Pizza in New Jersey

[201]

Umm... yeeeeeaaaaaah. I'm just going to need you to just go ahead and start up a NJ bar thread, umkay? Thanks, that's terrific.

By the way, have you tried Nellie's in Waldwick? I might have mentioned it earlier in this thread, but I'm too lazy to go check. Their kitchen is open until 1am and they're a lot closer to you than Kinchley's is. They also have beer there at this long table type area with stools.

[tommy]

By the way, have you tried Nellie's in Waldwick?  I might have mentioned it earlier in this thread, but I'm too lazy to go check.  Their kitchen is open until 1am and they're a lot closer to you than Kinchley's is.  They also have beer there at this long table type area with stools.

does that be the place on da franklin TP on da way to that garden center up dere on da right? da missus says it's been dere for years, but offers nothing else. perhaps there was some misspent youth that i don't need to know about. however, how da pie? got pie?

Edited April 23, 2003 by tommy (log)

[201]

Mmmm, pie. You go there. When come back, bring pie.

Toppings are nothing worth noting, but the pizza itself is respectable. It was my usual late-night take out spot for a while. Don't expect to be blown away or anything, but you might want to file it under "useful info".

[tkrongold]

Try Kinchley's in Ramsey. Very good thin-crust pizza. Very noisy when crowded & usually lots of kids, but it's worth it.

For thick, Sicilian pizza, try Sun-Ray in Little Falls.

[Rosie]

I merged the two pizza topics.

[Poots]

Anyone here been to Star Tavern in Orange? I'm a fan, albeit not as huge a one as my parents. Mom and Pops go there every Friday(for the past 10 yrs at least). Very thin crust. While it may not seem like a family place, not a great neighborhood, and open room bar/restaurant, it seems that in the past few years many of the more well-to-do people have found it and swarmed it with families and the like. Still make some darn good pizza though. Asides from the pizza, there are plenty of edible things on the menu including a decent Caesar, a Mista salad(balsamic vinagrette(sp?)), cavatelli & broccoli, and the usual bar food of wings etc. if you haven't been give it a try.

[tommy]

i've been dying to try Star. although, every time i drive by it i end up going to Gaffer's for a burger instead.

[menton1]

All these places are great for a cocktail and a whole pie, but are there any places in NNJ like DiFara's and Nick's in NYC where you can get a GREAT single slice? I'm usually just a 1- or 2-slice kind of guy.

[Poots]

menton1, never been to DiFara's and Nick's, but when I'm eating a pizza lunch i head to Roman Gourmet in Maplewood. Don't know how well it ranks up there, but friendly staff(order at the counter), and plenty of places to sit. Very small-towney(yeah, like that's a word) place. I like the plain cheese slices, but also enjoy baked ziti stuffed slice as well as some other stuff pieces, and also love their sicilian.

PS. Tommy, you should definitely try the Star. They serve beer too!

Edited April 23, 2003 by Poots (log)

[shugga]

There's Dante's in Leonia, Donna's in Palisades Park, and Uncle Franks in Dumont. I've heard that Sopranos in New Milford is good, but have not tried it yet.

[jhlurie]

Place called "Baci", in North Bergen is not bad (yes, its a horrible name), although its not quite up there with Brooklyn's Coal Burning or Kinchley's. The Arrabiatta Brick Oven variety is the choice item there.

9011 Palisades Ave.

North Bergen, NJ 07047

201-758-9600

[menton1]

There's Dante's in Leonia, Donna's in Palisades Park, and Uncle Franks in Dumont.  I've heard that Sopranos in New Milford is good, but have not tried it yet.

I guess one man's meat is another's poison; I thought Sopranos in New Milford was one of the WORST slices I've ever had (Before 1PM they use the previous day's leftovers from the refrigerator) , and Uncle Franks is rather unremarkable. Still looking.

[MishyPoo]

Hello,

Id like to share with you some of the better pizza places around my neighborhhod, that being Freehold, NJ.

Freehold is pretty famous for Federici's which makes a really good thin crust pizza. Now, mind you...I was born and bred in Brooklyn, NYC...so I know from Pizza! Im telling you Federici's is good for *around here*, if you get my drift.

I was pleasantly surprised when I took my daughter to a pizza shop in Red Bank called "Mr. Pizza Slice." This place was like walking into a Brooklyn pizza store, but in Red Bank. The pizza was actually very good, just like Brooklyn pizza. I really felt like I stepped into a time warp. Mr Pizza Slice is off of Broad Street, on one of those little side streets, cant remember which one.

As far as my neighborhood goes, that is about it for pizza. I guess I just consider myself lucky that Frankie Fed's (relative to the regular Federici's) delivers. yay!

Michelle

[Eating Eva]

What's the best pizza in Jersey City?

[Rosie]

How about Bayonne? Pizza Masters on Broadway. I think they also have a place in Jersey City.

[thereuare]

What's the best pizza in Jersey City?

If you in JC, you MUST go to Denino's in Staten Island... just a few minutes from the Bayone Bridge, and the best pizza i've ever had.

(this soon may not be a true statement as i will soon venture to Coney Island to try Totonno's)

How about Bayonne?

Bayonne? That's even closer than Jersey City!! Same answer as above.

Edited April 29, 2003 by thereuare (log)

[Eating Eva]

What about DiFara's or L&B Spumoni Gardens or Grimaldi's? Do they hold up to Denino's? I've been to Grimaldi's but not the others.

