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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Leonardo’s 706: Gourmet pizza baked with a side of jazz

The first restaurant I heard about when I started school at UF was Leonardo’s.  Everybody is always raving about the By the Slice restaurant, and how it is the best pizza in town. 

Leonardo’s By the Slice may be good for a pizza joint with your friends, but it completely overshadows its sister restaurant, Leonardo’s 706. Leonardo’s 706 is a fancier, sit-down Italian restaurant that just so happens to make the best gourmet pizzas I ever tasted.

Leonardo’s 706 is your typical family owned Italian restaurant. 

The atmosphere is perfect for a more intimate experience than you would have at their By the Slice location. I decided to save this restaurant for the right occasion, which ended up being my anniversary. 

When my boyfriend and I first got to the restaurant, the host gave us the option of dining inside or out, with the added option of their jazz room, where they have live music Monday and Thursday nights.

A lot of Leonardo’s dishes involve some form of seafood. For instance, they have a blackened tuna pizza. Other customers said they enjoy the seafood dishes, but I am personally not a fan of many things that taste like fish.  I wanted to stick to something traditional, so I ordered a Lotta Tomata pizza ($10.95).  

The pizza has mozzarella and fontina cheese, plum tomato, and basil.  It was baked to perfection, and you could tell they use only the freshest ingredients.  My boyfriend got the Mondo Cheese ($11.95), which has gorgonzola, fontina, mozzarella, gouda, and romano cheese topped with plum tomatoes and basil.

When our pizzas arrived, the band was just beginning their performance.  The touch of a live jazz band added to the experience. 

The musicians were very down to earth, and the performance really made the night.

 

Another personal touch Leonardo’s 706 offers is Sunday Brunch.  From 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sundays, you can enjoy either an international buffet or one of 12 entrees with a plate of muffins.

General Details:

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Price Range:  $$

Good For: Dinner, Sunday Brunch

Must Try: 706 Rolls, Chicken Gorgonzola Pasta, Lotta Tomata Pizza

Hours: Mon- Thur: 5:00 - 10:00 p.m., Fri-Sat: 5:00 – 11:00 p.m., Sun: 10:30 AM – 3:00 p.m. & 5:00 – 10:00 p.m..

Location: 706 W University Ave., Gainesville, Fla.

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