A local’s guide
8 shops locals actually love, ranked by a pizza shop
Updated July 2026 · By the crew at J. Burns’ Pizza Shop
Lakeland is quietly a great pizza town. Within a fifteen-minute drive you can get thin square-cut pies that haven’t changed since 1965, New York slices from a pizzaiolo with Manhattan credentials, creative pies downtown, and old-school family Italian joints that have fed generations.
This guide covers the eight local shops we’d actually point a neighbor to, depending on the craving. Ratings and details were pulled in July 2026 from Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor and will drift over time; the pizza is the constant. Living on the south side? Our south Lakeland shop sits in Maryoma Plaza.
TL;DR: For square-cut, thin-and-crispy pizza, that’s us: J. Burns’. For New York slices, locals point to By The Chef. For a downtown sit-down, Palace Pizza is the institution. For creative pies, try Folds Pizza on East Main.
How this guide works. Full disclosure: this guide is written by J. Burns’ Pizza Shop. Yes, we put ourselves on our own list; we’ve been making square-cut pizza in Polk County since 1965 and we’re not going to pretend otherwise. Every other shop here is real competition we respect, with details you can verify.
The list
Square-cut, thin & crispy (tavern-style) · 2306 E Edgewood Dr & 5615 S Florida Ave #101
That’s us, so no rating brag, just the facts. J. Burns’ has made the same thin, crispy, square-cut pizza since 1965, from a dough made specially for us. Two Lakeland shops, fresh subs, and the most serious gluten-free program on this list: rice flour and cauliflower crusts made for celiac guests, every day.
New York–Italian, downtown institution · 114 S Kentucky Ave, plus north Lakeland & Palace Southside
The most-searched pizza name in Lakeland, and the busiest dining room. The downtown Kentucky Ave original holds a 4.6 Google rating across roughly 3,600 reviews (July 2026) with a menu that runs from gourmet pies to calzones and pasta.
New York slices with Manhattan pedigree · Lakeland
The buzziest name in Lakeland pizza right now. Led by a pizzaiolo who previously worked at Mama’s TOO in Manhattan, it gets called a top-3-in-Florida contender in regional pizza groups. Expect proper NY-style slices and lines at peak hours.
Creative artisan pies · 640 E Main St, Unit 3
Small shop, big ideas: think truffle mushroom and cacio e pepe pies. A 4.8 Google rating (from a smaller review base, July 2026) makes it the pick when you want something you can’t get anywhere else in town.
Neighborhood favorite · 811 E Palmetto St
A 4.7 Google rating across about 280 reviews (July 2026) and the kind of regulars who review the staff by name. Reliable, friendly, and consistently in Lakeland’s local-pack top three.
Old-school slices at the mall · Lakeland Square Mall
Tripadvisor’s #1 pizza in Lakeland in July 2026. A family operation with roots in New Jersey pizza-making, and proof that great slices can live in a food court.
Buffalo-style · Lakeland
The name is the tell: 716 is Buffalo’s area code, and this Yelp top-10 regular brings western New York pizza (and wing culture) to Polk County.
Family red-sauce joint · 2346 Griffin Rd
North Lakeland’s neighborhood option, with specialty pies like Buffalo chicken and Philly cheesesteak alongside a full pasta menu. The kind of place that feeds a family without fuss.
Pick by craving
| Style | What you get | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| Square-cut / tavern-style | Thin, crispy, cut in squares; crispy corners, cheesy centers; feeds groups well | J. Burns’ Pizza Shop |
| New York slice | Big foldable triangles, chewy crust | By The Chef, Solorzano’s |
| Downtown sit-down Italian | Pies plus pasta, calzones, and a full dining room | Palace Pizza |
| Creative / artisan | Chef-driven toppings, small-batch | Folds Pizza |
| Buffalo-style | Cup-and-char pepperoni territory, wing-shop energy | That 716 Pizza Joint |
| Gluten-free / celiac-friendly | Dedicated GF crusts, not an afterthought | J. Burns’ (rice flour & cauliflower) |
Whatever the craving, start with the square-cut pizza menu, check the gluten-free menu, or plan group orders on our catering page.
Good to know
It depends on the style you’re after. For square-cut, thin-and-crispy pizza, J. Burns’ Pizza Shop has been the local standard since 1965. For New York slices, locals currently point to By The Chef Pizza; for a downtown sit-down, Palace Pizza is the institution; for creative artisan pies, Folds Pizza on East Main is the one to try.
J. Burns’ Pizza Shop offers two dedicated gluten-free crusts every day, rice flour in 10″ and 14″ and cauliflower in 10″, made for guests with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, at both Lakeland shops.
Palace Pizza anchors downtown on South Kentucky Ave, and Folds Pizza is just east on Main Street. Pizza Odyssey on East Palmetto is a short hop from the core.
Yes. J. Burns’ Pizza has a south Lakeland shop in Maryoma Plaza at 5615 S Florida Ave #101 (33813), and the Palace family runs Palace Southside on the south side.
A thin, crispy pizza sliced into squares instead of wedges, also called tavern-style or party-cut. It’s J. Burns’ signature: crispy corner squares, cheesy center squares, and easy sharing for groups.
Two Lakeland shops, Edgewood Drive and South Florida Ave, plus Winter Haven. Thin, crispy, cut in squares, with gluten-free crusts every day.
