. Highly recommended! Let's support family and local restaurants, those that cook with the heart and create experiences that stay in the soul. Without a doubt, we will return. Thank you 😊 🙏🏻

Great pizzeria— amazing food, service is spotty and could use some work. We checked out Cristino’s after watching Dave Portnoy review it. We were impressed with the quality of the food, how fast it came out, and the taste of course was fantastic. Service could use some work. More specifically they should have a sever start taking our order as soon as we sit down rather than a host that barely speaks— but overall it was a great experience. We will be back!

This was my first time year, and I found the service and food to be exceptional. The atmosphere was pleasant and welcoming, with an old feel about the place, as though it has been there for many decades. The service was fast and accurate, and the pizza we ordered was crunchy and delicious. Our dessert of hazelnut gelato ended the meal perfectly. The price was also surprisingly low for such good quality. I'll be coming back!

I've always wanted to try a pizza place that was visited by Dave Portnoy. So while on vacation, the wife and I went and checked out Cristino's. It's a very nice place entering, nice pizzeria feel to it. Outdoor seating available. When we walked in the Hostess stated it was a 15 min wait. So we went and stood outside to wait. After 35 mins of waiting, I went in to check on the table. She stated I was 2nd in line. Eventually got our table. We sat down and ordered mozzarella stick app and a pepperoni pizza. Mozzarella sticks were decent. I'd lean towards them being frozen and not hand rolled. The pizza was very good. I can see why Dave gave it a 7.9. Some of the better pizza I had. Then we got free samples of Gelato which was amazing. Definitely order that if you come here. I would have given this place a 4 star but when your hostess tells me it's a 15 min wait and it's more 40 mins, I'm not impressed. She needs to do better than that. You will upset customers like that. We won't be back for a 2nd round.

Loved this small and cozy restaurant. The outside area is very well decorated with the lights, inside is not too big but just perfectly set up. Makes it feel more cozy and at home. We ordered the Margarita pizza and wow the crust is just amazing. Not greasy unlike other pizzas and just so great. Got the penne vodka and loved the sauce. Pasta was cooked at the right temperature too. Ended with pistachio ice cream which had to be the best flavor. Just the right amount of sweet and so creamy. Stephan our server was a delight. Lenny the owner was amazing too. Just so personable 10/10 experience. A must try

Went here last night for a date. Everyone was extremely courteous and while other folks had been waiting for a while, we were seated immediately at a table for 4 though we were two people. I ordered the pasta con vongole, it was very good! It had only about 12 vongole, but it was al dente and seasoned properly! We also ordered a pizza and that too was very good a wee bit sotto cotto, could have used a few more minutes but excellent none the less, it was just like a pizza you’d get in Italy! My boyfriend got eggplant and it was suffocated in cheese. Too much cheese,not a presentation you’d see in Italy, but he liked it. Our servers were very nice and I even got to speak Italian with one of the gentleman. The atmosphere was super loud and the table next to us were very animated, not the restaurants fault but I think if I were to go again I’d have lunch there or an early dinner. Nice to see a restaurant that has very reasonable prices. Quality food and quality ingredients. Alla prossima!

Old school Italian in Florida! I'm from Chicago, Italian food all the time! We stepped inside and immediately smelled the pizza from the oven and saw plates of pastas cruising by! Immediate was ready to eat! We ordered both pastas and pizzas! Favorites were the seafood pasta which had so much fresh seafood and a delicious lite tomato sauce. A shrimp fusilli pasta that was so shrimpy tasting that I ate the entire bowl and sopped up the sauce with the garlic bread! We also had the margherita de lusso adding pepperoni and sausage, literally delicious! The only side note would be to maybe as for well done as the center was a bit soggy. After your meal, there's a sample of gelatos that are brought over, you can also ask to taste other flavors they don't bring. We ended up ordering strawberry, Nutella, chocolate and almond, all very good and creamy! Pro tip: it's not big inside, so unless you are ok sitting outside, come early as it gets busy!

Ordered take out here and I have zero complaints about the whole ordeal. We ordered a large cheese pizza with ricotta and mushrooms added. The pie was delicious tasting, the service was speedy and the pricing was fair for today's economy. I've actually never dined in at this restaurant but it did look quite cute and I'd probably come back and dine here sometime.

