The only thing people like doing more than eating pizza? Debating about pizza. Which regional variety is the best? An O.G. Neapolitan? A classic New York slice? Pizza from Chicago? Detroit? Pittsburgh? New Haven? California? Do you like it thin and crispy, or thick and layered? Laden with outrageous toppings, or kept simple and traditional? How do you feel about pineapple?

In Sarasota, you’ll find a huge variety of pizzas in places that range from stylish fine-dining restaurants to hole-in-the-wall, strip-mall joints that specialize in takeout and delivery. To help you whittle down your endless list of options, we’ve compiled our first guide to the area’s best pizzas. To do it, we crisscrossed Sarasota and Manatee counties, measuring the dimensions of crusts, quizzing pizza makers about the heat of their ovens and eating our weight in mozzarella. It wasn’t an easy task, and plenty of more-than-decent pizzas fell by the wayside as we put together our final rankings.

Behold: Sarasota’s best pizzas.

Capo Pazzo Pizzeria + Kitchen

2053 Reynolds St., Sarasota, (941) 487-8677, capopazzo.com

New York transplants from around the county flock to this itty-bitty pizzeria just south of Gulf Gate for charred thin crust pizza and classic toppings. Try the spicy burrata pie, topped with shaved prosciutto and tomatoes, and believe the menu description—this pizza is spicy. Arancini (deep-fried rice balls), are tamer, but still impressive in size and flavored with a house-made bolognese that would make your nonna cry.

Solarzano's Pizza

3604 Webber St., Sarasota, (941) 927-4992, solarzanospizza.com

Sometimes you just need a good ol' neighborhood-style pizza pie that boasts nothing other than solid execution on a crowd-sized crust. That's where Solarzano's Pizza has you covered. Not to be confused with other pizzerias of a similar name, at Solorzano’s on Webber Street, you can grab a 20-inch "super-size" pie with a myriad of topping combinations. We like the “centrello” pizza (a white pie with onions, spinach, tomatoes and basil), but we would never tell you how to order your favorite.

Osteria 500

1580 Lakefront Drive, Sarasota, (941) 866-8692, osteria500.com

You could eat at Osteria 500 dozens of times and never make your way through the whole menu. Sure, we love its fresh pastas, traditional appetizers and grilled meat entrées, but the pizza beckons us back, again and again. The pizzas here are Neapolitan-style pies, so expect individual-sized portions and a puffy, blistered crust. Osteria 500 co-owner Giuseppe Del Sole was previously a co-owner of south Sarasota’s Napulè, which is just as famous for its pizza—no surprise that the pies here are excellent, too.

Trattoria Bella Napoli

1551 Main St., Sarasota, (941) 330-9200, trattoriabellanapoli.com

Other styles of pizza (like Detroit and New York) lend themselves to takeout boxes far better than these wood-fired discs inspired by Naples, Italy. That's one reason why Trattoria Bella Napoli has captured our loyalty—its Neapolitan-style pizza somehow maintains its crisp crust even if you grab it to go. We don't know what the secret is, but we do know we can trust a pick-up order anytime.

The Fountain

543 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, (941) 203-8523, thefountainkitchenandwinebar.com

Are we crazy, or is The Fountain one of downtown Sarasota's best-kept secrets? Located in historic Burns Court, The Fountain keeps it cozy inside with just six small tables and a teeny-tiny bar. Outside, seating spills onto the patio and surrounds the fountain from which the restaurant takes its name. As for the pizza, you can pick from nearly 20 different topping combinations or build your own. We like the "Bee Sting" with mozzarella, pepperoni, chili peppers and honey—it's perfectly spicy and sweet.

Bavaro’s

27 Fletcher Ave., Sarasota, (941) 552-9131, bavarospizza.com

The takeout box at Bavaro’s doubles as an educational seminar, with a description of how the pizza is prepared (baked for 90 seconds at 900 degrees Fahrenheit) and how it's supposed to be eaten (with a fork and knife). Whether you follow that rule or not, you’ll love the pizza. The center is soft and floppy, with a raised ring around the edge that’s lightly blackened and wonderfully yeasty. Try the burrata pizza, coated with creamy burrata cheese and decorated with slices of cherry tomatoes, a bit of arugula, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and slices of prosciutto, then drizzled with olive oil.

Local Pizza

66 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey, (941) 909-0743, thelocal.pizza

Pulling up to Local Pizza, you’d never think that it used to be a gas station. A handful of picnic tables are set out front, next to a stretch of fake grass and a cornhole set. A white paint job has given the facade a clean new look, and big windows offer a glimpse at a wide bar inside. One ingenious touch: The takeout window on the left, where locals stopping by after work can grab a preordered pizza without even leaving the parking lot. Of course, it helps that the pizza is terrific. “Meat Me at the Corner” might sound like your typical meat lover’s choice, but it’s elevated by plenty of roasted garlic, as well as a bacon jam that spreads sweetness all over the pie.

Caragiulos

69 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota, (941) 951-0866, caragiulos.com

Pears on a pizza? Downtown mainstay Caragiulos makes it work by pairing  the fruit with salty, creamy Gorgonzola cheese and gilding the lily with caramelized onions and a balsamic vinegar and honey drizzle. Stay tuned for this longtime favorite's new location on Ringling Boulevard, opening later this year.

Flavio’s

5239 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key, Sarasota, (941) 349-0995, flaviosbrickovenandbar.com

A Siesta Key standout, Flavio’s is known for its romantic environs, quality pastas, Italian entrées and, of course, its pizza, cooked in a brick oven that gets hotter than a summer afternoon on the beach. The ingredients here skew mostly traditional Italian, though you'll find a Hawaiian pizza, too. These pies taste especially great when your skin is crusty with salt and glowing after a day at the beach.

