IL FORNO RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA – Restaurant

Fifteen-plus years into serving Lakeland, Il Forno still cooks to chef-owner Mick Pugliese's rule: bold and satisfying, never heavy. The pizzeria side turns out New York-style pies, oven-baked calzones and stromboli with a wide run of fresh toppings; the kitchen behind it handles pasta, panini, house-made rustic soups and gourmet salads, with catering and private dining for groups. Online ordering keeps the pickup counter moving. It is the sort of Italian a town settles on and then stops looking past. Dependable, generous, and thoroughly local.

Cuisine: Restaurant