Cristino's is the best Italian food in the clearwater/largo area. First and foremost, super energetic, friendly environment. Our waitress had our waters filled at all times and the staff was super kind. The Margherita pizza was perfection- might be the best pizza I've had in Florida! It was thin, fresh, the perfect amount of cheese and sauce and delivered on flavor. It had a zesty-sweetness that was fantastic. The carbonara penne was great, too! The sauce was creamy and the bacon was crisp and salty. To finish, the gelato was a perfect dessert. I had the Stracciatella (vanilla w/ dark chocolate), and it delivered on sweetness, YUM!

This was my first time dining at Cristino's Coal Oven Pizza and it was excellent!!! The exterior of the restaurant looks very inviting and beautiful!! We were sat immediately upon arrival which was very nice!! They have both inside and outdoor covered dining options. Our server, Stephen, was excellent as well!!! He had great menu suggestions and was very polite with over the top service!!! The interior of the restaurant is decorated nicely as well which adds to the nice experience!! All the food was excellent from the appetizers, to the entrees and the desserts!!! Looking forward to our next visit to try more dishes on your extensive menu!!! Desserts made in-house were amazing!!!

We did a pick up option and got the margarita pizza with ricotta. The ricotta is pipped in a spiral which is the best way to ensure an even amount on every piece. The ricotta is also herbed and not plain. To the pizza, great crust and sauce, more basil! It was cheesy and toppings weren't sliding off. Will return

Went on a Saturday night. It was crowded but everyone was in a good mood. We were seated outside they had fans going and it was comfortable. The food was really good. My husband loved his calzone (they call it something else) it was fried and delicious. We had a pizza that was wonderful and my eggplant parmigiana was good. The severs were all friendly and helpful and the gelato was amazing. Prices were very fair we enjoyed our evening and plan to return.

Christino's is like an old standby for its consistently good Italian food and pizza, reasonable prices and friendly service. It's a place you can always count on for a good meal! There is both outside dining and a quaint dining area inside as well. They have a variety of really delicious gelato to end your meal as well. This is old school NY style at its best.

This place is super popular with locals. I went on Sunday night around 6pm and there were probably 50 people waiting outside the restaurant for seating. Inside is tiny and super tight where you can barely walk around because they use every inch of space for seating. We sat outside on a patio. It was freezing. They have heaters out there, but all, but 1 weren't turned on. We ordered a large margarita pizza with sausage, pepperoni, and sun dried tomatoes. Total cost was $23.46. This was plenty of pizza for 2 people. I liked the crust and the pizza was pretty good. Would like to come back and try the pasta next time.

The food here is so good. The soup, salad, pasta, pizza and gelato are fantastic. You can taste the fresh and quality ingredients in all of the dishes. My only complaint is the tight seating

Old school Italian! Small place with great food and amazing prices. Definitely worth the visit. We tried many things.... And coffee and dessert- bill came to $100.

Wow, we were staying in Clearwater Beach and wanted to try something different. My son picked this out based on the Yelp reviews and we certainly were not disappointed. We all split small Margarita Pizzas, then split our entrees. My husband and I had the Shrimp Fusilli. My son and his girlfriend had the Chicken Piccata. And my daughter and her friend split the Penne Vodka. Everyone throughly enjoyed their meal. Then we finished it off with Gelato. My son definitely picked a winner for us.

Quaint restaurant with lots of charm and amazing pizza! And if you don't like pizza, they have great salads and pasta dishes. You won't be disappointed! I've lived here in Clearwater for almost 4 years and it's by far my favorite for pizza! They have many types of beers and a great wine selection as well.

This is the closest you'll get to New York in pinellas county! The ambiance outside is adorable and inside it really feels like you're in New York with the hustle and bustle of everything. It can feel a bit stressful with everyone running around but they definitely keep things moving! On this visit we only got gelato so it was pretty quick and we took it to go. The gelato is so creamy, light, and delicious! I definitely would like to come back for their regular food because it smelled so good in there!

Bummed that this picture was the pizza we received especially hearing that they were rated Top 20 in the US. No basil, no tomatoes like shown in another review and was cut sloppily. Pizza seemed like it was sitting a while too. I will say that the service was top notch. From ordering to picking up it was the quickest order and pick up I've ever experienced.

