Pizza in New Jersey

[Curlz]

Can't believe I haven't mentioned it, but (Nicky's) Firehouse Pizza in Madison has GREAT pizza!!!

[nizza]

glutton - Thanks for mentioning the Thai restaurant. I've only recently had Thai food twice at Penang in East Hanover and just loved it! So, to have a good Thai in Bllomfield would be great. I'll definitely try it on your recommendation. Can you suggest any particular dishes as I am really not that familiar with the names of the dishes, yet! Just give me some time - that's how I started with Indian food and now just love it and can definitely recommend certain dishes of that cuisine.

[Wiener]

One thing at Ralphs has changed dramatically over the last few years, the crust. Ralph's used to have a very very thin crispy crust but now seems to follow the lead of neighboring pizzeria's with a thicker crust. I need to try that place behind Roche when I get home in September. Looked interesting. I grew up eating Ralph's so I have a strong bias, having had lived on High Street and been able to walk down and pick one up ten minutes after the call. I guess it is a fond childhood memory I will never let go of. I only wish they would go back to that very thing crust.

[richl2214]

Wiener I live in Nutley and have been here over 30 years.

If you get Ralph's pie ask for it thin and crispy. They'll make it for you.

What they sell over the counter is "slice" pie which is thicker.

[Wiener]

good to know....although I have never bought it by the slice and never have had to order it thin and crispy....perhaps because they knew me and now, over the last year, I have been ordering in under a my first name....perhaps that's the reason....thanks again.....

[steakas]

How's Conte's in Princeton? I hear good things.

[Rich Pawlak]

How's Conte's in Princeton?  I hear good things.

God Bless You for acknowledging the southern part of the state. Jeez.

Conte's is quite good, thin, very crisp, good balance of garlicy red sauce and cheese, decent toppings (pepperoni and sausage and red peppers are standouts), with a cool, 40's retro vibe to the otherwise plain, always crowded dining room

But the real stars in these parts are the Tomato Pies of Delorenzo's in Trenton, both on Hudson St. and Hamilton Ave. Though not connected to each other, they are similar in technique and popularity, almost cult favorite pizzas. Exceptional red pies, white clam pies, and at Hamilton St., an outstanding Asparagus-Red Pepper pie. See HERE for details, pics and narratives on the three pizza parlors we tried in February.

[Rosie]

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?

It's ok. Certainly not the best but I haven't found anything to my liking in the West Orange area yet.

[Tracy K.]

Living in the Chicago area now, I am pizza deprived. (Pizza here is another genus and species altogether.) However, things I miss...the meatball (meeetbuaahl) slices...Tastee Pizza in Hawthorne...and the joint on Amsterdam between 119th and 120th (lived on it thru grad school).

[WestOrangeFrank]

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 can second that. How dare the Landmark hang a giant sign outside with superalatives stating "The Best Pizza and Ribs in Town"!

Since I'm a sucker for superlatives, we tried the place once and don't ever plan to return based on stale tap beer, nasty bathrooms, crowdedness, and less than decent food.

[Shecky]

There's a little secret in North Arlington called Italian Villa. Despite the goofy name, they make pizza that is right up there at the top! To start, the crust has some body without being TOO dense (and therefore hyper-chewy), and they always bake it to a very nice crunch. Which makes for good foldability. The sauce has a pleasantly balanced acidity - not too much, which is good for my fiancee, who has a mild reaction to acidic sauces - and is mild but yummy. The cheese (we always just get the plain cheese pie) is scrumptious and plentiful. A large pie isn't cheap ($10.50, if I recall correctly - it's just automatic now LOL) but the two of us together can't finish it - it's VERY satisfying without being leadenly filling.

Here's the funny part: I have NO idea what the inside of the restaurant looks like. We've only ever gotten delivery (and it has always been fresh and hot)! I'm pretty sure they deliver to Lyndhurst and Kearny too, or at least parts of them. Maybe. Not sure, really - all I personally need to know is that they DO deliver to all of North Arlington LOL!

[GoodGrub]

As someone who has lived in north, central and eastern Jersey, I would say that DeLorenzo's Pizza in Trenton far surpasses anything else the State has to offer (truthfully, having eaten at numerous pizza parlors in New York, New England, etc., DeLorenzo's tops every place I've been). You really cannot go wrong at either DeLorenzo's (Hudson or Hamilton), though some of my finest culinary memories of growing up were going to the Hamilton Ave pizza for the best sausage, and crust so thin and light, you could eat an entire tomato pie, and not fill up. Throw in some birch beer, and it's heaven. Though I wouldn't turn down pizza at either establishment, if I was forced to chose, I'd lean towards Hamilton. The two choices there are the white clam pie with spinach (plenty of garlic thrown on there, too) and sausage that isn't duplicated anywhere in the country. It may be "no-frills" in terms of decor, but it's well-worth the trip, and even the wait outside that builds up in the summer.

[Pitter]

There is a place on the Sea Bright boardwalk that has the best pizza I have ever had. The name is Macuso's. I was highly sceptical when told that this is the best pizza on earth, but was hughly surprised. The crust is thin, the sauce is perfect, and the cheese is a combo of mozz and cheddar, which really works.

