Restaurant Reivew
Gourmet Pizza Company
Almost any type of pizza you can imagine is available at Gourmet Pizza Company, a specialty pizza restaurant in Tampa’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Here you will find a fantastic selection of specialty pizzas and appetizers, including gluten-free and vegan options.
Gourmet Pizza Company is one of the few pizza places in the Tampa area to customize specials exclusively for those following a vegan and/or gluten-free diet. Now, everyone in your party can enjoy dining together, no matter what type of pizza they prefer.
Food
I was pleasantly surprised with the number of gluten-free and vegan options available on the menu. They even offered gluten-free and vegan breadsticks and flatbreads.
If you are following either of these diets, you know that it can be hard to find any appetizer you can eat let alone a bread based selection!
The breadsticks were very good, although a thicker version would have justified the steep $9 price. However, you can expect higher prices for specialty ingredients as is the case in any other restaurant.
The gluten-free pizza crust was a bit pricey for the small 10 inch size (several dollars more than the regular crust), however, it was absolutely delicious. I recommend ordering 2 10" pizzas as the crust is pretty thin.
The Cheeseless Vegan special we ordered included: red cabbage, spinach, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Not the toppings that I typically order on my pizza, however, the strange combo of veggies actually worked quite well together. Note: Daiya cheese is available for an extra charge.
In addition, salads, pastas, and gluten-free and vegan desserts are available.
Service
Service was decent, not much to say here really as we did not have much contact with the cooks/staff. The pizza and breadsticks both came out really fast. There were no problems with the speed of service or the order itself.
Atmosphere
The dining room was completely empty on a Saturday afternoon which was a bit odd. We did see a handful of people come in to pick up orders, so I’m assuming this company gets more take out orders as opposed to dine-in customers.
The dining room is pretty bland without much in the way of décor and no waiter service (you will order at the counter). However, it's a nice casual lunch stop.
Final Remarks
Overall, Gourmet Pizza Company was a great place to enjoy a specialty pizza in Tampa. Unique pizza combinations, including numerous vegan and gluten-free options, are hard to come by. Gourmet Pizza Company does a great job offering menu options to suit everyone’s personal taste and diet.
