Good Guys, BackStreets, East of Chicago, extra
As a pizza lover dwelling in Cape Coral, I couldn’t be happier.
Until Uncle Rico’s opens on this facet of the river, however I digress.
Not solely is the Cape house to well-established joints like Good Guys and Leone’s, however new pizza-rrific locations are making names for themselves as properly.
Grado’s Pizza on Pine Island Street has had a gentle crowd for its New York pies and slices since opening in August, and Gino’s Pizza on Santa Barbara Boulevard is gaining recognition with a Midwest-style pie identical to the unique Gino’s in Akron, Ohio.
Luciano’s Too opened late final month off Del Prado Boulevard North, within the house beforehand occupied by Morrone’s Pizzeria, after the unique Luciano’s had prospects lining up on Friday nights.
In southeast Cape, Trattoria Ciao is as soon as once more churning out wood-fired pies to the delight of many.
Because it’s tough/almost unimaginable for me to pattern each pizza on the town (though I’m prepared to attempt), I’m sure to miss some fan favorites.
BackStreets Sports activities Bar
Take BackStreets for instance. For months, I’ve been listening to in regards to the pizza at this 21-and-up downtown sports activities bar.
“Persons are loopy shocked once they come to this place and take a look at our pizza,” mentioned Shelly Walton, BackStreets’ proprietor for almost 30 years. “We make our personal dough, the sauce we’ve got is ours. We shred our personal cheese, make our personal meatballs and sausage, even roast the peppers right here. A man I knew got here in and taught us this recipe years in the past.”
That man is aware of his pizza as does Walton. When she purchased the enterprise, “we simply had a fried meals menu.”
However she ultimately perfected her pizza till “we have been so busy we couldn’t sustain.”
“I created a breakfast pizza 15 or 20 years in the past,” she mentioned. “We did a scrambled egg as an alternative of purple sauce, added ham, sausage, bacon. It’s nonetheless a fairly large vendor.”
On our go to, we tried the meatball pizza. Add me to the record of shocked prospects.
These home made meatballs — the recipe from Walton’s grandmother — have been excellent, and the pie’s crust was crispy, chewy, foldable goodness.
Mondays are a great time to test it out for your self with half-priced pizza from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. If the surface seats are full, attempt inside. You’re welcome. (BackStreets Sports activities Bar, 915 SE 47th Terrace, Cape Coral; 239-610-3157; backstreetssportsbar.com)
In different Cape Coral pizza information …
Discovering The Boys
When you’ve been lacking I Ragazzi’s Pizza because it all of the sudden closed in Could, I’ve excellent news for you. Tim Luke, who opened the Hancock Bridge Parkway pizza joint in 2007, is busy making his signature pies, calzones, sandwiches, salads, wings and extra at The Lion’s Den Bar and Grill in Chandelle Sq. on Del Prado Boulevard.
“It’s the identical dough, similar all the things as earlier than,” mentioned Luke, who doesn’t personal the restaurant however manages and runs the kitchen. “I’d say (the pizza) is even higher now. I’m doing the sauce by hand. I can focus extra on the pies as an alternative of simply cranking them out.”
Luke is completely satisfied to be cooking for the group as soon as once more.
“It’s good to be again,” he mentioned. “I’m simply doing my factor, making an attempt to feed folks my meals.” (The Lion’s Den is open Monday to Saturday at 1127 Del Prado Blvd. S, Cape Coral; 239-471-0821; observe on Fb)
East of Chicago Pizza
The Horstmans, the daddy and son homeowners of the Santa Barbara Boulevard pizza franchise, are on the cusp of increasing.
Based on supervisor Kyle Hashbarger, a second location off Pine Island Street will open “the center of subsequent week possibly.” It’ll be within the new Pine Island Park plaza on the nook of NE 8th Avenue and NE 13th Avenue.
Then a 3rd one will observe “a few weeks later” in downtown Cape at 4706 SE 9th St., between SE 47th Terrace and SE 47th Avenue within the former Pawty Specific constructing.
East of Chicago, headquartered in Lima, Ohio, is thought for its pan crust.
“It’s mild and ethereal with a crunch,” Hashbarger mentioned. “We’ve bought 11 specialty pizzas and the very best vendor is the taco.”
That taco-tastic pizza comes with salsa, taco-style meat or grilled fajita rooster, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olives, bitter cream and extra.
Different crust choices embody skinny, genuine Chicago type, crispy, and loaded crust. Subs, salads, wings and extra are additionally obtainable. (East of Chicago, open now at 1306 Santa Barbara Blvd., Cape Coral, 239-360-7365, eastofchicago.com)
DaVinci’s PizzaVino
This pizza place opened final month within the Publix-anchored Coral Shores plaza on the nook of Pine Island and Burnt Retailer roads. It took over the spot subsequent to China Palace which beforehand housed a Joe Daddy’s location.
This small order-at-the-counter joint makes its dough recent day-after-day and affords Chicago skinny crust and New York crust pies. Specialty pizzas embody the Windy Metropolis (with sausage, onion, garlic and giardiniera), Bianca (white pie), Hawaiian and extra.
A number of salads, parmesan subs and wings are additionally provided along with calzones, strombolis and rooster pizza pies.
Pizza by the slice ($4 for one, $7 for 2) is offered till 4 p.m. (DaVinci’s Pizza Vino, 3015 Pine Island Street, Cape Coral, 239-558-4071, davincispizzavino.com)
One among my favourite pizza locations in Southwest Florida has introduced the Wishbone again by means of Thanksgiving and I couldn’t be extra grateful. This seasonal gem options turkey confit, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, cranberry, cheese and a stuffing crust.
“The crust is all of the stuff you discover in stuffing,” mentioned co-owner Greg Gebhard, who has introduced this buyer favourite again for the “fifth or sixth 12 months.”
“Sage, celery, bread, all proper there within the crust. Some prospects will order just a few of those and freeze them to allow them to have some after Thanksgiving.”
Plan forward:Thanksgiving Day 2023 eating places open in Cape, Fort Myers, Bonita
Now open:New Coney Island restaurant brings breakfast, lunch to south Fort Myers all day, all evening
We will see why. One chunk magically transports you to a Thanksgiving Day desk. It’s the very best of a conventional meal in six outsized slices.
I’m going to gobble one (or two) extra up earlier than Thanksgiving. It is best to too. (Good Guys, 1404 Cape Coral Parkway, Cape Coral, 239-549-7542, niceguyspizza.com)
Robyn George is a meals and eating author for The Fort Myers Information-Press. Ship information to rhgeorge@gannett.com.
