Glorious shades of red, orange and yellow tint the leaves on the trees during the fall season — but nature isn’t the only place fall colors are bursting through in Pensacola.

October also marks the start of National Pizza Month, a monthlong celebration for pizza lovers where you can decorate your dining room table with brilliant shades of sharp cheddar, chorizo, parmesan, pepperoni, barbecue sauce and banana peppers that all work together on the canvas that is the hand-tossed pizza crust. Could there be a more beautiful sight to behold?

This season, check out some of our favorite eateries in the Pensacola area where you can order a mouthwatering signature pie, or create your own masterpiece.

Papa’s Pizza

28 E. Garden St. and 400 Quietwater Beach Road Unit 1

It is a Pensacola tradition to watch through the window as Papa’s Pizza employees shape and toss the pizza dough before it becomes the delectable pie with which both the Pensacola Beach and downtown Pensacola communities have fallen in love. Whether you like your pizza by the slice – with the option to load up your customizable piece with as many toppings as your heart desires – or order up an extra-large signature pie, Papa’s Pizza is the cure to all cravings.

Some of the better-known signature combos include the Al Pacino, which is the Papa Pizza’s spin on a meat lovers pizza, and the pesto-based White Veggie. 

Baked right in front of you, the slice is served straight out of the oven, taking up most of the paper plate on which it is presented. A string of ooey, gooey cheese is hot on the slice’s tail as it folds into your mouth.

Pizza Me. Pasta You.

2805 West Cervantes St.

The owner of Pensacola’s popular Middle Eastern restaurant, Taste of Jerusalem, opened an equally as delicious sister restaurant called Pizza Me. Pasta You. this past March. The menu is inspired by the Mediterranean island of Sicily. Owner Ray Sehweil has a rich background in Italian cooking and had already been making his bread homemade for Taste of Jerusalem. So, he figured, why not start making pizzas?

You can choose to build your own combination or pick one of the gourmet varieties by the 10-inch or 14-inch size. Some of the menu standouts include the Italian Beef Pizza, Philly Cheesesteak, Pesto Lovers and Thai Chicken. Sehweil guarantees his unique blend of flavors will pleasantly surprise.

Piazza Pizza Pensacola Beach

2 Via De Luna Drive

If New York style pizza is your niche, Pensacola Beach’s newest pizza joint is planning to deliver on expectations by delivering to hungry customers all over the Pensacola Beach peninsula.

The delivery and carry-out only pizza place is positioned inside the Hampton Inn Pensacola Beach hotel on 2 Via De Luna Drive, but is a chef-driven, from-scratch style kitchen. Dough is made and rolled by hand, drizzled with a house-made sauce and topped with high-quality ingredients before being loaded into a custom-made pizza oven to bake a thin, crispy crust.

One of the standouts includes the original Spicy Hawaiian, a signature pizza on the menu. It is balanced with a house red sauce, whole milk mozzarella, crumbled bacon, jalapeno peppers, cream cheese and pineapple to create a smoky, sweet flavor.

Tuscan Oven

4801 N. Ninth Ave.

Looking for wood-fired pizza? Look no further than Tuscan Oven, opened by Ted and Deanna Lamarche in 2004. This unique pizza restaurant features a 2-ton, 500-degree, hardwood-fired oven made of brick, pumice and clay to bake up some authentic Southern Italian-style pizza.

You can expect a pie that is thin but has a nice, chewy crust around the edge, some zesty marinara and fresh homemade dough.

Sky’s Pizza Pie

5559 N. Davis Highway A

If you don’t know about Sky’s Pizza Pie then this is probably your first time in Pensacola, your plane has just landed and you haven’t been approached by one of the restaurant’s fanatical fans.

Ever since the restaurant was semi-rebranded in 2013, Sky’s has had a near cult-like following because it’s about as close as you can get to New York-style pizza here in the Panhandle. We’ll let the pizza speak for itself.

East Hill Pizza

2030 N. 12th Ave.

East Hill Pizza is one of the newer kids on the block as it was formally known as Chubby’s Pizza until TJ and Darlyne Zoltak purchased the restaurant in 2018. Since then, EHP has quickly become a local favorite.

The restaurant underwent a big renovation in 2018, but the husband-wife duo decided to stick with what made Chubby’s great: Its recipes. You can choose from four specialty pizzas — each named after a road in East Hill — build your own or go for something a little different with wings, stromboli, pizza bowls and more.

