Ah, pizza. The most important food group to any college kid. Due to their prime location, Leonardo’s Pizza by the Slice probably has the most foot traffic of anywhere in Gainesville. The line is almost always out the door, but that means the food is extra good, right?
Absolutely. With flavors like Spin Tom, the Hawaiian, Florentine, Portobello, Greek, New York, and the (super thick crusted) Big Leo to name a few, your Italian-loving taste buds will be in heaven. Leonardo’s makes it practically impossible to try only one combination of pizza toppings. You can order a whole pie if you want, but ordering multiple slices and different toppings is half the fun. From personal experience, the best way to approach this place is start with the basics: pepperoni and cheese. Then work your way up to the more complicated slices, like the classic Big Leo.
Photo by Ruchika Agarwal
If you’re like me (someone who prefers to eat carbs with her carbs) then the garlic rolls with butter sauce are a must-try; but, who am I kidding? The entire menu is filled with options that are sure to please any palate. But what makes this place so iconic? Bottom line: it’s been in Gainesville for over 50 years. So, you aren’t a true Gator if you haven’t gone once, or more likely, multiple times.
Photo by Ruchika Agarwal
There is a great vibe inside of the restaurant, plus outdoor seating so you can people watch to your heart’s desire. It’s the perfect place to hang with friends on game day or meet with parents during their campus visits. In case you’re on the run, plenty of people also pick it up on their way to or from campus. The epitome of a college town pizza joint, you would be hard pressed to find a student, professor or alum that hasn’t at least tried one of their monstrous slices. You wouldn’t want to miss out on that, would you?
Pro Tip: They also have gluten free menu options AND vegan slices, so every type of pizza connoisseur imaginable will be satisfied.
Location: 1245 West University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601
Hours of Operation: 11am-10pm daily
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