Saturday, August 19, 2006

Stephannos vs Cappy's vs Ybor Pizza

This is not a taste test but a review of menus and space. When I find my Ybor Pizza menu I will add info from that.

Space:

Cappy's has the largest space and best decor. It is a very good eat in restaurant. Stephanno's is essentially a take out place with a couple of outside tables out front or in the courtyard. He also has delivery. Ybor is small eat-in place. All 3 offer take out.

Food Items:

Cappy's is essentially a pizza place. Two choices of styles. Chicago and New York pizza. Toppings: pepperoni, meatball, anchovie, spinach, green pepper, artichoke heart, brocoli, onion, tomato, black olive, feta cheese, basil, bacon, mushrooms, pineapple, and sausage. They offer two specialty pizzas. Vegetarian: Mushroom, onion, tomato, black olive and green pepper. Cappy's: Pepperoni, ham, onion, green pepper, sausage, and mushrooms.

Ancillary Items:
They have a Calzone and 3 salads (Greek, Caesar and Tossed), breadsticks, and cheese bread

They sell beer and wine.

Stephannos has New York and Chicago style pizzas.
Toppings: italian sausage, bacon, shrimp, green peppers, black olives, mushrooms, anchovies, pepperoni, meatballs, ham, pineapple, onions, jalapenos, spinach, and brocoli. He also has pizza's by the slice. He has several gourmet and speciality pizzas. Margherita Pizza (garlic, sliced tomato and pesto. Chicken Pesto ( shredded chicken, tomato, parmesan cheese and pesto. Stephannos Special (pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, garlic and a touch of spinach). Vegetarian (mushrooms, onions, green peppers, black olives, and brocoli), Hawaiian (ham, pineapples, shrip, drizzeled with teriyaki sauce). Mexican (ground beef, jalapeno peppers, cheddar cheese, shreeded lettuce, tomato, drizzled with sour cream), Mediterrean white pizza (garlic, olive oil, mozzarella, romano, ricotta cheeses, topped with spinach, black olives and mushrooms.

He has Pasta Items: Baked Spaghetti (Marinara sauce) with meatballs or italian sausage or bolognaise sauce, or mushrooms. Baked rigatoni bolognaise. Cheese lasagna with with meatballs or italian sausage or bolognaise sauce, or mushrooms. Jumbo stuffed shells. Eggplant, Chicken or Veal Parmesan with spaghetti.

He has sandwiches: Meatball, Sausage and peppers, Eggplant, Chicken or Veal Parmesan, Italian sub, Ham and Provolone, Turkny and Provolone, and a Pizza Burger. All served on focaccia bread.

Ancillary items:
Calzone, Stromboli, Chicken Wings, Garlic Knots, Salads (Antipasto, ceasar, chef, cobb, chicken pasta)

Ybor: Can't find the menu. Will add this when I do.

Prices.

Cappys seemingly has cheaper pizza prices. Their base prices are .95 cheaper. Another comparison: Vegetarian - Small 12.95 (Stepphanos) vs 12.00 (Cappy's). However when comparing the Cappy's (13.00) vs the Stephannos (12.95) speciality pizza it is reversed by .05.

Overall Review. Eat at all of them. Stephannos has the larger selection and delivery. Cappy's has the best eat-in location and beer.

I think Seminole Heights can support these three pizza places. however one thing I would do if I were each place is to also bring customers from outside Seminole Heights. Cappy's can easily draw from Tampa Heights, Riverside Heights and north downtown. Stephannos, Sulpur Springs and Lowry Park area, and Ybor Pizza, East Tampa and Ybor Heights. Ybor pizza has a good draw from WMNF. Although I suspect Cappy's will get some of that crowd.

What we need to occur is a blind taste test of each places pizza. How about doing so at the next porch party?

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you have posted these menus, etc. I have really been concerned that Stephanno's will suffer with Cappy's now here. But, actually, they're 2 different kinds of places and, like you said, we can (and should) support both.

AngelSil said...

Cappy's is where we'll go for sit-down. Stephanno's is where we'll go for take out (much closer). Ybor Pizza isn't on our flight path, really, and I've not heard good things about it.

My personal preference is Cappy's for Chicago style.

Bob swears Cappy's has the best NY style pizza he's found down here.

Anonymous said...

