Discover the pizza of Longboat

When it comes to pizza, the question isn’t who likes it. (Answer: everyone.) The question is with so many options, where do you go to eat it? I spent two weeks sampling Longboat Key’s three restaurants that offer pizza, and each one was delicious in its own unique way.

If you take a slice out of any Longboat pizza, you can’t go wrong.

Bayou Tavern

6814 Gulf of Mexico Drive

312-4975

Hours: 4:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday; Closed Mondays until December

Pizza: Gorgo & Parma Ham: Tomato sauce, mozzarella and Gorgonzola cheeses and topped with Parma ham.

Cost: $19.95

For people who enjoy Gorgonzola cheese, this delectable pizza is the perfect choice.

“It’s a balance of different quality and different tastes,” co-owner Domenico Padula said. “The gorgonzola is a strong-flavored cheese, and the Parma ham is salty. The balance of them is just perfect. It makes it taste unbelievable.”

All ingredients in the pizza are homemade, which makes the pizza further stand out.

“Everything is fresh and homemade,” Padula said. “The dough is cooked nicely. I think we have one of the best pizzas around.”

My leftovers didn’t last long.

Euphemia Haye Loft

5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive

383-3633

Hours: 5 to 11 p.m.

Pizza: Famous Pepper Steak Pizza, with pepper steak sauce, prime beef, onions and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Cost: $12.75 for a 9-inch pizza

Steak lovers rejoice. Unlike traditional pizza with tomato sauce, this pizza uses steak sauce, and it is as close to perfection as possible.

“We’re known for our pepper steak, and I figured making it into a pizza would work,” said co-owner and executive chef Ray Arpke. “It’s the most popular of our specialty pizzas.”

In addition to the delicious steak and sauce, the thin crust has a satisfying crunch.

“It took years to figure out a perfect crust,” Arpke said. “Pizza is my personal favorite food, so being able to serve it here is a plus.”

Who needs a whole steak when you can have steak pizza?

Ciao! Italia

5370 Gulf of Mexico Drive #104

383-0010

Hours: 4:30 to 10 p.m.

Pizza: Sinatra, with tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, pepperoni, sausage and prosciutto.

Price: $10.50 for a 10-inch; $17.95 for a 16-inch

For me, the cheesier the pizza, the better, and the Sinatra did not disappoint. The crust and the toppings were delicious. as well.

“Quality ingredients really do everything,” owner and chef Carmine Astuto said. “You use quality, and the food will be good.”

Most of Ciao! Italia’s food is made from scratch, something Astuto learned to do when he opened his first pizzeria at 19.

“We use all fresh ingredients,” Astuto said. “We make our dough and pizza sauce here every day. We just like to keep it fresh.”

I’d eat this pizza every day if I could.