I am told that the local cops fill the place in the winter.

[cranrob]

I have to agree with GoodGrub above. Delorenzo's on Hamilton is one of the best pizzas I've had anywhere in the world. The depth of flavor is amazing. The crust contains just a bit of cornmeal, which gives it an extra bit of crunchyness and tons of extra flavor. The sauce is perfect -- not acidic, just the right sweet/savory balance. The right amount of high-quality cheese, and great toppings.

It really is in a class by itself. I would have to call it "Trenton Style" pizza, because there really isn't anything else like it outside of Trenton that I've had.

Now, outside NJ, my faves include Lombardi's on Spring Street in NYC, who uses real San Marzano Tomatoes from Italy, and cooks their pizzas in a 110-year-old coal-fired oven at 800F.

Then there's the "real thing" in Naples, and "roman-style" in Rome, which are really different animals altogether. (If you're in rome, try Da Baffetto for roman-style or Pizza Ré for neopolitan).

[wfnugent]

Has anyone tried the new(ish branch of Brooklyn's Pizzeria in Ridgewood yet. The place in Hackensack is quite tasty - I was wondering if they have been able to carry that over to the Town of 65 restaurants and 66 parking spaces.

[TheMan,TheMyth]

Has anyone tried the new(ish branch of Brooklyn's Pizzeria in Ridgewood yet.  The place in Hackensack is quite tasty - I was wondering if they have been able to carry that over to the Town of 65 restaurants and 66 parking spaces.

It's not too new. It has been there for about a year and a half. It's not bad.

[glenn]

Finally, pizza to rave about in Jersey City. How could they go wrong? It's Lombardi's! Okay, keep your panties on, no relation to the NYC legend. But they can give 'em a run for their money. It's brick oven and I'm not sure if they sell by the slice. They've also got fantastic paninis. They're on Newark Ave around Brunswick St.

[ghostrider]

Got a hankering for someplace different tonight, so called up Bella Luna in Lyndhurst based on the recommendations here (Curlz I believe) and said, "I'd like to order a pizza." The lady who answered said, quite curtly, "I don't do pizza any more." I was so surprised, I blurted out "Really?" She replied, much more curtly, "Really!"

So I gotta leave now to pick up my New York Pizza. They at least still do pizza.

[Jason Perlow]

Has anyone tried the new(ish branch of Brooklyn's Pizzeria in Ridgewood yet. The place in Hackensack is quite tasty - I was wondering if they have been able to carry that over to the Town of 65 restaurants and 66 parking spaces.

Brooklyn is OK. I really am not a big fan of their sauce, its way too bland. Needs a really salty topping to compensate for it.

[Curlz]

Got a hankering for someplace different tonight, so called up Bella Luna in Lyndhurst based on the recommendations here (Curlz I believe)...

Well, you got the Bella part right, Ghostrider...but the place I go for pizza is Bella Vita --on the corner of Kingsland Ave and Ridge Road, about 2 blocks past Mazur's. It's on your left (if you're heading towards N.Arlington/Kearny, that is), across from an Exxon station. Maybe next time!

Curlz

[thereuare]

Glenn,

Have you tried this place yet (i forget if we spoke about it or not):

La Rustique

84 Morris St

Jersey City, New Jersey

For the area their pizza is very good. Problem is there is very limited seating but i hear they have a few tables out front when the weather is nice. If you're in the area it's worth a stop.

[glenn]

I'm not familiar with La Rustique, but I'll check it out (if I can tear myself away from fatburgers.) There's a new one in the Paulus Hook section which I hear is excellent - the Green Cow.

Meanwhile, you really need to check out Lombardi's. I just found out about their website.

[ghostrider]

Got a hankering for someplace different tonight, so called up Bella Luna in Lyndhurst based on the recommendations here (Curlz I believe)...

Well, you got the Bella part right, Ghostrider...but the place I go for pizza is Bella Vita --on the corner of Kingsland Ave and Ridge Road, about 2 blocks past Mazur's. It's on your left (if you're heading towards N.Arlington/Kearny, that is), across from an Exxon station. Maybe next time!

Curlz

Omigosh! I should have researched the name better rather than trusting to my feeble memory. No wonder the Bella Luna lady was so curt.

OK, next time maybe I'll get it right....

P.S. I tried Cafe New York's sausage last night for the first time in quite a while. Mistake. It's much greasier than I remembered. I'd advise folks who try the place to stick with their veg selections, particularly the mushrooms & onions, which together make for a really excellent pie.

Edited August 22, 2004 by ghostrider (log)

[LorraineP]

Elizabeth

Spiritos and Santillos

Ramsey

Kinchleys

Westfield and also Union

Star Tavern

Seaside

Maruccas

[albie]

In Jackson, of all places, a really creditable brick-oven pizzeria -- The Green Lantern -- has opened. (in the Brookwood Plaza).

And, although it's not the easiest to find, as well as being closed more often than it's open, Una Pizza Napoletana on Route 35 in Point Pleasant Beach is, I would venture to say, the one place (maybe in the country) that replicates the true Neapolitan pizza (which to many folks raised on Italian-American variants, may not be to their taste).