by North Palm Beach, Florida — A local pizza restaurant is facing mounting backlash after adding iguana meat as a pizza topping, a move that quickly went viral but also prompted complaints to health officials.
Bucks Coal Fired Pizza in North Palm Beach announced it will stop offering iguana as a topping after what the owner described as a wave of complaints to the Health Department. The controversy erupted after the restaurant posted a viral video showing chunks of iguana meat being tossed onto pizza dough before being baked in a coal-fired oven.
The unusual menu item drew both curiosity and outrage across social media platforms.
Viral Video Sparks Attention
Restaurant owner Frankie Cecere said the idea came from a friend who suggested experimenting with the invasive reptile as a topping.
“My buddy hit me up and was like, how do you feel about me bringing in some iguana meat and making iguana pizza? I said, absolutely,” Cecere said.
The video showcasing the preparation quickly gained tens of thousands of likes online, fueling debate about whether the concept was innovative or inappropriate.
Despite criticism, Cecere claimed the demand was real.
“It’s highly sought after apparently,” he said, adding that the restaurant received approximately 1,500 calls asking for iguana pizza.
Cold Snap Led to Iguana Surge
The timing of the viral menu item coincided with a cold snap across Florida that caused cold-stunned iguanas to fall from trees.
Because iguanas are cold-blooded reptiles, sudden drops in temperature can cause them to become temporarily immobilized as their bodies shut down to conserve energy. During these events, residents often find the reptiles scattered on sidewalks, lawns and roadways.
Florida officials have long considered green iguanas an invasive species, particularly in South Florida, where they damage landscaping, seawalls and infrastructure.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has temporarily allowed residents to humanely remove and dispose of cold-stunned iguanas without a permit.
Complaints Prompt Health Scrutiny
While iguanas are classified as invasive and can legally be removed, questions arose about the regulatory framework for serving them as food in a restaurant setting.
Cecere said complaints to the Health Department accused the restaurant of animal cruelty and keeping live iguanas on-site.
“People called in saying we had live iguanas in house, like an animal cruelty issue,” Cecere said. “We don’t have live iguanas here.”
He also suggested he believed the concept might fall under a “catch and cook” principle, similar to wild game preparation.
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However, the regulatory landscape appears unclear.
“You don’t need a license to harvest iguanas because they’re an invasive species, but apparently, there’s no statute for it,” Cecere said.
The restaurant is now working through compliance questions related to food safety and wildlife regulations.
Ethical and Regulatory Questions
The controversy highlights a broader issue: when invasive species become food products, what rules apply?
While invasive species are often encouraged to be removed to protect ecosystems, turning them into commercial food items raises additional oversight concerns, including sourcing, inspection standards and proper handling.
Local health officials have not publicly detailed specific violations, but the volume of complaints appears to have influenced the restaurant’s decision to discontinue the topping.
Bucks Coal Fired Pizza confirmed it will stop serving iguana pizza for now.
Social Media Amplifies Debate
The story also gained traction as other Florida content creators experimented with iguana recipes. One TikTok creator went viral for preparing and eating iguana tacos, further fueling discussion about whether the reptile should be seen as a nuisance — or a novelty protein source.
Supporters argue that utilizing invasive species as food could reduce environmental impact. Critics counter that food safety, humane treatment and regulatory clarity must come first.
For now, the pizza experiment appears to be over.
The North Palm Beach pizzeria continues to serve its traditional coal-fired pies, but the iguana topping has been pulled amid ongoing scrutiny and public backlash.
Do you think restaurants should be allowed to serve invasive species like iguana, or should stricter food regulations apply? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