I'm not a coal fired pizza fan but the other Italian dishes here are very good. Seating inside is limited so we usually site outside. Service is prompt and pleasant and I've yet to be disappointed eating here. Save room for gelato! You'll be glad you did.

Best Italian food (pizza is ) in the area. Always busy because it's so damn good! Service is great and food is superb!

I ordered a small pizza, half sausage & half pepperoni. It came out HOT & if you love ground pieces of sausage & cupped pepperoni, you'll have to give this place a try! It was very tasty with fresh cut basil. The crust was so soft & had a crisp. I ordered the fettuccine Alfredo shrimp from their fish / seafood section which comes with fresh peas. The creamy buttery sauce was perfection. I added a lot of grated parm which made the sauce thicker & creamier which sticks onto the noodles for that savory bite. At the end of the meal, I got to sample two different flavors of gelato & I will definitely try to save room for that next time. The staff is very attentive & always available. The restaurant is very small, however, very cozy. They have an outdoor screen patio with a roof.

Love their pizzas & their gelato flavors are always amazing! I'm never disappointed whether we pick up or eat in at the restaurant.

This was our first visit to Cristinos; we went for lunch this past week on a recommendation from a part-time local. He recommended the pizza and wings, so we got one of each of those, but were also intrigued by the pasta quality, so ordered a pasta dish to share too. I loved each of them. The wings were unique. Topped with onions (which I avoided but my husband loved):so golden and nicely crisped. The pizza is my favorite kind: than thin, bubbly, delicious crust. Toppings were great, especially the sausage. The pasta: we tried the shrimp fettuccine Alfredo. Sauce was excellent. Shrimp was okay. Pasta was perfectly done. Our server brought us samples of their house-made gelato, which we liked and were intrigued to buy some cups of, but we waited at the gelato counter for quite a while during which time the young staff talked amongst themselves. Before that, they did offer us different samples, though. We will get some next time. The busboy who had only started maybe a couple weeks ago was so polite and helpful. He did a great job clearing away dishes and cups, which for some reason isn't too common these days. Overall, excellent experience! We will be back!

One of my husband and my favorite Italian spots in Clearwater! The staff are friendly, the ambiance is great both inside and outside (nice outdoor area with heated lamps during winter). I love how festive they get during Christmas with so many fun decorations, you really feel in the spirit. The pizzas are really great and yummy + dessert too! Definitely recommend and will be back!

this is a very noisy and crowded restaurant. However, the pizza is wonderful. They do have gluten-free, which is a bonus. The best thing here though is the gelato. It is smooth and creamy. I also recommend the lentil soup and the salads especially the Christinos salad. The service is good, but expect a wait unless you get there early.

Let me start off by saying Jose our waiter was amazing! He constantly checked up on us and made sure we had everything we needed. I would come back just to have Jose as our waiter! We got the Margarita pizza and it was delicious. The crust was perfect. We sat outside and it was beautiful. They have fans and beautiful lights covering the patio. I will for sure be back!

An honest, delicious pizza place. Traditional coal oven, delicious dough, good balanced sauce and fresh ingredients. We had the margarita with pepperoni on a half of it. Delicious! The menu offers a good variety of traditional Italian items like pasta fagioli soup. Tastes homemade and hearty! Gelato is very good. I always go for the hazelnut to compare with other spots and it was creamy and delicious. Ambiance is nice, but service could be better. I would come back and I recommend!

This was a nice find! Food was better than expected! Service was on point and remained that way throughout the entire meal. It is a cute little restaurant, nothing fancy but definitely a comfortable vibe. They seated our party of 10 without hesitation... Pizza and Pasta was delicious. I highly recommend this cute spot!

In town with some close friends enjoying the sites and amazing company. The restaurant was quaint. The servers were very nice and explained the menu and all of the ingredients. We ordered a pizza, eggplant, lasagna and shrimp alfredo. The food was all fresh, tasty and came out rather quickly. We had a great time and would recommend this site.

Worthy of its top 100 Yelp status. The Margherita pizza featured a crispy crust, sweet sauce, and steaming cheese. You will be savoring every bite. The gelato was light yet creamy. The decor features tile and art that gives it a bit of old world charm. Service was friendly and prompt. Seating is a bit tight inside but a tented outdoor space next to a lovely green wall offers additional seating. They have a small lot for parking but if that fills up, we were able to park at medical facility at the end of the street.

