Veni Vici Pizza, Clearwater

Gazing out his window at Veni Vici Pizza, owner Gustavo Arriola watches pods of dolphins splash through the cresting waves. The diners take in the same scene at the waterfront tables, sipping glasses of wine and splitting deep-dish pizzas. Formerly in the banking business, Arriola decided that he wanted to take charge of his future by making his own way into the restaurant industry. He naturally gravitated toward opening a pizzeria because he "loves everything about pizza," especially the limitless topping combinations that you can invent yourself or select according to the pizza almanac. From his kitchen, he can decorate dough with everything from fresh green peppers to italian beef and spicy giardiniera. As an alternative to typical thin- and pan-crust pies, Arriola also spotlights Chicago-style deep-dish and stuffed-crust pies on his menu with their special sauce and thick, buttery crusts.