Lee County Residents Invited to Nominate Favorite Mom-and-Pop Pizza Joints

News-Press Launches Annual Pizza Bracket Challenge to Find the Best Local Pie

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The News-Press is kicking off its annual pizza bracket challenge to determine Lee County's best mom-and-pop pizza joint. Residents can nominate their favorite local pizza place by emailing the name to the newspaper by noon on Thursday, March 12. The top vote-getters will make the Sweet 16 field, which will be announced on March 16, and then online voting will open each Monday and close at noon on Thursdays to determine the winner.

Why it matters

This annual pizza bracket challenge engages the local community to celebrate and support Lee County's independent pizza restaurants, which are an important part of the area's food and dining culture. The contest also provides valuable publicity for the winning pizzeria.

The details

The News-Press is running its pizza bracket challenge inspired by the NCAA college basketball tournament. Residents can nominate their favorite local mom-and-pop pizza joint by emailing the name to the newspaper by the March 12 deadline. The top vote-getters will make the Sweet 16 field, which will be announced on March 16. From there, online voting will open each Monday and close at noon on Thursdays to determine the winner, with the championship vote taking place March 30 to April 2. The winner will be announced online on April 6 and featured in the Taste section on April 8.

  • Nominations for the Sweet 16 are open now and close at noon on Thursday, March 12.
  • The Sweet 16 field will be announced on Monday, March 16.
  • Elite Eight voting will begin online on Monday, March 16 and end at noon on Thursday, March 19.
  • Final Four voting will begin on Monday, March 23 and end at noon on Thursday, March 26.
  • Championship voting will begin on Monday, March 30 and end at noon on Thursday, April 2.

The players

The News-Press

A local newspaper serving Lee County, Florida that is launching its annual pizza bracket challenge to find the best mom-and-pop pizza joint in the area.

Little Sicily

The 2025 winner of the News-Press pizza bracket challenge.

Pezzo Pizza

The 2025 runner-up in the News-Press pizza bracket challenge.

Joe Daddy's

The 2023 winner of the News-Press pizza bracket challenge, edging out Nice Guys in an all-Cape Coral final.

Nice Guys

The 2023 runner-up in the News-Press pizza bracket challenge, losing to Joe Daddy's in the final by just 16 votes.

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What they’re saying

“Who has the best pizza in Lee County? It sounds like an easy question. But with so many glorious pies out there, it's anything but simple.”

— Robyn George, Reporter (news-press.com)

What’s next

The top vote-getters from the initial email nominations will make the Sweet 16 field, which will be announced on Monday, March 16. After that, online voting will open each Monday and close at noon on Thursdays to determine the winner, with the championship vote taking place March 30 to April 2.

The takeaway

This annual pizza bracket challenge is a fun way for the Lee County community to celebrate and support its local independent pizza restaurants, which are an important part of the area's vibrant food culture. The contest provides valuable publicity for the winning pizzeria and engages residents in determining the best mom-and-pop pizza joint in the region.