David Harris
Google
South Florida has so many New York style pizza joints, but the true gem is found in North Palm Beach:
Leonardi’s Pizza
Their dedication to finding the perfect recipes for their pies comes alive in the first bite, and delivers all the way to the last bite. I spoke with the owners Chris and Amanda, and they tried every flour and every cheese and found the best quality ingredients you could ask for. They didn’t settle on mediocrity like most NY pizza places down here in Palm Beach County.
There are 3 higher quality pizza competitors nearby. Even though I knew immediately Leonardi’s was superior, I decided I needed to do a side by side comparison. I won’t use names to protect their reputation. I picked up a slice of pizza from competitor A without having it heated up. I took it to Leonardi’s and had them heat it up with one of their own plain slices.
I didn’t realize how upsetting competitor A’s pizza made me feel until side by side. See the photos below: A’s pizza looks like it is sick and unhappy, the cheese isn’t cooked correctly because they used too much cheese and sauce. Their sauce tasted good and was seasoned well, but very watery. Because of this, the flour used and because they cook their pizza on a screen instead of directly on the stone, the crust was undercooked and soggy.
Leonardi’s slice has the perfect balance of sauce and cheese, and the thin crust crunches with every bite. This is a rare quality, you have to try it to see how well they perfected their crust. The sauce is not watery, and it is seasoned better. It has a more authentic Brooklyn flavor. Leonardi’s charges $3.25 for their plain slices, while Competitor A charges $4.00. Seriously people, don’t punish yourselves. Spoil yourself with the best pizza in town and save the 75 cents.
My last point: Chris and Amanda are GOOD people. Their energy and hospitality shines, they make you feel welcome and their store & kitchen are spotlessly clean. If you want attitude and a belly ache, try Competitor A. You’ll be back to Leonardi’s.