Il Leone

A 15 minute ferry ride from Portland brought us to Il Leone on Peaks Island. I had read about their lobster pizza and we decided to try. The wait was one hour, while waiting for our pizza we heard people moaning about how good the pizza was. That reminded me of my first ride on Space Mountain where the longer the more scared I got, here the longer I waited the hungrier I got. Unfortunately, the pizza did not live up to my expectations. It was very soggy and the toppings slid off the dough even. I could not eat it as a pizza. The crust was nice, and the amount of lobster was generous. But it just did not work together. The price of the pizza was not listed for lobster pizza, as it was market price. It is $44 in July 2025. Two pizzas, two gelatos and one coke plus tip was $137.

An incredible establishment and an amazing addition to the island! Not only is the pizza 5-stars but the team who works with Il Leone are thoughtful, talented and generous. Can’t recommend enough. If you’re on the island it’s a must-visit.

Can’t wait for Il Leone to reopen for the season! Dreaming of the pizza we had last year. Awesome summer spot. Pricey pizza but honestly, it’s acceptable given the location on Peaks Island. Hope you can give it a try next time you’re in the Portland area!

Let me start by saying that everyone else I was with, and they all ordered different pizzas from mine, really enjoyed their meals, which is why I’m not giving one star. I ordered something different, and my experience was not great. I ordered the pizza rossa, if i’m remembering the name correctly, with the $5 anchovies add-on. I could count on one hand the basil leaves that were on my pizza (four, to be exact). Same goes for the anchovies, which sucked more since i paid extra for them. There were literally two anchovies on my pizza, sliced in half to make four anchovy slices. I was honestly not impressed, and I can’t say I’m eager to go back. Wait time for the food was a bit long, but that wasn’t too surprising or bothersome since it’s a very small establishment with only a few employees.

The authentic wood fired Neapolitan pizza was exceptional, in a very nice casual place! It was the best Neapolitan pizza I’ve ever had in the U.S.

I recently had a wonderful lunch and dinner at Il Leone. The pizzas - and antipasti, salad and gelato - are all out of this world. And dining there at the picnic tables under the trees is somehow a magical experience. There’s a real vacation spirit of people relaxing with friends or family and enjoying a great meal. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

I recently saw a worldwide review of best pizza places that included some from the U.S. Il Leone should be at the top of the list. I also saw that the NY Times says Il Leone creates “woodfired pizza magic” in their “36 Hours in Portland Maine” article. We drove up from NYC to Portland and found Il Leone’s natural setting on Peaks island was a true highlight. Frankly, I wish Il Leone would bring its true Neapolitan magic pizza to New York.

Amazing!! Like being back in Napoli. Yes, it’s that good. Never thought I would find good pizza napoletana in New England, let alone GREAT pizza napoletana. Pictured is the Diavola, burratina, e Bufalina. Bufalina is my favorite. You can BYOB. Setting is gorgeous. No bathrooms just an FYI. Pro Tip: order online upon ferry arrival. Pricey but WORTH IT for legit pizza without flying back home to Italy. Will be returning.

Pizza was really good! Cute area on Peaks Island!! Gluten free options but they can not promise anything regarding cross contamination with the gluten free crust since it's all cooked on the same surface and prepared in same area. It was a decent experience but noticed a worker not being very nice to a customer; rolled her eyes a couple of times and she was not very welcoming, so that was disappointing I do not usually post about service on my reviews because we all have bad days and we're not perfect buuut the workers energy was kind of off putting But overall the atmosphere and food was good.

Perfect after a day spent lounging on the beach, Il Leone is most definitely one of the best when it comes to wood-fired pizza in Portland. Located just 15 minutes off the coast on Peaks, they have a small but mighty menu filled with pizza that would most likely rival those from Rome. The service was relatively quick--while you're waiting, you can always stroll around the East end of the island. Enjoy your pizza(s) on nearby picnic tables just feet from the oven. I thorougly enjoted the Burratina (burrata-based) and Funghi (mushroom) pizzas. What a treat!

Awesome outdoor, fresh fired pizza place! We tried a white pizza, the burratina and the daviolo and all were awesome. Super busy but we got our pizza relatively fast. Dough was amazing, sauce was great, ingredients were fresh. Not the best white pizza we've had but still great. Worth checking out if you're on peaks island!

