If it’s iguana you wanna as a pizza topping, Bucks Coal Fired Pizza in Lake Park, Florida, has what you’re looking for.

Owner Frankie Cecere said he has created “the first iguana pizza in the history of mankind,” and the innovation landed his shop on FoxNews.com recently. (Scroll down to watch the video.)

A local content creator, Ryan Izquierdo, bagged the cold-stunned green iguanas during a recent stint of rare sub-freezing temperatures in South Florida. The reptiles were literally falling out of the trees at the time. He reportedly euthanized them humanely—which is legal in Florida—and dropped them off at Bucks.

Iguanas, it should be added, are considered an invasive species in Florida. State wildlife authorities encourage the killing of the lizards. Moreover, iguana meat, sometimes called “chicken of the tree,” is a traditional food in Mexico and Central America. It’s known for its mild, slightly sweet flavor.

Bonus: Eating it supposedly cures impotence. Not for other iguanas, of course, but for men. But we’re not making any promises here.

Cecere posts a new video every day on Facebook in hopes of catching Dave Portnoy’s attention. For a video spotlighting the Everglades Pie, he showcased iguana meat, venison and bacon.

Izquierdo taste-tested it and called it “unbelievable…it’s a little bit sweet, I can’t really describe it. But that venison and that bacon with the ranch, they just work so well.”

“The majority of people have loved it,” Cecere told Fox News. “We’ve probably received at least 1,500 calls asking if we have iguana available. A lot of people seem interested in purchasing it.”

However, Cecere later told Tampa Bay News 10 that he wouldn’t offer the pie again anytime soon after rumors swirled that he was keeping live iguanas in his restaurant. Those rumors were false, he noted, but he didn’t want to run afoul of health regulations.

Bucks’ other attention-grabbing pizzas with wild-game toppings have included the Game Warden featuring alligator meat (from the tail), venison and a blood orange balsamic glaze, and the Whitetail, sporting venison from New Zealand, ricotta, fresh mozzarella and hot honey. Alligator meat also starred on the BBQ Brisket Alligator, while venison appeared on the Big Rac, paired with pickles and an “avocado oil mac sauce.”

Bucks celebrated its two-year anniversary on February 1.


Featured, Food & Ingredients