ABC Pizza House
One thing I love to do is take my daughter to places that I loved as a kid - and, of course - still love to this day.
Growing up, one of my favorite pizza restaurants to visit was ABC Pizza House in Tampa, Florida.
Settle in, it’s story time…
In 1950, the six Fotopoulos brothers came to the United States from Greece, chasing the American Dream. After many years of working the docks in Connecticut, the eldest brother, William, came up with an idea for the “perfect pizza at reasonable prices.” With help from his family, they created ABC Pizza.
Staring in 1966, ABC Pizza originated in Connecticut, quickly expanding to 8 restaurants. In 1974, it graced the state of Florida with its presence, starting in Tampa, Florida. Now, with 12 locations spread through the area, the family is still involved!
As mentioned above, ABC Pizza has been one of my favorites since I was a child. We used to visit often before we moved, but we still get back every now and then, with a recent trip, it is the newest member of the Pizza & Pigtails Review Family.
ABC Pizza is located at 1242 Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, open 7 days a week. Mon-Thurs: 11 am - 10 pm, Fri-Sat: 11 am - 11 pm, Sun: 12 pm - 10 pm for those who like to sleep in.
ABC offers Dine-In, Take-Out, and Catering Services with online ordering coming soon!
Walking into the restaurant, you almost have that nostalgic feel of the 1960’s/1970’s - although I wasn’t born until the mid-80’s, I definitely feel like I have stepped back in time - they have some of the coolest vintage decor.
Don’t mind the game room, you read that correctly, they have a game room, but there will be plenty of time for that after dinner.
The restaurant is your basic set up, choice of table or booth, another with the Pepsi products…with the ever redeeming Dr. Pepper.
A piece of advice, take a moment to really check out the menu. There are some goodies on there that you wouldn’t find at your run of the mill pizza place.
For example, let’s begin with the appetizers, starting at just $2.99. I’m going to recommend that you go with the cheesy garlic bread, I know…not really all that unique, but it is just THAT good.
If you’re looking for a delicious unique starter, I say try the Greek Style Pilaf, so flavorful. For a lighter option, try the Greek Salad with a scoop of Potato Salad on top, I usually go for the mini at $9.25, because the portions are generous at ABC!
My daughter and I shared this and still had some left over, whatever salad you go with, get the House dressing, it is one of the most delicious salad dressings I have ever tasted! You can even take it home in different size tubs, and I usually do. A tangy, sweet, salty, flavor kicks you right in the taste buds, and I’m not pressing charges.
If you’re a sandwich person, and I also love a good sandwich, they have a wonderful selection. From your traditional meatball grinder, to your turkey, ham, or chicken, veggie, or tuna at just $6.49, to your Specialty Grinders of BBQ Chicken/Chicken Parm, Steak, to a Gyro or Chicken Fajita Pita for $7.49. The options are pretty much endless deliciousness.
Looking for a pasta dish this time? ABC has you covered! Spaghetti, Lasagna, Eggplant Rolletini, Ravioli, or Alfredo (plain, chicken, or shrimp)…you’ll have trouble deciding, everything sounds amazing!
Now, let’s be honest, we all know what I’m here for, and I am so excited to tell you about the pizza. As I have stated throughout this review, my family has been visiting ABC Pizza since I was young. Whether it was after movie night, game night, Busch Gardens, or just having dinner, it was a pretty big staple growing up. I almost can’t imagine my childhood without it, I can honestly say it was one of the first pizza restaurants I visited, and still love to visit as an adult.
One of my favorite things about ABC is their creativity in their food. I say, if you find a niche, run with it. For those who have been with me, and for those who are just tuning in for the first time, one thing I’m all about is Build-Your-Own Pizza, but at ABC, I love to venture out and try their Specialty and Gourmet options. This was not one of those times as multiple people were taking part.
Before I get into my review on the pizza, I’d like to tell you a little more about their creative options. They of course have the typical Cheese, Pepperoni, Deluxe, starting at $6.99 for a 10”, and $10.99 for a 14” with Extra toppings $1.25-$2.25 depending on the size of pizza.
You can even add eggplant to your pizza, which I have never seen before.
Their Specialty Pizza list has your House Special, Meat Lovers, Veggie, and a Mexican Pizza that consists of Black Beans, Onions, Tomatoes, Chorizo, Salsa, and Cilantro…how delicious does that sound?!
Let’s go one step further with their Gourmet options, “for the discriminating palette.”
I don’t want to give everything away, even though you can just check out their menu at ABC Pizza House.
Steak, Gyro, Cuban (ham, salami, Cuban pork, mayo, mustard, pickle, and cheese), Seafood, and the Mediterranean Pizza with a White sauce base, feta cheese, spinach, tomatoes, olives, and Greek peppers. This has definitely been added to my list of want to try.
We did a pepperoni, mushroom, and onions when we visited. Simple, but beyond delicious…everything about ABC’s pizza is amazing. The proportion of toppings to cheese (we all know how big of a deal this is to me), I hate when there are bald spots on the crust where there is no cheese.
The toppings taste fresh, flavorful, the onions were just the right texture, gave a little bit of a crunch factor, but not to the point of being raw.
The sauce is a good mixture of spices without overpowering the other flavors of the pizza, and the crust…I’m picky about my crust, usually I only eat it if I have something to dip it in, but ABC’s crust is one I can eat without needing an enhancer.
If you have room for dessert, grab a rice pudding, cheesecake, cookie, or even a baklava!
To conclude, ABC Pizza checks all the boxes in my book. Great food, great service, nostalgia, and great prices!
Don’t forget to grab an Angel mint as you’re cashing out, they melt in your mouth, and taste like heaven! - All the pun intended!
ABC Pizza gets 8/8 slices!