We had heard about Il Leone a couple times, then it appeared in an NYT article about how to spend 36 hours in Portland, so we figured we'd visit before it got mobbed. This is a completely outdoor experience. The kitchen and oven are place in the park. Seating is on picnic tables nestled under the trees. We ordered a couple pizzas to share between 3 of us plus a salad. While it took a while to get the pizzas, they were completely worth it. The arugula salad was simple, well dressed, and perfectly fresh. The staff was super helpful and smiley. You have to take the ferry over from Portland to Peaks Island (or convince a friend with a boat to get you over there), so pay attention to the ferry schedule, but it's a quick walk over from the ferry landing. We shared our picnic table with a nice couple from Houston and were able to chat about all the good things in Portland, plus gush about Yelp Elite. Made for a fun adventure!

We ordered their vegan pizza. It was delicious and worth the long wait, an hour thirty. We caught them in busy lunch hour. We walked around the island and came back for our pizza. This was my first time and wish I ordered 2-3 pizza, so order big LOL. The ambiance was just simply beautiful outdoor atmosphere, Peak Island. Zack's playlist, the cook, on Spotify music was very enjoyable, called 2 ton a tunes. Their pizza dough was perfectly cooked in wood fire oven. Love it. Thank you

Il Leone truly transports you to another place! If you close your eyes you might as well be sitting on the side of a fountain in Italy. Some of the best pizza I've had in the states. We came on Labor Day, and only had three options for pizzas because they had their busiest day the Sunday before and were sold out of most things. We were hoping to try the pizzas with lobster and burrata, but ended up with the margherita, bianco, and seasonal zucche. It was busy, so took around 40 minutes to come out, but it felt like no time because of the lovely shade and ambience. My companions each had their favorites, but a standout for me was the zucche, which has zucchini, ricotta, and a spritz of lemon. I was blown away! Everything tasted so fresh and high quality and the crust was amazing. My husband noted that the olive oil seemed particularly unique and yummy. For those taking the ferry, it's a short walk from the dock. Well worth a trip from the mainland!

Truly amazing. We popped over after finding this spot, tucked away under a bay of trees, a little before opening time and there was already a line. Luckily for us we snagged a picnic bench and awaited our fire oven roasted pizza, a summer special of zucchini, garlic, squash blossoms and fresh mozzarella. The fresh olive oil and spray of lemon made this pizza truly to die for, perfect to whet the appetite... 12" or so was good for 2 of us (as a mid day snack", I'd say 2 pies if you're a party of two and hungry!

Nothing fancy, but great, simple pizza. You sit at picnic tables to eat in the beautiful, cool Maine weather! This is located on Peaks Island and well worth the visit

Really yummy, definitely a gem on peaks. We've had trouble finding good food on Peaks in the past but Il Leone solved our problems. The food is made right in front of you, and cooked in a wood fired oven. The asparagus pizza was amazing, it was super light and fresh, and the dough was softy and pillowy. Everything came out quickly and was served with a smile! Definitely check this place out if you're on peaks!

Must try on Peaks. I've tried all of their pizzas and you really can't go wrong. I really feel the dough gets better and better each season.

We came here on a Wednesday for a late lunch to beat a crowd. The ingredients used were outstandingly fresh and I truly enjoyed every bite. Fair warning- because everything is fresh and made to order, they can run out of menu items quite early.

Great wood fired pizza!!! Amazing taste and flavor. Two pies and a salad was far too much food for two people but we ate every bite. The sauce, olive oil, dough, basil ingredients were so flavorful. Cool music. Cool vibe. Friendly folks. Only downside is no restroom and animals peeing on the trees and picnic tables causing a stale urine smell while you're trying to eat. Worth the quick ferry ride to have a pie and walk the island before catching the next ferry. Cool spot!

Delicious pizza in a beautiful setting! Worth the short (and beautiful) ferry ride from Portland. Just be aware, there is no bathroom

Love love love! Healthiest pizza- if that's a thing... Organic and local- but the best part is the ambiance- think rustic... Think yummy - And supporting small business!

I love the idea of wood-fired pizza on Peaks so have tried really hard to like this place. The setting is lovely but but the pizza and service are spotty. The first time I went they lost my order and the last time the pie was undercooked and soggy. I'd give it another star if it were less expensive, but a tiny pizza, arugula salad and tip will set you back over 40 bucks. If you want to eat wood-fired on Peaks, Flatbread is right next to the ferry. As for me, I'm sticking with Hannigan's.