Graffiti Pizza

210 Palafox Place

Graffiti Pizza is another relatively new pizza place that opened in June 2018. The concept was inspired to celebrate local artists and displays various artwork throughout the location. And the pizza is just as good as the artwork.

Graffiti offers made-to-order specialty pizzas that you can also order by the slice in addition to full pies. Almost like a mash-up of Tuscan Oven and Sky’s, you can expect a thin slice with a chewy crust cut into a 20-inch slice.

New Yorker Deli and Pizzeria

3001 E. Cervantes St.

New Yorker Deli could be nominated for Pensacola’s most driven-past-but-not-eaten-at restaurant. But if you know, you know.

Despite what its name might imply, you’re not going to find New York thin crust-style pizza here, oh no. Made with a handmade sauce and hand-tossed dough, these hefty pies will sail you straight into flavor town with specialties like Italian, Athenian, meat lovers, white sauce or even a cauliflower-crust pizza.

O’zone Pizza Pub

1010 N. 12th Ave.

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O’zone is one of Pensacola’s original pizza spots, partly because of the pizza and partly because of its truly unique locale — the basement level of the former historic Sacred Heart Hospital.

The pizza is Roman-style and the dough is somewhere between thin and hand-tossed, and the specialty pizzas are all great combinations. The Ponderosa Stomp melds cheddar cheese blend, barbecue sauce, roasted chicken, bacon, green peppers and red onions drizzled in honey, and you can kick it up a notch by ordering it with jalapenos and cream cheese. Meanwhile, the Italian Flag — another fan-favorite — features pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, red onions, and roasted red peppers topped with basil pesto drizzle.

Founaris Brothers

6911 Pensacola Blvd.

When you think about where to go for a slice of pizza, a Greek restaurant probably isn’t at the top of your list, but Founaris Bros. Greek Restaurant will change your mind.

When it comes to its Greek Pizza, Founaris keeps it simple. A few specialty pizzas are offered, like meat lovers, smothered, house and Super 7. Or you can make your own from a selection of regular, premium and ultra premium toppings.

Hurricane Pizza

6705 Pine Forest Road, Suite 500

Hurricane Pizza is the culmination of years of combined experience the two owners accrued while working at Pizza Hut together. 

The idea behind Hurricane Pizza is to create a quality product at an affordable price and, most importantly, to instill the idea that pizza should be a “fun food.” 

One of their top-sellers, the Mexicali Hurricane, for example, starts with a bean base, onions, tomatoes, cheddar, lettuce and a side of salsa. Another signature pizza, the Pineapple Express, constantly surprises guests with its use of cashews as a topping, along with pineapple, ham and bacon.

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Pizzaluté Woodfired Pizza & Tap Bar

13160 Sorrento Road

On the other side of Escambia County is Pizzaluté. If you thought the Tuscan Oven was the only place in town with an imported oven, then you’d be wrong.

The dome brick oven shipped straight from Naples, Italy, is used to serve up three Neapolitan pizza styles including the Margherita, the marinara and the focaccia bread. The menu is small, but it’s by design, according to owner Stefano Hugh, who believes in keeping things simple but high quality.

Mellow Mushroom

5175 Bayou Blvd.

Mellow is a state of mind, a culture, a way of being, and Mellow Mushroom’s mission is to provide delicious food in a fun and creative environment. Staking a claim as the originators of hand tossed, stone baked classic Southern pizza, Mellow Mushroom’s spring water crust is unique and flavorful, and all its pies are made with high quality, fresh ingredients. Mellow out with them on this fabulous National Pizza Day.

Flour-ish

Food truck

Flour-ish is a husband-wife food truck and pizza concept that aims to bring homemade pizza and sweets to Pensacola — on wheels. Given that the kitchen is mobile, the offerings aren’t quite as expansive as you would find in a full kitchen, but there is still a lot to enjoy. The pizzas are 12 inches each and have something for everyone — pepperoni, veggie, barbecue and more, plus you can build your own. You can also grab pizza by the slice if you’re looking for a quick lunch option.

Georgio’s Pizza

3000 E. Cervantes St.

Georgio’s has served the Pensacola community with hand-tossed pizza smothered in homemade sauce for over 25 years — a feat you don’t accidentally achieve. One look at one of the pizzas, and you’ll see why Georgio’s is an institution. The pies are thick but not quite deep dish-thick. The menu is more inventive than traditional. Sure, there is a house special, cheese and pepperoni. But there is also chicken alfredo, a B.L.T and a colosseum special that includes all house toppings plus bacon, tomatoes and spinach.

Lost Pizza Co.

