Pizza in New Jersey

[glutton]

Tommy, I'd have to agree with you.... most pizza in Hoboken is best after a tour of the bars. In Hoboken. I like 7 star, Benny's & Grimaldi's. There is a large disparity between the type of pies of the first two and Grimaldi's, however. The first two are your typical pies covered with red sauce and covered with commercial mozzarella cooked in a typical pizza oven. Grimaldi's serves a pie with "splotches" of sauce, fresh mutz and fresh basil leaves cooked in a woodburning oven. Most importantly, Grimaldi's sells beer-- which helps get a head start for the bars.

In the 'burbs, I like Ralph's and Michael's in Nutley, as well as Mario's in Clifton. Ralph's was voted as best pizza in Nutley for a number of years, i believe, until it was unseated this year by Michael's. Both good pies. I have yet to make it to Star Tavern, but plan on trying it this weekend.

BTW, great site-- found it about 6 months ago and have eaten particularly well since because of it!

[Rosie]

Glutton--Welcoome to eGullet. You've been eating for 6 months without reporting??? Be sure tell us about the restaurants you like to dine at.

[glutton]

yeah, i know i'm a terrible person.

In the Montclair area, I like Epernay, Brookside Thai, Corso 98, Greek Delights and

Formia. I havent been to Fascino yet, but am dying to try it.

[glutton]

yeah, i know i'm a terrible person.

In the Montclair area, I like Epernay, Brookside Thai, Corso 98, Greek Delights and

Formia. I havent been to Fascino yet, but am dying to try it.

Edited July 14, 2004 by glutton (log)

[clembyk]

Try Nancy's Town House on Main Street in Rahway. Super thin and crunchy crust made in the old fashion brick oven. Never found any other I liked better. Go there about 2/3 a month.

[Cornellrob]

I tried Kinchley's in Ramsey earlier today with a friend. We split the standard cheese pie. This is basically the classic "bar pie" and i think it's best eaten as an accompaniment to beer - and not the kind of pizza that you have solely for a meal. The large pizza was extremely thin, 14" diameter, had a great crust that stayed firm throughout the entire duration we were eating. There was a good amount of grated cheese and sauce on the pizza (not overloaded), but IMO, both were a bit lacking in flavors i've come to expect from some of the better "bar pies" i've had in jersey.

Landmark in livingston use to have an excellent bar pie - but it has gone downhill in the last year or so for whatever reason. I heard they learned their recipe from Starlight - which is similarly thin, but has a more herby flavor. Sorry, I digress...

For me, Kinchley's was a 25 minute drive and I will probably not go back so soon just to have the pizza. It's also a 25 minute ride for me to get to Joe & Pat's in Staten Island - and that is a truly superb pie - probably my favorite anywhere.

[WestOrangeFrank]

On a friend's tip, I went over to Forte Pizzeria the other night.http://www.fortepizzeria.com/, 182 Bloomfield Ave, Caldwell 973-403-9411.

This place has TOPPINGS (the lunch menu link shows the pies). We had the fried calamari pizza, which was a first for me. Some of there other specialty pies include broccoli rabe & sausage, potatoe & egg, and chicken savoy. Prices are a bit steep for a 16" pie, especially compared to better Bronx pizza. And the pizza itself wasn't bad.

When I'm in New Providence, I usually always go to Coppola's for lunch in the A&P shopping center (590 Central Ave, New Providence (908) 665-0266). Their slices are plentiful, some thick crust with capers, olives, peppers, some with fresh mozzarella and a drizzle of their sweet red sauce. They also make a helluva eggplant parm enough to split for $5.50.

Anyone been to one of these pizzerias?

[Jason Perlow]

I tried Kinchley's in Ramsey earlier today with a friend.  We split the standard cheese pie.  This is basically the classic "bar pie" and i think it's best eaten as an accompaniment to beer - and not the kind of pizza that you have solely for a meal.  The large pizza was extremely thin, 14" diameter, had a great crust that stayed firm throughout the entire duration we were eating.  There was a good amount of grated cheese and sauce on the pizza (not overloaded), but IMO, both were a bit lacking in flavors i've come to expect from some of the better "bar pies" i've had in jersey. 

You need to order the pie at Kinchley's "Fra Diavolo" which has a zingier sauce. Typically we also order the pies there with garlic in addition to whatever other topping we put on it. Bacon is one of their best toppings as well, in addition to sausage.

[Wiener]

Venture over to Raplphs in Nutley on High Street and Franklin. They have pizza slices but mostly just a plain slice. A few months ago I tried their version of the marinara pizza and thought it was pretty decent. Loads of garlic, thin sliced, decently seasoned , and crushed basil. Think they could have used some fresh basil for this pie, though.

I heard the wine bar diagnoally across from Raplh's got closed down. Anyone have any details?

[tommy]

Ralph's gets a lot of play on egullet. i finally went there mid-afternoon one day for a slice. it was barely just OK. perhaps it's best to go and get a whole pie. i dunno. but that slice was certainly pretty lame.

Vertical, the wine bar, is closed until further notice. i believe the owner has a coupla issues he's sorting out. he claims he'll re-open, but you never know in this industry.

[Wiener]

, but you never know in this industry.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

or..... in this town :) ! Having had lived there most of my life !

[glutton]

I think it's always tough to judge a place on based on slices alone-- you never know how long they've been sitting there and they are usually a bit "drier"-- probably because they are doublecooked. Having said that, I've had some really great slices.

[thereuare]

.... but it's also important to know who does slices right!

I always use my Benny Tudino's example where Benny prides himself on having the freshest pizza in town and doesn't let pizza sit around for too long. The problem though is that they don't like to reheat their slices as their pizza is VERY think and often falls apart when placed in the oven for the second time. I like my pizza hot, and i'd rather have a slice properly heated that is 2 hours old than a lukewarm (and now soggy) slice that has been out of the oven for 15 minutes and not re-heated.

