Jason Kohn has two big announcements to make.
And we just know they’re going to be good.
After all, everything he’s done since opening Downtown House of Pizza off Hendry Street in Fort Myers has been oh-so-awesome.
In the last 20 years, DHOP has gone from selling 300 pizzas on a good day in the first year to serving up 1,500 pies between 9 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. on a busy day now.
That’s a whopping 400 percent increase (4 x 300 = 1,200, plus the original 300 is 1,500) since opening in 2005.
Why? Because the pizza is just that good.
It’s so good, in fact, that it has been voted the best pizza in Lee County in The News-Press 2026 Bracket Challenge.
“I’m honored to even be considered for this,” Kohn said. “There is amazing pizza in this county. Pizzerias are run really well here. It’s a privilege and an honor to be in the same breath with them.”
The long road to the title began on March 9 when readers of The News-Press were asked to nominate their favorite pizza joints.
Hundreds of emails flooded in, nominating 53 mom-and-pops in all, from Bonita Springs to Cape Coral.
“We found out (about the contest) when a customer came in and said, ‘I want to nominate you,’” Kohn said. “From there, we connected the dots.”
At the No. 8 seed, DHOP fell in the middle of the Sweet 16 field.
After sliding past No. 9-seeded Mangia Bene Big Slice in the first round, the downtown gem upset top-seeded Uncle Rico’s in the Elite Eight and toppled No. 4 Tony’s N.Y. in the Final Four.
“We posted about (the contest) on our social media,” Kohn said. “I know a lot of people were sharing it.”
Word got around, and DHOP took 54 percent of the votes to beat Pizza D-LUX in the championship match.
“To win is such an honor,” Kohn said. “Thank you to our customers.”
As for DHOP’s announcements …
Already one of our favorite midday and late-night slice stops, may soon become an early-morning go-to.
“We will be opening for breakfast seven days a week starting April 27,” Kohn said. “We pulled out all the bells and whistles for it.”
Think meat lovers, Southwest, raspberry cheese Danish, and bacon (or sausage) egg and cheese breakfast pizzas.
We can’t wait to try the strawberry French toast pizza, too.
“It’s so good,” Kohn said. “Honestly, the people who taste-tested it were floored.”
It doesn’t stop at those breakfast pies, though.
Breakfast stromboli (in meat lovers or build your own) and pinwheels (sausage or bacon) will be offered too.
That new menu will be served from 7-11 a.m., while the traditional menu begins at 10 a.m.
Oh, there’s more.
“In addition to breakfast, there will be two dessert pies all day long,” Kohn said. “Key lime and strawberry cheesecake, made in-house.”
Available starting at 11 a.m., those glorious offerings will come in large 16-inch and extra-large 18-inch sizes. Slices of the two will rotate throughout the day as well.
Also at 11, chicken parm sandwiches and boneless wings (in orders of 6 or 12) are on the new menu too.
That’s all in addition to DHOP’s usual menu …
DHOP’s award-winning pizza and more
Consistency is key when it comes to this traditional New York-style pizzeria’s beloved hand-tossed pie (watch them fly high in the air in the front windows) and flop-tastic oversized slices.
After tweaking the pizza recipe early on, it “hasn’t changed in the last 17 years.”
Kohn makes sure of it.
“I try the pizza every day,” he said. “I truly like a traditional slice of cheese. And I can taste the dough and sauce. Make sure the cheese is aged properly. When you add toppings, it can change things and I need to dial in.”
DHOP is dialed into more than pizzas.
Wings, salads, and desserts are available along with sandwiches (including what Kohn says is one of the best Philly cheesesteaks in town), calzones and stromboli.
Come April 27, you can add breakfast pizzas to that list, too.
And as for Kohn’s second announcement?
Well, he’s not ready to reveal that for the next couple of months or so.
When he finally does, though, you know it’s going to be so very good.
Downtown House of Pizza, 1520 Hendry St., Fort Myers; (239) 337-3467; downtownhouseofpizza.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram
Thank you, thank you
We’d be remiss if we didn’t thank all of you who voted in our best pizza bracket. Each week, thousands of you faithfully logged into our online polls. We applaud your pizza-loving efforts and can’t thank you enough.
And congratulations to all the pizza joints that participated.
We can’t wait to do it all again next year.
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Downtown Fort Myers pizza restaurant named best in Lee County in 2026
Reporting by Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
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