Galasso's (Lebanon, NJ)
∙ Brooklyn Pizza (Pan Crust Pizza: EVO & Fresh Garlic Marinated Plum Tomatoes, Cheese & Fresh Basil) ∙ Arugula Pizza (Pan Crust Pizza: Baby Arugula, Grape Tomatoes, Diced Fresh Mozzarella, EVO & Shredded Sharp Provolone) ∙
Another repeat for what was my favorite NJ pizza restaurant. The original owners have retired and moved on with their business. I absolutely love these pizzas. I will miss their craft dearly.
Star Tavern (City of Orange, NJ)
∙ Pepperoni Pizza ∙
Whoa. WHOA. THIS IS THE BEST BAR PIE IN HISTORY.
I really can’t believe how flavorful this pie was, loaded with greasy pep and delicious saucy cheese on a super thin , almost cracker crust.
The pizza had a hint of smokiness like the char on a burger. It was incredible.
This pie is the reason you exercise. If you have a cheat day , park your rear here and gorge on this greasy gooey goodness.
It was the 3rd stop on the tour and we crushed the pizza. I will be returning to the landmark of City of Orange for this pie.
Coniglio's Old Fashioned (Morristown, NJ)
∙ JOSEPHINA’S GRANDMA (mozz, tomato sauce, basil, parm) ∙
Yeah, we’ve done this before. Who cares? This is the best place in NJ. Could have eaten the entire pie and it was the second pizza spot on the tour.
DeLucia's Brick Oven Pizza (Raritan, NJ)
Cheese Pizza
Sold out when we arrived at 1pm on a Friday afternoon, 90 minutes after opening. The oven dates back to 1917!
Scuola Vecchia SV Pizzeria (Clinton, NJ)
∙ The Cosacca (Italian imported San Marzano tomatoes, grated Pecorino, fresh basil, Sicilian sea salt, and EVOO) ∙ The Margherita (Italian imported San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, Sicilian sea salt, and EVOO)
Coniglio's Old Fashioned (Morristown, NJ)
∙ UPSIDE DOWN SICILIAN (mozz, tomato sauce, basil, pecorino) ∙
The Robinson Ale House (Long Branch, NJ)
∙ MARGARET "ITA" (mozzarella, tomato sauce, grape tomatoes, basil) ∙
Swampy Vale Farm Pizza (Alexandria, NJ)
∙ MARGHERITA (fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, w. basil, EVOO) ∙ PEPPERONI (fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, pepperoni, garlic) ∙
Beneduce Vineyards has such a cool vibe. Obviously wineries are really pretty, but Beneduce also features a stage with live music. What’s better than musical acts performing while you imbibe on fine crushed grapes? Now, add pizza into the equation. Not a pizza truck, but an oven sitting on a trailer hitch. Isn’t that awesome? The winery opens at 5. Around 7:30 (what I thought was early) I walked over to order a couple of pies. The kind lady laughed and said “you showed up just in time, we have 4 doughs left!” They arrived to the winery with 200. Talk about popular pies.
Margherita & Diavola
I’ll admit, I had my fair share of crushed grapes before eating. I don’t have the best recollection of the pizza highlights. But hey, the pizza was pretty and hit the spot!! A cool concept, riding around with a brick oven on a trailer hitch. The people who worked there were so friendly – they entertained me when I said I was going to write about them. Love me some Swampy Vale!
Taste of Napoli (Lebanon, NJ)
∙ MARGHERITA (san marzano tomato, fior di latte mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano, basil, evoo) ∙
While visiting friends in NJ, we met the Taste of Napoli truck at a food truck festival in Lebanon, NJ. Big flavor driving around in this small town. We started with lobster rolls from Cousin’s Maine Lobster. We should have just continued to scarf down those delicious $20 lobster rolls. That said, you know we had to try out the pizza when we saw the truck. I’m really glad we did.
Margherita
It’s my first time ordering from a truck with a huge brick oven in the back of their prep station on wheels. They didn’t cook it too much, I thought it could’ve stayed in a few more seconds and turned once more. I think they were using shredded cheese as it covered the pie as opposed to drops. The sauce wasn’t much of an impact, but they provided enough! Stay saucy, my friends. This NJ Neapolitan pizza truck definitely pleased!
Galasso's Cucina Italiana Pizza & Restaurant (Lebanon, NJ)
Toni & Nick Reunion Pizza Tour ∙ Volume 1
∙ Brooklyn Style: (EVO & Fresh Garlic Marinated Plum Tomatoes, Cheese & Fresh Basil) ∙
Cheese slice ∙
This was the first stop on our pizza tour. My friend and I had been dreaming it up for years. Following a FB group chat question posed to pizza enthusiasts in the region, Toni had a refined list. Galasso’s absolutely crushed it out of the gates.
Carting me around, Toni and I showed up around noon. Galasso’s wasn’t ready for our excitement.
When trying to get a feel for a restaurant standard, you have to try their cheese slice. Ehem, It was FIRE. There’s obvious bias with this being the first restaurant on the tour, but the pizza was incredible. The Brooklyn slice came highly recommended, and I’m so incredibly happy that it did.
Cheese: the cheese is light and airy, as is the crust. Shredded basil below the cheese. Tomato sauce isn’t overpowering at all, a compliment that falls into the crust. The slice goes down easier than college girls. A fantastically simple slice.
Brooklyn style: the sauce on this pizza will blow your mind and mess your shorts. Thick dough but not bready, the crust has a beautiful crisp on the bottom. Shredded basil in the cheese. The sauce tastes just like San Marzano tomatoes, garlic and basil. When we left, I peered over into the sauce container and saw only those 3 ingredients.