RomanSQ

6670 Superior Ave., Sarasota, (941) 237-8742, romansq.com

Crafting the perfect Roman-style crust takes a full 96 hours at this Gulf Gate shop, where the pies are rectangular and served in either “half trays” that feed four or “full trays” that serve eight. The crust has a crisp, crackly bottom, but above that, it’s airy and delicate, and the toppings are elevated and unique. A pesto pizza features thinly shaved potatoes, while the “fra diavolo” highlights guanciale (cured pork jowl).

Lucile

1660 Main St., Sarasota, (941) 330-0101, lucilesrq.com

Pizza without cheese might seem like heresy, but Lucile is winning converts with an impressive list of vegan pies served in an intimate wine bar space. The restaurant’s “Macho” pie is a meat lover’s pizza for people who don’t love meat, with mushroom and coconut “bacon” and plant-based “pepperoni” and “sausage.” The “Spicy Peppers” pizza, meanwhile, substitutes cashew cream and cashew cheese for traditional mozzarella, and delivers a jolt with multiple types of hot and sweet peppers.

Made in Italy

117 W. Venice Ave., Venice, (941) 488-8282, madeinitaly-venice.com

Situated in Venice’s historic downtown, Made in Italy is a date-night pizza destination where you can order a couple pies to split and sip a cocktail from the well-stocked bar. Pull together your own selection of toppings here, or just lean back and put yourself in the hands of the capable pizza makers. Even non-vegetarians will dig the “Genovese” pizza, a meat-free pie punched up with earthy hunks of roasted eggplant, outrageously sweet charred red peppers and shavings of ricotta salata, a harder, saltier, aged version of typical ricotta.

Mellow Mushroom

6727 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, (941) 388-7504, mellowmushroom.com

For decades a fixture of college life across the Southeast, Mellow Mushroom has expanded its customer base to include people whose undergraduate years passed many moons ago. Today, the restaurant offers a lively, family-friendly ambiance, and is committed to serving well-executed cocktails and a good pick of craft beers. Try the “Holy Shiitake Pie” (puns are a way of life at Mellow Mushroom), which features a garlicky crust dressed with multiple types of mushrooms and cheese. A garlic cream swirl adds a bit of sweetness, while chopped chives provide a unique herbal flourish. 

Il Panificio

1703 Main St., Sarasota, (941) 366-5570; 215 Avenida Madera, Siesta Key, (941) 800-5570; panificiousa.com

An excellent destination for a quick and tasty lunch, you can  get your Il Panficio fix on both Siesta Key and at the downtown Sarasota flagship. You can always order a whole pie, but the fun part about eating at Il Panificio is mixing and matching a variety of pre-made New York-style slices that are tossed in a blistering oven for a quick reheat before hitting your plate.

Napulè

7129 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, (941) 556-9639, napulesarasota.com

An image of Sophia Loren mounted atop a Vespa adorns the wall at this South Trail restaurant, and she fixes her gaze on one of the most alluring dining rooms in the area. There’s the sexy bar in the far corner, a second floor that offers great views of the classic Italian movies being screened silently above the open kitchen, and, of course, the seats near a pizza oven adorned with golden tiles that glow like the inside of a cathedral’s dome. The restaurant's Neapolitan-style pizza is just as great as the vibe. Try the “tartufata,” which is light but rich, with plenty of sliced prosciutto, gooey mozzarella, porcini mushrooms, a smattering of arugula and a drizzle of black truffle oil.

Shaner’s

6500 Superior Ave., Sarasota, (941) 927-2708, shanerspizza.com

Eating at Shaner’s delivers pure nostalgia. The longtime sports bar and pizzeria, founded by former pro baseball pitcher Shane Rawley, specializes in what’s known as tavern- or bar-style pizza, defined by its ultra-thin crust, its rectangular slices and the fact that it goes great with a pitcher of cold lager. 

Venezia

373 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota, (941) 388-1400, venezia-1966.com

This St. Armands Circle restaurant crafts a number of 14-inch pies, with toppings that range from simple to outrageous (shrimp pizza, anyone?) and a crust that splits the difference between Naples and New York. Our favorite is the “pesto della nonna” (“Grandma’s pesto”), a white pie decorated with basil pesto, mushrooms and plenty of mozzarella and slices of tomato.

Pizza Social

308 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, (941) 251-4070, mypizzasocial.com

The cooking platform inside the pizza oven at this Anna Maria Island shop rotates slowly, allowing the company’s 10- to 14-inch pizzas to cook evenly while entrancing hungry customers waiting in line. The pizzas come out blistered and fragrant, with toppings coating them all the way to the rim. Pizza Social goes a little nuts with a taco pizza and pizzas covered with barbecued chicken and ranch, but don't skip “AMI,” which carries a sweet heat thanks to the sliced banana peppers strewn all over.

Vertoris

6830 14th St., Bradenton, (941) 751-0333, vertorispizza.com

Vertoris' hole-in-the-wall shop makes excellent New York-style pizza. Try the eggplant pie with breaded eggplant that offers a satisfying crunch. The stromboli are also rave-worthy.

Atmosphere

935 N. Beneva Road, Unit 409, Sarasota, (941) 203-8542

Amazing Neapolitan pizza is emerging from this nondescript shop located in a north Beneva strip mall. The crust is sensational—lightly charred, but still puffy and elastic, with an intoxicating tanginess. Our pick: the “mortazza.” The pizza is draped with thin slices of pistachio-flecked mortadella—a large salume made from from hashed or ground cured pork and one of the greatest culinary products from Bologna, one of Italy’s greatest food cities—then anointed with spoonfuls of a thick pistachio pesto. It’s so good it will make you shudder with pleasure.