[pnapoli]

menton1: for a great slice, try Giuliano Bros. on washington st in newark (corner of central ave and washington st, near the Rutgers campus). I have been many many times and am never disappointed. Only problem with this place is that they close really early, so you gotta go for lunch.

tommy: star is such a cool place. the pie is soooooo thin, so order accordingly. usually very crowded on weekend nights.

[tommy]

pnapoli, i actually ended up at "The Star" last night.

it is indeed some of the thinnest pizza that i've ever seen. thinner than kinchley's. the place reminded me of kinchley's, but it was eerily quite. it wasn't very crowded at all, but the people who were there had a very hushed tone. my guess is that they were talking about egulleteers and didn't want anyone to hear.

we started with the antipasto. chunks of iceburg with slices of pepperoni, salami, peppers, and about 3 lbs of cubed cheese.

on to a plain pie. we wanted to sample a pure, you know, specimen before getting more adventurous. quite greasy and salty. wafer-thin crust. went well with Budweiser. we tore through the thing so quickly that i thought we'd have to order a 3rd. but then on to the "Everything" pie, minus anchovies. nicely loaded with all kindza stuff, but no overpowering. quite filling.

the server was as you might expect. a woman who had been there for 28 years. the bartender was pleasant and went out of her way to say goodbye as we filed out.

i think i'd return, but only if in the neighborhood. i still like Kinchley's a bit better.

[thereuare]

What about DiFara's or L&B Spumoni Gardens or Grimaldi's?  Do they hold up to Denino's?  I've been to Grimaldi's but not the others.

L&B Spumoni Gardens i have been to twice, and each time i was disappointed. I have heard stories about it from the "old days" and i think most say it no longer compares to "way back when".

DiFara's is excellent pizza, but if given the choice, i would give the definite edge to Denino's. Like i said, i think it's the best pizza i've had (and i've tried a LOT!)

I'm still looking forward to my Tononno's trip, but it keeps getting delayed

Edited April 30, 2003 by thereuare (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

I went to Kinchley's for the first time last night with a few other eGulleteers. Oh. My. God. So good. I'm drooling right now remembering it and wishing we had some leftover for a snack today. I don't know, maybe it's because I haven't had pizza in a while because Jason's been avoiding cheese, but this was damned good pizza. Why do they bother having anything else on their menu? I did note that Monday & Tuesday are all you can eat pasta nights, but why drive all the way up there and not get the pizza? We had a Fra Diavolo (not very hot at all, just a little hot compared to the sweeter regular sauce) with Pepperoni, a mushroom, onions & sausage and a Garlic & Bacon. I had some minor issues with the toppings (the onions were a little raw and the garlic & bacon didn't really "go" together), but that didn't stop us from finishing all three pies. So good. I think I dreamed of pizza last night. I wanna go back soon. Jason'll have to suffer once a month or so (if I can wait that long). Hmm, maybe I'll sneak up there by myself. If anyone wants a dining partner PM me and I'll meet you there. Shh, don't tell Jason.

[menton1]

Actually stumbled on quite a good tasting pizza at a local pizza joint. By the slice was good and the whole pie was VERY good. Not oxidized, nice thin crust, good seemingly homemade sauce, and a nice cheese that was a little stringy like I like it. The best pizza in a pizzeria I've had in NJ in a long time.

The place: Uncle Gio's Pizza

Union Avenue, Downtown Cresskill

(Next to Cresskill Bagels)

Cresskill, N.J.

[thereuare]

My wife and I were in the city today and she had plans for later this evening, so i was intending on making a solo trip to Totonno's in Coney Island to try what was described to me as 'pure pizza bliss'.

Well, we finished our plans early but she didn't have enough time to make the trip to Totonno's, so i reverted to my back-up plan of Lombardi's which was also on my 'must try' list.... it was GREAT!!

One of the best pies i've had in NYC! (still debating whether it tops Denino's, and i don't think it does, but they're both so different that it's almost an apples to oranges comparison)

Sauce was fantastic, bursting with flavor and seasoned perfectly. The cheese was spread evenly throughout the pie, and the crust was nice and crisp. This pie is better than Grimaldi's in Brooklyn just from the point of view that it holds up well... at Grimaldi's the crust is soggy by the time you get to the 3rd slice, with Lombardi's the crust stays stiff and crisp the entire time. If i had to have a complaint, i would say the crust was just a little dry, but that's only if i had to have a complaint, and it's easily overlooked do the high quality of the pie's other aspects.

Service on the other hand... piss poor. I don't think the server said more than 7 words to us the entire time. Our order was begun by him standing there with a pen in hand which indicated he was ready, and other questions were received with a nod of the head. Also saw pies served to others who had ordered after us. The server seemed to be in a bad mood, so maybe he was just having an 'off' day.

We arrived at 4:30pm (Sat) and there was already a line outside, took about 20 minutes to get seated.

We will be back! (but hopefully i'll make it to Totonno's first)

[tommy]

i'm chewing on pizza from Aldo's in Glen Rock as we speak. i've always wanted to try it, as they advertise "brick oven."

well, they really do have a brick oven. wood fired.

the crust is thin and pretty crispy. the sauce has a bit of an assertive garlic flavor, but not enough to be overpowering.

overall the pizza is really good, and i'd say it gives Brooklyn's Pizza (ridgewood, hackensack, etc) a run for its money, although i wouldn't necessarily compare them directly. the best part about this place, i think, is that they have artichokes for the pie.

[thereuare]

I thought you agreed to try the chicken parm hero this weekend (from the Paramus thread)