Pizza in Parkland

Pies baked in homemade sauce bake to a crisp, golden finish over hot embers inside ovens at Giovanni's Coal Fire Pizza. 15 homemade Italian dinners, authentic pastas, chicken dishes, sandwiches, and salads top tables inside both locations, which each sport exposed-brick walls and a bevy of flat-screen televisions.

The ambrosial aroma of Italian spices fills the air inside Pizza Time Caffé, which dishes up an extensive menu of pizza and traditional Italian favorites. The thin-and-crispy Grandma pizza with fresh mozzarella and marinara sauce ($21.99) and the pizza caprese with fresh plum tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil ($15.99) are Italian-style pies that transport diners to the old country. Meanwhile, a 16-inch New York–style hand-tossed crust topped with mozzarella ($14.99), and additional toppings such as pepperoni or ricotta ($1.50 each), brings tears of joy to Empire State eyes faster than Derek Jeter turning a double play before saving twin babies from a burning building. Adventurous appetites can try a specialty pie such as the mashed-potato pizza with bacon and three cheeses ($26.95) to rebel against the traditional rules of pizza creation. For those seeking a less disk-based cheese-and-sauce infusion, Pizza Time Caffé offers an astounding variety of Italian classics such as lasagna ($12.99) and eggplant rollatini twisted up with ricotta cheese and prosciutto and served with tomato sauce and pasta ($14.99). A wide selection of subs suits hands-on diners in a hurry while cappuccinos ($4 each) and espressos ($2.50 each) keep their engines running.

Gather up the whole crew and head to Annie's Pizza for a night of pizza and fun. Gluten-free and low-fat are not one in the same, but this place serves them both. Eat out with the little ones at Annie's Pizza, and don't waste time scurrying for a sitter. Annie's Pizza is the perfect spot to enjoy a great meal outside (weather permitting). For the tastes of Annie's Pizza from the comfort of your next party, the pizzeria also offers catering services. Homebodies can take advantage of Annie's Pizza's delivery and take-out options. Cyclists will also appreciate the plentiful space to lock up their bikes outside the pizzeria. The food at Annie's Pizza is not just delicious, it's also affordable. Annie's Pizza has three square meals a day on the menu, so swing by for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Reserve a table for two! Scarfone's Coal Fire Pizza specializes in intimate Italian cuisine for those looking to add some romance to dinner. Gluten-free and low-fat eaters will enjoy the menu at Scarfone's Coal Fire Pizza. At Scarfone's Coal Fire Pizza, kids of all ages are welcome. Don't stay inside on a beautiful day! Come sit on the patio at Scarfone's Coal Fire Pizza and order great food. No need to be formal, business casual will pass. Dining out isn't your only option here — pickup is available, too. Scarfone's Coal Fire Pizza offers outdoor bike racks for cyclists. Scarfone's Coal Fire Pizza makes it their goal to serve food that is both delicious and affordable.

Sicilian?born chef Agostino Vedda has been cooking for more than 40 years, and it shows at Sophia's Pizzeria & Restaurant. The restaurant, which he runs with his wife Vilma, is known for its housemade sauces that flavor pastas and chicken, veal, and seafood entrees. Sophia's also serves up more casual Italian cuisine such as calzones, sub sandwiches, and the only the food that astronauts are allowed to bring into space: pizza.

For owners Joe Arato and Joe Gonnelly, Rosedale Brick Oven Pizzeria is a physical piece of nostalgia. The restaurant's name references the neighborhood in Queens where the two became childhood friends, bonding over a mutual passion for eating and evaluating Italian food. Having finally opened their own venue, they've inundated the setting with vintage charm. Exposed brick and wood surround the authentic wood-fired oven, accented by monitors that silently broadcast black-and-white movie classics, and the music of Frank Sinatra and Frankie Valli drifts throughout the dining room. As they immerse themselves in the warmth of the rustic interior, diners peruse a menu built from imported ingredients. San marzano tomatoes flavor some of the 11 specialty pizzas crafted from housemade dough, including the margherita, which Kelly Merritt of the Daily News calls "impossibly fresh." The same review also praises the pasta-ordering system, which has patrons choose their favorite sauces and pasta types, a departure from the traditional method of blindfolding them as they pick noodles from a steaming colander. Diners might elect to mix the house-specialty alla vodka sauce with ridged rigatoni, a combination that Merritt deems "chief among the best."