Santoro's Pizzeria

Without knowing anything about the background of this joint, my initial reaction to my first bite was “this tastes exactly like Jersey Shore boardwalk pizza.” And that’s exactly what this is. Unlike any other Florida pizza, it has that distinct flavor you only find in Jersey Shore pies. The owner is actually from Tom’s River, NJ and swears he uses Florida water in his dough and doesn’t fly it in from Jersey. While I remain skeptical, he says the secret is in quality ingredients and the expertise of the pizza maker. Whatever his secret is, this is spot-on Jersey Shore boardwalk dough: thin, light, firm with no flop leading to a very tasty and crunchy crust. The sauce supports the dough magnificently: incredible zip, zing, punch & kick, a fantastic balance of sweet & tangy, which makes me wonder if these are Jersey tomatoes or San Marzano. The cheese is also quality and compliments the sauce & dough beautifully, capping off that authentic boardwalk flavor. Aside from some fairly heavy grease, this is the best pizza in Tampa, several notches above Eddie & Sam’s. This is probably a 7.5 in Jersey but gets a solid bump to 7.8 among Florida pies. If you’re in the Tampa area, this is well worth a try, especially if you’re from Jersey and looking for a little slice of home.