The Best Five Pizzerias in Broward and Palm Beach

Pizza was born in Italy, but it's long been an American staple. It's typically the kind of reliable option you can't go wrong with when you're out of ideas for your next meal. But pizza shouldn't be thought of as a last-ditch option.

In South Florida's many pizza shops, baking pies is an art form unto itself. From the creative vegan and vegetarian options at Christopher’s Kitchen in Palm Beach Gardens to Galley's Carne Asada — a meat lovers' dream made with skirt steak and chimichurri — Broward and Palm Beach offer sophisticated takes on a beloved classic.

From Hallandale to West Palm Beach, there are plenty of pizzerias worth checking out. Here are five pizza shops you should visit to get your next slice of heaven.

Dolce Salato

2406 Wilton Dr, Wilton Manors
954-463-7677
dolce-salato.net

The pizza at Leonardo and Silvia Baldi's casual eatery is all about the old-fashioned Italian way of making pies: using dough that sits for two days and a combination of flours that result in a thin, crispy crust topped with locally-sourced cheese and the freshest ingredients. Try the stuffed pies, a cross between a sandwich and pizza, such as the ham and cheese with rosemary or the Philly cheese steak with onions, peppers, and garlic ($25). Or go with some of the specialties, like the Polpette with meatballs and ricotta cheese or In Campagna, a veggie pie with mushrooms, olives, fresh tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and artichoke hearts. There are also white pizza options including the Lombarda with gorgonzola, onions, and walnuts, topped with arugula, and the Con Pollo made with grilled chicken and mixed peppers ($18 each).

Christopher’s Kitchen

4783 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens
561-318-6191
christopherskitchenfl.com

In Palm Beach Gardens, chef Christopher Slawson's plant-based restaurant offers an artful, nutritious take on pizza, with crusts and nut-based cheeses that are made in-house daily. Located in the Plaza at Midtown, the raw eatery's open kitchen dishes out inventive creations like the Farmer's Market pizza, made with red sauce, cremini mushrooms, roasted vegetables, cashew cheese, brazil nut parmesan, and herbs ($19.50) and the Avocado with red sauce, cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, arugula, basil, oregano, cashew cheese, and brazil nut parmesan ($19.75). Choose between sitting in the bright, airy dining room decked out in minimalist decor or the shaded outside area to enjoy unique options like the Mushroom Truffle with cremini, shiitake, portabello, and white mushrooms, topped with truffle oil, macadamia ricotta, and oregano. Or savor the Hawaiian BBQ, made with roasted jackfruit, peppers, mushrooms, macadamia ricotta, cilantro, and flavored with a sweet-spicy BBQ sauce ($21.95 each).

Galley

600 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach
561-231-6100
hiltonwestpalmbeach.com

With an artful design and local hangout appeal, this restaurant inside the Hilton West Palm Beach offers a menu stocked with crispy-crusted, wood-fired pizza baked over fresh-cut logs in a beautiful mosaic-tiled Neapolitan Marra Forni oven. Their outdoor terrazzo, which features a custom fire pit, is the perfect place to indulge in options like the margherita, made here with San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil ($16). Carnivores will love the carne asada, which is piled with chopped skirt steak, zesty pico de gallo, and chimichurri ($21). With the Make 'n' Bake, guests can create their own flavor combinations using ingredients such as Italian sausage, grilled chicken, sautéed onions, jalapeños, spinach, or the vegan-friendly Impossible meat ($15).

Grato

1901 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach
561-404-1334
gratowpb.com

Five-time James Beard Award semifinalist chef Clay Conley’s charming trattoria on South Dixie Highway offers straightforward pizza options in a sophisticated setting. The entrance leads guests to a casually-elegant dining room with soaring ceilings, stained concrete floors, and dark wood touches, equipped with an open pizza bar where customers can sit to watch as pies are crafted and baked in the wood-fired oven. Try the Buccan mushroom, conjured with black truffle, fontina, and oyster mushroom ($20), the buffalo chicken with caramelized onions, Brussels sprouts, and blue cheese, or the meatball, made with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and sprinkled with basil ($19 each). During the trendy restaurant's daily, late-night happy hour, the all-tasty pies cost only $10.

El Tamarindo

712 Atlantic Shores Blvd., Hallandale Beach
954- 456-4447
eltamarindocafe.com

If you're in Hallandale, head straight to this unpretentious neighborhood eatery, where five siblings from El Salvador offer mouthwatering coal-fired pizzas. Every pie is worth sampling, including the Old Dress, made with pepperoni, mushrooms, sausage, onions, and green pepper. For vegetarian options, order the white pie, made with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and garlic. You can also try the Tamarindo specialty pie, made with spinach, goat cheese, and sun dried tomatoes, or the eggplant, topped with grilled or breaded eggplant, mozzarella, garlic, kalamata olives, and mozzarella cheese ($16 to $19 each).