This is a hidden gem. While there are a lot of high end Italian places popping up this place continues to deliver high quality dishes at a fraction of the price. Ambiance feels very much like a little Italian bistro you would find in Italy. Service is always excellent. The pizza is always on point. A few of the appetizers like the bruschetta is lacking seasoning you would find in Italy.

This place is amazing! Authentic Italian. The pizza is unbelievable. We also tried the chicken piccata and had gelato for dessert. I tried the hazelnut, which was the best gelato I have ever had in my life hands-down. Lots of cute things to look at as far as the decor. Super friendly and fast service. We will definitely be back!

This is the best pizza I've ever had. I'm from Indiana, and I tell everyone I know to have this if I know they're going to Clearwater. The gelato is unreal too. The service was ways great when I went. Incredible environment too. I would probably love to Clearwater just for Cristino's.

**5 Stars - Amazing Service & Delicious Food!** The food at **Christino's Pizza** is always amazing, but this last visit was made even better by the **exceptional service**. I didn't get the name of the gentleman at the register, but he had **gray hair, a beautiful smile**, and the warmest energy. He was so **gentle, kind, and genuinely welcoming** -- it truly made my day! I'm completely in love with the experience. The pizza was perfect as usual, but the service went **above and beyond**. Thank you, Christino's, for always making it feel like home!

Great Italian food and pizza. One of my favorite places to eat. The patio has shade so it is comfortable in hot weather.

Tried this place for the first time based on a friend's recommendation. The pizza was delicious. We got a Margherita with sauage added and 2 house salads. The pizza reminded me of New York Style with Italian flavor. It was that good! Inside was small like a New York cafe, but they also have an outdoor dining patio too. Loved that they gave you Gelato samples after the meal. Great marketing because I ended up getting gelato. Half hazelnut and half Nutella. Pistachio gelato was sold out so that just means we will be coming back for that and more pizza! Oh and our waitress Gabriella was a goddess. Thank you for your top notch service!

I'm going to say they were very busy, and it was a not so good night. I was very intrigued by the restaurant because they had so many good reviews. I called in my order which was their margarita pizza with their coal fired chicken wings topped with onions, and I asked for the chicken to be well done. I came to get my order and they were packed. I can see the locals definitely support this space and that was nice to see. The restaurant is very cozy and they have a nice patio area as well. I was greeted by a very friendly staff and they gave me my order. My first pizza was burnt. I contemplated not taking it back but, it was inedible. The staff was nice and replaced it for me. I think they made a mistake and thought I wanted my pizza done as well as my wings. My next pizza was not toasted but, a far cry from a margherita pizza. I even had to go back and ask them to pu the basil on it. My wings.. were not well done and my onions were not cooked all the way. I was not able to eat the wings. I would say give this place a try but make sure to eat inside. I believe you'll have a more pleasant dining experience.

We decided to stop in tonight for a spontaneous date night, this has been on our list of places to try. Pros: - Food was good! We had the Bianca pizza and added sundried tomatoes, would get again. The anitpasto was excellent, the dressing on it wasn't overpowering. The salmon was ok, as I say, not the best I've had, not the worst. - Cute ambience. - Staff is mega friendly and attentive. - The outside is super charming. - Because we went in the evening, parking was easy. Cons: - The dining room needs a deep clean. We were sat next to the glass cooler and it was in need of cleaning, all the Knick knacks had a thick layer of dust. - It was entirely too hot; it was as if there was no AC and the front door was opened. In 92 degree weather and a packed restaurant, it was sweltering. If we go back, it will be once the weather cools.

Incredible little gem that takes you to a secret garden somewhere in Italy. Beyond pleased with our service, but be aware there is NO APPLE PAY so pls make sure you have your physical card with you! The management is amazing & so are the workers. Highly recommended this place . 15/10 DONT LEAVE THE AREA WITHOUT EATING HERE.

Came across this restaurant while visiting a family member at Morton Plant. This is little restaurant is very cozy inside and there is also outside seating. I ordered the Barese Special (Salmon dish) and hubby ordered the Sausage Panini. Both dishes was delicious and flavorful. Mozzarella sticks was thick and accompanied by a nice marinara. Our waiter was attentive and very friendly. Glad we came in for lunch, worth the trip back to try some other dishes.