How could we pass up the chance to eat lobster pizza while in Maine?! It was pretty much required. The pizza was really tasty, the lobster tasted super fresh and paired really well with the sauce. Why not 5 stars? It took a looooong time to get our pizza... I understand they're a small operation, so it wasn't a big deal, but waiting about an hour for a pizza is a little excessive. Despite that, I'd still go back, it was really unique and tasty.

WOW!!! That would be my review if I could only use one word to describe Il Leone. For several years since this place opened, I have driven or walked past it, wondering what it is like. It says authentic pizza from a food cart on the grounds of the Lions Club - not exactly a rousing enthusiastic attraction in my opinion. BUT I SURE WAS WRONG!!! On our last night of our yearly visit with friends, we wanted dinner prepared for us and the Il Leone was the place we decided upon. We got the special pizza, the lobster pizza and the burratina pizza. All were excellent!!! The lobster pizza, which I had a mental block over, was really to die for - so good, so unique, so shocking. There is no tomato sauce; it is instead replaced with a mild lemon paste of some kind. It was heaven and I am craving it now. I cannot find the words to do it justice but, please, if there is a God above, I pray that they will continue to have the lobster pizza on their menu! Do not pass it by! The other pizzas too were of the highest quality. This place follows the old Italian rule - use only a few ingredients but make sure they are the very BEST ingredients that you can use. The menu is not large but the items listed will satisfy you for sure! The straciatelli gelato was a big hit with me too! And the people who work there are among the nicest, well spoken staff I have ever come across. I was talking to one of them when I returned to pick up our pizzas and had a lovely conversation with the woman who boxed my pizzas up. She talked about the wedding at the Lions Club with such charm. Love is in the air, she said to me. I am not sure about the couple who got married that day but, for me, I am certainly in love with their pizza!!!! Il Leone is a wonderful and unexpected addition to the dining scene on Peaks Island!

As a New Yorker, I'm always suspicious of pizza outside the city but the wood-fired pies in the woods of Peaks Island (made by a transplant from NYC!) are simply incredible. We tried the L'estate special with local tomatoes and garlic and it was one of the best Napolitan-style pizzas I've had in my life. Don't miss the ferry to Peaks and don't miss this incredible experience. Everything is outdoors so totally COVID-safe.

Forget the seafood on this island, you can get it anywhere on the wharf. GET TO THIS PIZZA PLACE! Arrived on the island on a Sunday around lunch. Was surprised upon arriving to this restaurant that its not a brick and mortar. Its simply a couple of tents and pizza oven set up in a picnic area. The tents cover the staff making pizzas and ringing up customers. The picnic tables are covered by trees. Orderd the Diavola with no chili flake and told it was a 45 min - 1 hr wait. Waited at the establishment next door and had cocktails. Went back and shared a picnic table with another patron as the seating is limited. We were blown away by the pizza. The crust is thin with equal amounts chewy and crispy. The red sauce is thin and has great spices. Salami was a bit sweet and delicious. It was not loaded with the typical shredded motz... the use the best motz which I wouldn't doubt they make themselves and thoughtfully place chucks on the pizza. Hub and I both got two slices a peice to finish it off. Wished we ordered two pizzas.

Stopped by with the dog for lunch. Great food, nice people. The pizza is delicious--even the gluten free version. (Best gf pizza I have ever had.) Highly recommend next time you are on Peaks.

This is by far the best pizza I've ever had in the Northeast. A one way flight to Italia!

Exceptionally fine pizza, from a wood-fired food truck if you can believe it. The dough had a fluffy risen edge crust, slightly charred by the very hot wood fire and almost flatbread inside bottom. The toppings, while limited, were superb. We shared the uncured Italian salami, San Marzano Tomato, basil, and melted Fior Di Latte mozzarella, brought it down to the picnic tables near the ocean, opened a bottle of wine, watched the sunset. Nota Bene: It's BYOB!! What a find, well worth a trip over from Portland.

This spot on peaks island is phenomenal! Highly recommend, great pizza and atmosphere

As a peaks island resident I can say with great confidence that this food is one of the great prides of the island. Great atmosphere, music, and cheerful people.