BTW, i haven't sorted thru this whole thread in awhile, but is pizza going up everywhere? Slices in Hoboken are now generally $2/slice. I attribute this to the higher cost of cheese as a result of the Atkins diet becoming so prevalent.

We had one place in town (with a decent slice if you ask tell them you want it 'hot') that had increased their prices to $2/slice but also had a lunch special... 2 slices and a can of soda for $3.50. It was a great deal and a quick and easy lunch, but they have since taken the sign in their window down... don't know if the deal is permanently gone or simply suspended because they were heading for vacation and they had minimal inventory that they need to use up before closing up shop for a week.

[nizza]

Wow Tommy - I have to agree with you. I thought I was the only one in North Jersey that thoughts that Ralph's was just ok.

Twice I took out whole pies and they were really just ordinary, unexciting plain tasting pies. The first one I thought maybe it was a bad night so I stopped and actually ordered and waited the second time and again just ok.

Also, my husband and I stopped in once to have dinner there because everyone raves about their restaurant and again their food was just ok.

Recently I have found a great pizzaria. It's called Mamma Mia's at 1035 Broad St. in Bloomfield (973-893-9292). Now, they have really good pizza. They make it with a thin crust with lots of taste. We've ordered plain and with toppings such as fried eggplant, meatballs and onions, roasted peppers, pepperoni.

It happened one day we wanted to order pizza and we have tried all the them in the area and their all so boring with no great taste. So, that day we had gotten a packet of coupons in the mail and there was one for this place called Mamma Mia's and what made me give them a try was on their coupon they said "Italian cooks, owned and operated" - or something similar to that and they delivered to our town.

Well, we were very pleasantly surprised and happy with the arrival of a very hot pizza and have been now ordering from there for the last few months and they have been consistantly good.

[steakas]

Kinchley's sucks. They use canned tomato. Their pizza is among the lower half of all I've ever eaten. It surprises me that Kinchley's is even discussed on this forum.

[Jason Perlow]

Kinchley's sucks. They use canned tomato. Their pizza is among the lower half of all I've ever eaten. It surprises me that Kinchley's is even discussed on this forum.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using canned tomatoes. In fact, I vastly prefer them to fresh on a pizza.

Some of the best pizzas on this planet are made with canned tomatoes. The best canned tomatoes by far come from Italy, such as San Marzano, but even the Redpack stuff isn't bad for making pizza.

I happen to really like Kinchleys, personally.

[nizza]

Jason - I agree because of reading about San Marzano tomatoe's on this board I tried them a few months ago instead of the tomatoe's that I was using to make my "gravy". Well, there is a big difference with the San Marzano - I have also use the Redpack and they make a pretty good sauce too!!

Edited July 16, 2004 by nizza (log)

[tommy]

Kinchley's sucks.  They use canned tomato.  Their pizza is among the lower half of all I've ever eaten.  It surprises me that Kinchley's is even discussed on this forum.

steakas, how do you make pizza at home? fresh tomatoes? perhaps.

how do your favorite places make pizza? frresh tomatoes? i'm guessing not.

kinchley's isn't for everyone. it's a "bar pie", as has been suggested. but writing it off because of its ingredients suggests that the point is being missed.

but, a lot of other places do the same style of pie. including Star Tavern, and that Pub in Bloomfield. it's alllll good.

Edited July 16, 2004 by tommy (log)

[glutton]

but, a lot of other places do the same style of pie. including Star Tavern, and that Pub in Bloomfield. it's alllll good.

gotta try the place in bloomfield..... i live too close not to....

for ralph's haters, try michael's behind hoffman laroche. prettty good pizza.

Nizza, regarding Mamma Mia's-- I couldn't disagree more. Their pizza is awful. Cheese is very oily and they always over-cheese the pizza.

[tommy]

but, a lot of other places do the same style of pie. including Star Tavern, and that Pub in Bloomfield. it's alllll good.

gotta try the place in bloomfield..... i live too close not to....

the Town Pub. i couldn't remember the name last night.

[steakas]

Sorry, I did not intend to offend anyone.

I only make pizza when my friend brings me Oregano from the Dominican Republic. The taste between canned and fresh tomatoes is significant. I do indeed use fresh tomatoes when making my own pizza. I peel and crush them with my hands.

edit:gramar

Edited July 16, 2004 by steakas (log)

[Curlz]

I mentioned to westorangefrank that Master Pizza on Northfield Ave on the West Orange/Livingston border used to make a decent pizza. He encouraged me to post it on this thread, so here I am. MP is not a restaurant; they used to have 4-5 stools if you wanted to eat there. Would love to know if the pizza's still good... anyone been recently?

[gossamer]

Sonny's in Hackettstown is the best that I have had in North West Jersey.

[nizza]

glutton - really? The pies that we have had have not been oily or over cheesed. How long ago did you have one of their pies because the ones we have had recently have really been good.

[glutton]

probably not in the past month- 2 months. We tried them often when we moved to the area, because they were close, but haven't tried recently. I just remember the last pie we had was an oily cheesy mess. While I do like Ralph's, I much prefer Michael's in Nultey.

speaking of Bloomfield area, I had Brookside Thai last night. I should probably add this to some thai thread, but I'm lazy. I can't say enough good things about it-- ordered Larb Gai, which was amazingly hot, but good. The waitress asked how hot I wanted it, and I replied with my usual "very spicy", which in most asian restaurants is decoded as "hot for an american" or barely spicy. also had noodle dish and dumpling appetizer-- came in at $16 before tax and tip.