ItalianPizza

Carolina’s Coal Fired Pizza & Pasta (Delray Beach)

Posted on May 27th, 2008 · Delray Beach Italian Pizza

*****  Carolina’s Coal Fired Pizza & Pasta, 9 S.E. 7th Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33483, (561) 278-1913.

As most of you know, over the past 3-4 years COAL FIRED PIZZA JOINTS have been popping up all over South Florida… joints like Anthony’s, Red Rock, Coal Mine, Vic & Angelo’s and Giovanni’s immediately come to mind.  Rather than going into esquisite detail, the usual  menu game at these joints is family style salads-coal fired pizza-coal fired chicken wings covered in carmalized onions/garlic-individual bottles of soda. For sure, almost everyone of these joints has some sort of variation on the above theme, but all-in-all, the pizzas and chicken wings are the stars of the game.

Readers of jeffeats know that I love good coal fired pizza/wings. Past rave revues for Anthony’s, Red Rock and Giovanni’s should convince “you” of that love.

Now let me tell you about…Carolina’s Coal Fired Pizza & Pasta.

Last night I ate dinner at Carolina’s which is located in Delray Beach. The joint is housed in a “house” and seats about 60 inside and 60 on an out-door patio. Like the other joints previously mentioned, Carolina’s is in the coal fired pizza business….however, there isn’t a chicken wing  in sight. Carolina’s spends as much time on its pastas and salads as it does on its pizzas…coal fired pizza is just one of many dishes….Anyway, last night 5 of us “dined” at Carolina’s. We had pizza, salad,  fried zucchini appetizer, 3 family sized pasta dishes and 5 sodas (no bottles) unlimited refills… I have to tell you that everything was absolutely delicious.

Now I am not looking to “have” any hard feelings here, but I have to tell you, that the coal fired pizza I had last night, was the best I have eaten since I have been down here in South Florida. As a matter of fact, it is as good as some of the “famous” pies that I had in New York City’s  John’s of Bleeker Street  and Coney Island’s Totonno’s Pizzeria. The pastas and salad are equally top-notch and are as good as any I have eaten in South Florida. As for the fried zucchini, Matteo’s makes the best (as far as I am concerned), but Carolina’s was a close runner-up.

Carolina’s is a tee shirt/shorts joint. I am telling you that the food is great. By the way, the bill for 5 and there was plenty of food, was $110 (tax and tip included). Carolina’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

You don’t want to miss this joint…it really is that good.

21 Comments to “Carolina’s Coal Fired Pizza & Pasta (Delray Beach)”

  1. Randi says...

    Have you reviewed Pizza Rustica? If not, any plans? I was reading about this over on Chowhound. I’m heading down to Ft. Lauderdale and I’d love to try the Hollywood location.

  2. JeffEats says...

    Randi: Before jeffeats crashed, there was a full writeup about Pizza Rustica…now gone.
    Some people love it…personally it’s just okay in my book. This is sheet pizza with toppings applied.

  3. jason says...

    I am a big fan on of your website and am all about “joints.” I am also a pizza nut, and try to hit all the coal fired pizza places as well. Being from NY, I guess it’s in my blood. So last night i went to Carolina’s. Ordered the fried Zucchini and a pizza. Pizza was half sausage and sun dried tomatoes. My wife likes it plain. The zucchini was greasy(yes, I know its fried)and the pizza was extremely pizza. Anthony’s is better food and better wait staff. Also the patio you mention maybe sits 20-25, and you have to make sure you are not on an incline so your table is sturdy.

  4. jason says...

    I meant to say, “pizza is extremely greasy.”

  5. JeffEats says...

    Jason: Just had a chance to read your posts. Sorry I have to disagree with you, I thought that the fried zucchini was terrific and the coal fired pizza was as good as it gets down here in South Florida. Personally, I think that it is no contest between Carolina’s vs. Anthony’s.
    On your service issues, I have to agree with you, that Anthony’s service is far superior.
    On the size of the out-door patio, the next time I am at Carolina’s I’ll do a physical count, but my original eyeball estimate of 60 seats was based on the small area I was seated in which had 4 tables alone which had 18 people sitting when I was there.

    I recently did a writeup on a joint in Coral Springs named Scarfone’s. Give it a try. I thought that the coal fired pizza was delicious.

    Thanks for being a big fan of jeffeats…

  6. Mike Ferrier, Jr. says...

    I eat at Carolina’s often. Very consistent.
    The best casual Italian place I have eaten at in Delray and So. Florida.

  7. paula s. says...

    All I can say is that Carolina’s coal fired pizza runs circles around all the rest.

  8. mike/boca raton says...

    This JOINT runs circles around every other JOINT when it comes to coal fired pizza. GREAT!!!
    A must try.

  9. Johnnie C. says...

    Food B
    Pizza A+
    Service B

  10. CC (Brooklyn) says...

    This restaurant makes the best coal fired pizza in all of South Florida. The other food is good but the pizza is the best.
    I own an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn. I have tried pizza in a countless number of restaurants. Carolina’s is has the best pizza.

  11. Jerry S. says...

    Have eaten in a number of coal oven pizza places and Carolina’s pizza is by far and away the best that I have eaten.

  12. Rick says...

    have you reviewed gelato shops in south florida? may I be so bold as to recommend my own? It’s called Gelato at Collado’s (inside Collado’s Market in Delray Beach)? I’m told by my customers, daily, that it’s the best gelato they’ve had outside of Italy.
    Thanks!
    Rick Consolo
    561-271-4053

  13. Mike B. says...

    Food B
    Service B+
    Pizza A+

  14. jk says...

    outrageously great pizza. you are 100 percent on this being the best coal fired pizza around. second place goes to another of your picks mona lisa.

  15. george s. says...

    We ate at Carolina’s last night. The best coal oven pizza and salad, nothing more to say, except, you have to try it.

  16. bb says...

    stopped here while at garlic festival 2 weeks ago. delicious pizza and fried zucchini.

  17. po says...

    i love coal oven pizza. i have eaten in pizza joints all over fla and elsewhere. for good measure i have been to john’s and totonno’s in nyc considered by numerous critics to be top notch and i think that carolina’s pizza is better.

  18. NELLIE says...

    This place has mazing delicious pizza. Anthony’s is no match for this one.

    • Silvio says...

      so right, best coal fired pizza.
      i have eaten in tons of coal fired pizza places here in florida and around the country.
      this place makes the best.

  19. SI says...

    Outstanding coal oven pizza. Best I’ve had.

  20. Mr. Seltzer says...

    Went there last Sunday and it was closed for renovations.

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