A local’s guide
A local’s guide to every style around the Chain of Lakes
Updated July 2026 · By the crew at J. Burns’ Pizza Shop
Winter Haven’s pizza scene punches above its weight: a cluster of genuinely good downtown shops, a strong New York–style contingent, and, on the Cypress Gardens corridor near LEGOLAND, the square-cut style Polk County has been eating since 1965 at our Winter Haven shop.
Here are the shops we’d actually send a neighbor (or a LEGOLAND visitor) to, by craving. Ratings and details were pulled in July 2026 from Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor and will drift; the recommendations hold.
TL;DR: For square-cut, thin-and-crispy pizza (and real gluten-free crusts), that’s us: J. Burns’ on Cypress Gardens Blvd. Downtown, Upper Crust and Bistro Pizza are the sit-down picks. For New York style, locals split between Giovanni’s, MJ’s, and Brothers.
How this guide works. Full disclosure: this guide is written by J. Burns’ Pizza Shop, and we’re on our own list. For what it’s worth, Yelp’s pizza rankings for the Winter Haven area listed J. Burns’ at #1 in July 2026, but every shop below is real competition we respect, with details you can verify.
The list
Square-cut, thin & crispy (tavern-style) · 5535 Cypress Gardens Blvd
That’s us. The same thin, crispy, square-cut pizza we’ve made since 1965, on the Cypress Gardens corridor a short drive from LEGOLAND, listed #1 among pizza places in the Winter Haven area on Yelp in July 2026. Fresh subs, fresh salads, and the area’s most serious gluten-free program.
Thick, doughy pies downtown · 362 3rd St NW
The most-searched pizza name in Winter Haven and the downtown crowd-pleaser, holding a 4.6 Google rating across 500+ reviews (July 2026). Reviewers rave about the crust above all: fluffy inside, crunchy outside.
Full Italian menu · 200 Post Ave SW
A 4.7 Google rating (about 350 reviews, July 2026) and a menu that goes well beyond pizza: calzones, pasta, subs, and salads. The pick when half the table wants pizza and the other half doesn’t.
Brick-oven, hand-tossed · 326 W Central Ave
Downtown’s brick-oven option (4.5 Google rating, 500+ reviews, July 2026), from the same family as Arabella’s Ristorante. Classic hand-tossed varieties or design-your-own.
New York style · Winter Haven
The city’s most-searched New York–style shop by a wide margin. Big slices, classic NY menu: the default answer when the craving is a foldable triangle.
New York style · Winter Haven
A Tripadvisor top-three regular and the other half of Winter Haven’s NY-slice debate. Try both and pick a side; locals have.
New York style · Winter Haven
Rounding out the NY contingent, and a Yelp top-five regular for the area. Three strong New York options in one small city is a good problem to have.
Family Italian kitchen · Winter Haven
Tripadvisor’s #1 for Winter Haven pizza in July 2026, and a full Italian kitchen rather than a slice shop. A sit-down pick for family dinners.
Pick by craving
| Style | What you get | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| Square-cut / tavern-style | Thin, crispy, cut in squares; travels well; feeds groups | J. Burns’ Pizza Shop |
| New York slice | Big foldable triangles, chewy crust | Giovanni’s, MJ’s, Brothers |
| Brick-oven / hand-tossed | Downtown date-night pies | Bistro Pizza |
| Thick and doughy | Crust-first pies downtown | Upper Crust Pizza |
| Full Italian menu | Pizza plus pasta, calzones, subs | Sal’s, Floridino’s |
| Gluten-free / celiac-friendly | Dedicated GF crusts, every day | 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
By style: J. Burns’ Pizza Shop for square-cut thin-and-crispy (currently #1 for the area on Yelp, July 2026), Upper Crust or Bistro Pizza for a downtown sit-down, and Giovanni’s, MJ’s, or Brothers for New York slices.
J. Burns’ Pizza at 5535 Cypress Gardens Blvd is on the same boulevard as LEGOLAND, a short drive west of the park. Order online before you leave and pick it up on the way to your hotel or rental.
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.
Upper Crust Pizza (3rd St NW), Bistro Pizza (W Central Ave), and Sal’s Pizza (Post Ave SW) all sit in or near the downtown core, each with a different style.
Ordering online for pickup is the fastest way to get J. Burns’. The shop is at 5535 Cypress Gardens Blvd, and your order is boxed when you arrive. Call 863-256-0200 for current ordering options.
J. Burns’ Winter Haven is at 5535 Cypress Gardens Blvd: thin, crispy, cut in squares since 1965, with gluten-free crusts every day.