550 E. Nine Mile Road; 1200 Barrancas Ave. location coming soon

Lost Pizza Co. is a Mississippi-based pizza franchise scattered throughout the South. The company proudly uses all of the freshest ingredients, from cheese to meat and veggies. The dough and sauces are all handmade, too. Menus change from location to location, but one of the most popular offerings is the Hot Chick, which is a house-made ranch base topped with grilled chicken breast tossed in buffalo sauce and onions.

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Elbow Room

2213 W. Cervantes St.

The Elbow Room is just as much about the experience as it is the pizza. Speaking of pizza, the pub offers a pretty customizable experience. There are no signature pizzas with fancy names. You get cheese pizza and a pretty extensive list of toppings you can add on for an extra price, and premium toppings for an extra premium price. Regular toppings include things like pepperoni, ham, sausage, olives, roasted garlic, cashews, broccoli, etc. Premium includes goat cheese, anchovies, vegan cheese, tofu, genoa and more.

Angelena’s

101 E. Intendencia St.

Angelena’s might not be the first restaurant you think of when it comes to pizza places, but let this change your mind. Angelena’s makes all of their pizzas in their brick oven for an authentic flavor. Each pie is about 12 inches and is made from the freshest ingredients. There are only five varieties to choose from, but each is high quality.

The standouts are the Diavola, which features salami, Calabrian chili and 196 black garlic honey; the Fun Guy, which has local mushrooms, gorgonzola and bacon marmalade; and the Prosciutto Di Pharma, which has garlic butter, Parmesan and arugula. Grab a pizza and a bottle of wine every Tuesday for just $25.

Paul’s Pizza Company

13700 Perdido Key Drive

Paul’s Pizza Company is a newer restaurant that opened during the pandemic as a pickup and delivery spot in Perdido Key. The owners launched it in response to the few options available in the area. It’s since become a popular hotspot that offers dine-in seating, too. Pizza lovers in the Perdido area should expect a thin-crust, New York-style pie. You can customize your own pie or choose from any of the signature options, like the taco pizza, spicy Sicilian or the ‘MEAT’eor.

A Little Madness Brewing Company

9838 N. Davis Highway

A Little Madness Brewing Company is a brewery with a pizza kitchen. The brewery has served Pensacola since about 2015 and specializes in sustainable brewing techniques and seasonal beers. The pizza kitchen is pretty new and worth the trip. Pizzas come in 13-inch options and you can order them with plant-based cheese or a cauliflower crust (limited to 10 inches).

Specialty pies include things like the Brunch Pie — corned beef hash, crumbled sausage, red onion, cheddar jack and mozzarella cheeses and, of course, eggs and bacon; The White Buffalo, which has white sauce, shredded chicken breast, buffalo sauce, mozzarella with sour cream and buffalo sauce drizzled swirls; and the Cajun Carnival, which has red sauce, red onions, sweet peppers, mozzarella and andouille sausage.

Petrella’s Italian Café

2174 W. Nine Mile Road

Petrella’s Italian Café is a family-owned Italian restaurant that has operated in Pensacola for over 20 years. All foods are handcrafted with house-made sauces, including their pizza. There are two types of pizza available: hand-tossed or thin and crispy. The café keeps it simple, offering regular cheese with additional toppings being $1 each, a meat lover, veggie lover, supreme, white pizza and garden.

Maple Forest Cafe

4455 Mobile Highway

Tucked away inside of a Vermont-inspired Maple Forest Cafe is a brick-oven that serves 8-inch personal sizes or larger 12-inch sizes right on the spot, with dough and sauce homemade daily. There are a variety of signature options, including the buffalo chicken, barbecue chicken or supreme, including a variety of toppings for customers to customize. You can’t beat this cafe’s daily lunch specials that come with a personal brick oven pizza with a fountain drink for about $10.

Pieology Pizzeria

5100 N. Ninth Ave., Cordova Mall

This California-based pizza chain provides a fast-casual way of experiencing pizza where the stone-fired custom pizzas are made right in front of you. Customers can choose from four crusts, six sauces and over 35 fresh toppings to make the pizza your own or skip the decisions altogether and choose a signature. Some of the featured pizzas right now include the mushroom truffle pizza, made with olive oil, creamy alfredo sauce, premium Italian mozzarella, Romano, roasted mushrooms and truffle zest, or the Calabrese with Mike’s Hot Honey, made with house made red sauce, premium Italian mozzarella, Romano, pepperoni, sausage, jalapeno and Mike’s Hot Honey.