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.
Toscana Pizza (Allendale, NJ)
Toni & Nick Reunion Pizza Tour ∙ Volume 1
∙ Cheese slice ∙
The third stop on the tour is nestled inside this quaint area. We sat at the bar by the front window, watching pizza go by while my mind was blown by this slice.
The crust continues to amaze. The cheese is great, a fair amount, and piping hot as it pools on top of the slice. It’s not too much, but it’s more than my taste goes for. I’m just being soft, they should never change a thing. The sauce is plentiful as well, there’s no skimping here. The sauce doesn’t have any texture, but compliments the slice well. The crust just can’t be beat around here. The slice is amazing.
Natale's Italian Restaurant (Lebanon, NJ)
Toni & Nick Reunion Pizza Tour ∙ Volume 1
∙ Cheese slice ∙
We arrived to the second spot, and unsurprisingly it was empty given the time of day. Unfortunately I think the pie we had wasn’t terribly fresh. Luck of the draw!
The sauce is like actual sauce, as is the cheese. Not as airy; more pull to it. Tastes like your traditional hometown spot. The crust makes the slice. Thin and light, nice crisp, folds easily. Sauce has less texture almost blended and you can see the Italian spice seasoning in it. Slice does the job better than most, but doesn’t leave you with much. Would revisit at a busier time to see if it was just not as fresh as you would hope for – the crust was good, but folded with straight edges.
DiMola's Pizza (North Plainfield, NJ)
Toni & Nick Reunion Pizza Tour ∙ Volume 1
∙ Cheese slice ∙
This was the fourth and final stop on our pizza tour. It needs to be said: I was full. I wasn’t terribly interested in having another slice in the first place (mind you, this would be slice five after having two at Galasso’s). Then I saw the slice. This is your local hometown spot that you take the kids to get a lot of cheesy pizza. The slice was completely overloaded with cheese, which is not my jam. There is a market for super cheesed up pizza lovers, and I commend you. Just not for me. Would be interesting if it were the first stop, maybe I would have felt differently.
