Full Circle Pizza & Grill - New Tampa, FL

[rkrider99]

We just had a new pizza joint open up down the street from me. Me, being originally from Chicago, am always looking for that thin crust, crispy, style pizza that I grew up with. I was surprised to see the write up in the local paper saying they were serving authentic south Chicago style pizza, and NOT the deep dish, everyone thinks of when you say, "Chicago pizza".

So Saturday, we went over and picked one up. Had a chance to speak to the owner for a few minutes, and he said he was from the Homewood area. Got a large cheese, sausage, and onion.

The verdict: Crust was good, flaky, slightly crisp, layered, almost looked laminated, and the bottom of the crust was paper thin, but crispy enough to hold up to the cheese, sauce, and sausage. The cheese, not really anything special. Sausage was pretty good, but could have used more fennel for a Chicago style pizza. The sauce.....for me....sickeningly sweet, and lot's of it...Way too sweet for me. Since they just opened, and if he's making the sauce from scratch, I'm hoping that he's going to tone it down. I'm wondering if he's trying to clone an Aurelio's pizza. I've never had an Aurelio's pizza, so I can't say, but I don't remember any pizza I had in Chicago that was this sweet.

Sorry, no pictures, I definitely need to get a camera, but if anyone in the Tampa area wants to try it, they are in New Tampa, Pebble Creek Collection shopping center, off Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

I plan on going back to talk to him and ask about the sauce, and give it another try. He also has Italian beef sandwiches, and I asked if he was going to get Vienna Red Hots, and make Chicago style hot dogs. He said he's thinking about it. So, while we may not agree on the pizza, maybe I can get a taste of home on the other things.

Tom

[Big Daddy 007]

Just tried Full Circle tonight.  When I found out they cut their pizza in a square, I decided to go ahead and get a second one for later.  I was tempted to try their Italian Beef sandwich but I have been disappointed too many times, so I thought I would try their pizza first.  Make no mistake..... This pizza is the real deal!  No, it's not Home Run Inn, Aurelio's, or Vito and Nicks, but it's in Tampa, and it's good, very good.  I ordered my pizzas to go, and when I tried a slice at the check-out, I knew I needed to try the Chicago Beef.  Glad I did... Delicious. The pizza sauce is a bit sweeter than I prefer as rkrider99 mentioned,  but certainly not a deal breaker, it actually compliments the cheese rather well.  Good Luck Full Circle.  I will be back.

[rkrider99]

Tried Full Circle again last night. Not for the pizza, but had to try the Italian Beef. Excellent!! Great bread, thinly sliced, tender beef, and the gravy, was the real stuff. I'll definitely head back to try the pizza again, but I may have to try the Chicago Hot Dogs that they just added to the menu on the next trip.

[BTB]

Thanks for the tip on Full Circle Pizza as I, too, am always on the hunt for good Chicago thin crust pizzas in the New Tampa Bay area.  I lived in the Homewood, IL area for many years so I'll have to schedule a visit to the far northeast edge of the Tampa Bay area to try out this new pizza.  I searched and found this article, too, on their restaurant:  
 
Full Circle Pizza & Grill — New Tampa’s Taste Of Chicago!
http://ntneighborhoodnews.com/en/new_tampa_issue_15_12/dining/1370/Full-Circle-Pizza-amp;-Grill-%E2%80%94-New-Tampa%E2%80%99s-Taste-Of-Chicago!-full-circle-pizza-new-tampa-dining-chicago-style-pizza-tampa-ron-chase-restaurants-new-tampa-pizza-pebble-creek.htm

Just in case you're not aware, there are at least two great thin crust pizzas in Pinellas County that I highly recommend to all Chicago thin crust lovers.  Paul's Chicago Pizza on the east side of Clearwater is outstanding (http://paulschicagopizza.com/).  One bite of their great pizza will lead to you thinking "wow, that really tastes like old-fashioned thin crust Chicago pizza!"  Get it "well done" for a little crispier crust (see picture below). Paul is from the Aurora, IL area.  
 
Also Charlie and Millie's on Seminole in Largo has often won "best pizza" awards.  They are outstanding, too, but the only minor problem I have with them is that they put "pre-cooked" sausage on their pizzas (which often leads to "dark or blackened" sausage on a cooked pizza).  But definitely worth trying out as it is one of Tampa Bay's BEST Chicago style thin crust pizzas. (second picture below)
 
Two others that I recommend trying, but IMO not as good to me as those mentioned above.  Loven Pizza in Clearwater (http://www.lovenpizza.com/) advertises "Chicago Style" thin crust.  It is fairly good, but not like most Chicago Style thin crusts I've experience (which is most).  Their sauce is extremely spicy (and somewhat hot), which many don't like at all, so be prepared if you try it.  
 
Another is Untouchables Pizza on Clearwater-Largo Rd in Clearwater.  They had won the No. 1 pizza award in the Tampa Bay area a few years ago.  They are very good, too, but I have two complaints of sorts about their pizza style:  one is that their crust is very, very soft and even after requesting a well done (and blackened) crust, it is still soft with not a bit of crispness to the crust.  The second is that their sauce is very sweet.  Many love it because of that, but I'm not that excited about super sweet sauce.
 
I'll give honorable mention to Micheles Great Chicago Pizza in Largo (http://www.micheleschicagopizza.com/).  But if you ordered 4x sausage there, you would not get the single average amount of sausage that you'd get from a Chicago pizzeria.  And many know Cappy's for their New York style thin (but thick) crust pizza and their Chicago Style deep dish pizza.  While they've expanded their restaurants around the Tampa Bay area, they've definitely lowered the quality of their pizzas immensely.  I don't know if I'll ever order a pizza from them again.
 
                                                                                          --BTB