My opinions: Stephanno's = little variety and cost prohibitive. While I haven't tried Cappy's in years, I again found the cost vs. value a bit on the high side. Ybor, while hard on the eyes = good quality at a fair price.

Anonymous said...

Cappys is always hot and crispy crust, good selection and decent prices. Stephano, a bit higher, still good, however, I can never get it home without the pizza crust being soggy. Super nice staff at both.

Ybor, Their pizza taste like cardboard, thier wings are ok. Prices for what you get is a bit high. We stopped eating there because of the dirty conditions. As much as he charges, and as much as we had to pay, I got tired of him "taking the money and running" while keeping the neighborhood looking like the old neighborhood we once were. I don't understand why he will not clean up the mess behind the store. Surely neighbors have told him that many are upset with the condition. The building that he is in in one of the nicest in the neighborhood. It is one of our only commercial spots in the hood that still look historic. If the guy were smart if would fix up the entire strip and rent to more business.

Anonymous said...

Ybor does not care about the condition of his building or business. I believe that I heard that he owns the entire strip of stucco building at the end. Envision a nice restaurant there with paved parking lot, no chain link. It is one of the few business on our corridor that has ample parking. I say stop supporting them, or force them to clean up. Maybe it is time we get the city involved to force them to code. I know many have expressed dissatisfaction over their tax bills. Your money is going to the city to employee people that are in charge of cleaning the city and citing these types of "slum businesses". If we all scream at once, maybe the city will listen. If not, come election time, they might hear a bit clearer. The other option is to take picket signs to city hall or the Mayor's house. A wake up call is way over due!

Anonymous said...

Cappy's has an ultra thin crust that is out of this world. It is very thin and crispy. Their salad is sooooo amazing!

Anonymous said...

The owners of Cappy's live in the neighborhood, and have reason to protect thier investment. I am not sure about the other two places. While Stephano's is not too bad visually, does anyone remember when that location first opened as Rigo's. What a cute place that was.

Anonymous said...

A new pizza restaurant opened up in Tampa Heights called Pesto's, that has both Cappys and Stephano's beat. Their NY pizza is the best in Tampa, by far. I like all three restaurants, but Pesto's pizza really kicks ass! 1811 N. Tampa Street, just a couple of miles south of Seminole heights.

Anonymous said...

Can someone please for once just discuss the food at Ybor and leave your personal agenda out of it?

You chose to move here. Businesses existed before you made that decision.You're upset because a business that has existed in the area has not chosen to change to YOUR liking.
Do you need some cheese with your whine?

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous : 8/21/2006 9:03 AM,

Thank you. For the love of god people just shut up. You all talk about "what if this was there" I don't see your ass trying to open or operate a resturant do I? You offer nothing but whining and shitty attitudes. Don't like it? Don't go. God I might as well have moved to Hyde Park.
Oh wait thats you.

Love

Anonymous : 8/21/2006 9:36 am

PS. The wings arent ok they are awesome.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anon 9:43: You can't see the forest for the trees. The food at Ybor Pizza might be good BUT THE PLACE IS A FILTHY MESS!!! It has nothing to do with Hyde Park or an agenda. It has to do with the fact that YBOR PIZZA IS A FILTHY MESS!!!!! Just because we don't live in Hyde Park doesn't meant that we want to live next to A FILTHY MESS!! YBOR PIZZA IS A FILTHY, RAT-INFESTED MESS!! I am glad that you were happy serving up slop to the hookers and drug dealers that were here before, but the decent people that are cleaning up the neighborhood would rather spend their money somewhere CLEAN!!! CLEANLINESS IS IMPORTANT TO DECENT PEOPLE.

Anonymous said...

Actually, I was here before Ybor. I must say, I was excited when they move in. The building was painted, clean and if I remember it even had Neon. It almost looked south beach. Over time, they started hauling in garbage, etc. I stopped ordering and began hoping they would either clean up and survive or eventually go under and make way for someone that respects their neighbors. They do have a decent following, so I wish the would take the hard earned money that neighbors hand over on a daily basis and invest a small amount to fix the place up.

Anonymous said...

