Pizzano's Earns Notice For Superior Pies, Italian Food

Among the most popular options for a quick restaurant-supplied meal in the Lake Wales area is pizza. With multiple outlets available, including several national chains, we decided to conduct a taste-test survey of local choices.

Among those we have tried, one stood out.

Pizzano's is a locally-owned pizzeria that turns out consistent pies that meet all the several measurement points we set out. Consistency was one of the most important, and the quality of the several pies we sampled was steady.

Featuring a crust that is an ideal mix of tender and crispy, Pizzano's, like many pizzerias in the area, uses a conveyor oven to assure that the cooking time is always perfect. The biggest difference seems to be the sauce, which is never skimpy, allowing their pies to emerge from the cooking process still moist.

We found that dry pizzas were the weak point of certain other local outlets.

Pizzano's sauce has a very nice mixture of acidity and a hint of sweetness. The generous amount gave their pies a better flavor, and it stood up even after we tried reheating it the next day in a skillet, the preferred method.

Owner/operator Larry Howell explained that he seasons the sauce in-house with his own mix of spices to give it a unique, signature flavor.

Likewise, the toppings at Pizzano's were superior to some others, with freshness the apparent difference. Green peppers retained a bit of their original crispness, and the mushrooms had obviously been sauteed on premises before being added, not drawn from a can.

Fourteen specialty pies are offered, including White, Hawaiian, Alfredo, Buffalo Chicken, and Mexican styles. Sides include garlic knots, mozzarella sticks, french fries, 'Cajun bread, and much more. Pizzas are offered in a wide range of sizes from personal to family-sized.

Unlike other pizza outlets locally, the small shop at 1326 E State Rd 60 in the Orange Grove Shopping Center also offers a dine-in option, although that includes only two booths.

Along with the pizzas, Pizzano's also offers such traditional Italian favorites as baked ziti, manicotti, stromboli, and lasagna. Grinders, calzones, wings, and desserts round out the broad menu.

Meals can be accompanied by some very nice salads, including chef's, turkey, Julienne, garden, and antipasto. We recommend the Greek salad, which comes with a generous topping of feta cheese, along with tomatoes, banana peppers, sliced green olives, cucumbers, red onion, and a very tasty dressing.

Howell has been in the pizza business in Lake Wales since the 1980's, and Pizzano's reflects his experience and knowledge of the local market. His success in competing against a host of national chains is proof that quality matters.