I really hate yelp disappointments and Cristino's was just that. On Election Day, our go to pizza joints were both closed so wanting to go out we needed to pivot. Based on positive reviews we went with cristinos. Pizza was very average and the digs were pretty shabby. This place gets busy but I'm scratching my head. A nice touch was the little tastes of gelato. But even those tasted like grocery store ice cream.

This was a good find by Yelp! Tasty thin crust pizza and the steak salad we got was served with perfectly cooked steak that was neither chewy nor fatty. $40 for both seemed about right.

Delicious food. You will not leave hungry. Amazing service. Yesser and Steven were on top of their game. True Gems in the service industry. 100/10 recommend

All we heard was how great this place is and after visiting, I agree that it was good, but not great. The service was fast for a small place, but the pizza was just ok for brick oven style pizza to me. I would expect a bit more crunch or a little darker crust than we received. We had the Bianca style pizza and a pepperoni. The pepperoni was much better and I loved the thickness of the pepperonis used. Get here early or you'll be searching for parking and sitting in the tent area.

Ate here twice while on a trip because my family couldn't stop thinking about it. Very reasonable prices and as my teen son said probably the best pizza he's ever tried. Flavor was perfection.

My husband and I had lunch at Christino's Coal Oven Pizza located at 1101 S. Ft Harrison Ave., Clearwater 33756. If I could give more stars in this review I would because the food is incredibly delicious! We ordered the Margarita pizza and every bite had so much flavor. From the buttery mozzarella cheese to the high quality tomato sauce and very fresh basil, so good. The owners have mastered the coal fire crust and it is not burnt like you get from wood fire pizza places. The Italian gelato is creamy, light and absolutely delicious. The ambience is warm and cultural. We LOVE this place and whenever we are in the area this is are go to restaurant for the best pizza and gelato in town. :)

Quick service, tiny dining space so you are squeezed in when they are busy but it was worth!! Everything we ordered was delicious! We started with Caesar salad and Caprese Salad. Then ordered large pies Margherita Pizza and another with sausage. You cannot leave the place w/o desserts. Cannoli, tiramisu and gelato were all to die for!! This place is closest to my favorite neighborhood pizza joint in NY where I grew up! My kids loved the food too so this place will be in our repertoire!

Cristino's is a true gem in Clearwater Florida. Easy to see it's a local favorite from the wait for a table and limited parking spaces available (parking is available after 5 at the medical office next door). The staff waisted no time serving extraordinary food and making sure we had everything we needed. Lasagna was very good but the star of the menu was the exceptional spaghetti carbonara and the gelato. After the main course a tease of a taste of homemade gelato makes dessert a must have. This restaurant will definitely be a destination when in Clearwater Florida.

Went there once, but plan on another trip (it's an hour drive for me). Owners from my family's hometown in Italy, so of course they can cook. I enjoyed my meal and will definitely go back for more.

Food was amazing! Ordered pizza and meatballs. I will say the meat balls needed more size and flavor! But the pizza taste and quality made up for it. Crust was crunchy and sauce with flavor. Service was excellent even though it was busy! Inside can be a bit tight but they also have outdoor seating. Parking can be a bit of a challenge.

Pizza was fantastic. Although very busy, service couldn't have been better. Get thete early and seating isn't an issue

Mostly Good It was a busy Wednesday and even the "outside" area was practically full. The outside area is tented with several gas heaters, so it was pretty comfortable on this very chilly evening. The atmosphere was festive and comfortable. My server was pleasant and helpful. I started with the garlic shrimp appetizer. It was the only disappointment of the meal. The shrimp were overcooked and tough and the garlic sauce was pretty tame. The accompanying toast pieces were served in the sauce which turned them soggy immediately. Next I had a very nice Caesar salad. Even though I told the waiter that I wanted the three items I ordered to be coursed out in turn, my entrée arrived in the middle of my salad. The Quattro Formaggi Pizza was delicious. The server suggested that I get it with crumbled sausage and that was a good choice. I was also a bit disappointed with the wine selection. Most wines by the glass were mediocre and poor value. The food items, however, were quite reasonably priced and good value.

My wife and I stopped in for a late valentine lunch. We order garden salads, small pepperoni pizza, and Gelato for desert. Service and the food were all wonderful, we will be back...