As for the Hyde Park comments that we see on here from time to time. I can honestly say, there is not one person in this neighborhood that does not want this neighborhood to be "the next Hyde Park" otherwise you would not have invested in this neighborhood. I am not referring to the snotty, unsocial, stereotypical South Tampa attitude kind of neighborhood. I am referring to the buy cheap, make a fortune, have every store imaginable within walking or a 1 minute commute kind of community. If you say otherwise, I would say you are fooling yourselves. Look how hard this neighborhood works to better itself. We are not doing this for kicks. That is one reason so many get tired of seeing businesses like Ybor Pizza, Kingdom Auto, Mega Mart, etc. And I beg to differ with the earlier post that Ybor Pizza came first. Before they moved in, many of our neighborhood leaders and activists were here already working hard so that you can make your small fortune as you sell and move on...ok, can someone please help me off my soapbox?

Anonymous said...

Filthy Mess, Cleanliness, Decent People? Lacking a few words there? Are you trying to imply that anyone who might patronize Ybor is not a "decent person"? How is that view from your high horse, pally?

Now, riddle me this; everyone is gaga over the Taco Bus. Let's put Ybor and the Bus side by side.
1) Hot, dirty, aesthetically unpleasing dining area?
Ybor- check
Taco Bus - check
2)Dirty parking lots?
Ybor - check
Taco Bus - check (although Taco Bus smells a bit more due to a bit more organic matter in their lot)
3) Ugly building?
Ybor- check
Taco Bus - check
4)Really good food at a reasonable price?
Ybor - check
Taco Bus - check

So, where does the line get drawn on the double standard? It's OK for the Taco Bus to have all of the qualities that you are up in arms about for Ybor?
Me thinks you should perhaps stand back and examine your perspective a bit.

Anonymous said...

I used to order Ybor pizza for delivery often. Then I actually went there one day to pick it up... Needless to say I haven't eaten Ybor pizza since then.

Anonymous said...

I acutally think the taco bus is not nearly as dirty as Ybor. My only beef with the bus is no A/C.The inside of the bus and the restaurant are spotless, They always keep the place neat. However, the difference lies in the salvage yard behind Ybor. Do yourself a favor and drive down Curtis shortly after dusk. YOu will see that the true difference is as rodent scurry to and from the garbage behind Ybor. I have lived behind them for many years, we never had the rodent problems on our street until this mess. We have called the city for years and they finally have gotten very little cleaned up so it is slightly better. We want it all gone, the garbage...All of it. I don't even think that Ybor Pizza has a dumpster. How can this be leagal. I just realized that I think they are using regular residential garbage. No wonder we have the rodent problem, there are no lids on the cans and exposed food.

Anonymous said...

I live 1 block down from Ybor on Curtis. It is a true problem that they harbor rodents in the rubble behind the restaurant. You can walk down the alley shortly after dark and see all kinds of critters scampering away- and I mean the 4 legged variety. It may not be just Ybor, but the entire strip needs cleaning and regular mowing. I can see why the residents directly behind them might complain. Honestly, I could care less about the storage of equipment as most of it is behind the building. However, we stopped eating there after the alley walk. You have to wonder where those critters go during the day time. It was enough to spook me. I know all restaurants have their issues, but why invite it.

Anonymous said...

Ybor Pizza and the building are for sale. Kerry is moving out of Florida in a couple months and is selling the pizza place, frame place and art studio next to it. There are potential buyers interested in it, it might be a rumor but I heard one of the interested wants to open a gentlemans club there.

Anonymous said...

Hip Hip Hooray! Does he need a hand packing? I will even let my kids come help load the truck.

Anonymous said...

I realized that all the pizza talk, no one mentioned ABC Pizza on Hillsborough. I would have to say it is one of the best. Their Greek Salad is by far the best in town and their Italian Subs can't be beat! Service is always great, prices are very cheap and they are always clean!

IFly said...

Biggest downside to ABC for us is their proximity to the church means no beer. A real downer when we first ate there, and haven't been back since. We ate Cappy's Wednesday night, my review is here.
Long story short, Cappy's for sit down, Stephanno's for take out.

Anonymous said...

Cappys really sucks. Went for carry out, asked about the equivalent of a house pizza. Was told about the kappy and the veggie and the 2 styles. I was show this specifically on their menu. I used the same menu to point to, yes, kappys, new york style. 35 minutes later a cheese pizza popped out and the guy said it was his mistake but really did not care. I walked out. Diques.