Palm Beach County’s pizza fans have spoken, and they didn’t just stick to the usual suspects.
We asked readers to vote for their favorite pizzerias in a county-wide poll, and the results reflect the passion and diversity of our local pizza scene.
Despite a surge of suspicious foreign bot votes that were disqualified from the final tally, the “other” category emerged as the true champion in our reader poll, with hundreds of passionate write-ins.
The runaway favorite is Bucks Coal Fired, which, along with its many spelling variations (“Bucks Coal Fired Pizza,” “Bucks Coal Fire,” “Buck’s Coal Fire,” “Buck’s,” “Bucks” and a few others), racked up more than 400 votes far outpacing any single named pizzeria.
Venison, which is deer meat, is a nod to the restaurant’s name. Since a buck is a male deer, it’s a fitting and rich pizza topping here. Venison offers a rich, earthy flavor with a hint of sweetness that’s lean, clean and perfect for pizza lovers seeking something unusual.
Bucks Coal Fired wins any way you spell it
Bucks isn’t just a local favorite, it’s a labor of love for owner Frankie Cecere, who grew up in Greenacres and attended John I. Leonard High School.
Frankie and his team import flour, tomatoes and even salt from Italy.
“Our cheese is a four-ingredient pure cheese; no starch, no cellulose, no BS,” Cecere says. “We make our own water with a reverse osmosis system and added minerals to mimic Italian aquaphors. Everything we do, we try to do as clean as humanly possible. Most of our ingredients come straight out of Italy, and anything we buy stateside is the most natural we can find. Our wings, for example, are fresh, never frozen, no antibiotics, jumbo size, and twice baked in cast iron skillets. Our olive oil is from Italy. Literally, anything we can buy from Italy, we buy from Italy.”
While Bucks Coal Fired has earned rave reviews from locals and a strong following on the “One Bite” app, Dave Portnoy himself has not reviewed the pizzeria but a recent encounter with the Barstool Sports founder may change that. Still, Bucks’ high 9.2 out of 10 rating and loyal fan base speak volumes.
Frankie adds, “Our slogan has kind of become ‘taste the difference.’ In a world where everybody uses the same cheese, the same flour, the same tomatoes and claims to be better than each other, we set ourselves apart by having ingredients I don’t think anybody else has.” He also believes it may be the world’s only pizzeria serving venison as a topping.
Other and “other” Palm Beach County pizza poll results
Boynton Pizza, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, Hot Pie, Tucci’s and Sal’s also earned strong support, showing just how diverse and loyal Palm Beach County’s pizza community can be.
Sal’s deserves a special mention: one reader wrote in “Sal’s on Donald Ross Road,” but the twist is that there are actually two Sal’s locations on Donald Ross Road, one in Palm Beach Gardens and one in Jupiter, across the street from each other. It’s a delicious dilemma for anyone trying to pick a favorite.
While some tried to game the system, readers made it clear: local favorites matter and the best slice might be the one you discover off the beaten path. Whether you’re a Bucks devotee, a Sal’s regular or rooting for an underdog, one thing’s certain, Palm Beach County’s pizza scene is as lively as ever.
Diana Biederman is the Palm Beach Post’s new food & restaurant writer. Care to share news tips about the local dining scene? Please send them to dbiederman@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: A surprise winner rises to top of readers’ best Palm Beach County pizza restaurants
Reporting by Diana Biederman, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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