the best pizza in new jersey: our view

Two things I cannot say no to: pizza, and a good challenge. Nothing brings them together like a New Jersey food blog that seeks to bring readers a view on the best pizza in the area. Can you say you have tried all the family-owned neighborhood institutions in operation for decades? What about all the new artisanal, gourmet varieties? Have you ever tried to choose your favorite pizza place? I mean really, just one?

My family was up for the challenge. I polled the community to hear their views. I consulted Where to Eat Pizza: The Last Word on the Slice, an international guide to the best pizza around the world. We scheduled family pizza nights every chance we could. Mom and Dad ate a lot of salad for lunch.

photo by foodiesfeed

The good news? There is no shortage of excellent pizza around here, and there is no excuse to eat anything less than delicious, cheesy, flavorful goodness. The bad news? We could not decide on just one favorite. Not so bad for you, because you get to read about more of our pizza eating adventures, and ultimately choose your own winner.

Each pizza place featured below won in an important category. Which one you try will depend on what element is most important to you in your choice of pizza. What is important to you may vary, and it may vary depending on the day of the week. I hope you try them all, I hope you try and something new, and most importantly, I hope you find a new family favorite.

photo by jenn kosar

Best Neo-Neapolitan Pizza: Arturo’s ⋅ Maplewood

Arturo’s. If you live within 15 miles of Maplewood, New Jersey, you stopped reading half a sentence ago. I have eaten a lot of pizza in my day, and I assure you, Arturo’s is that good, due to a relentless focus on technique and quality in the production of every meal you will eat.

Dan Richer, chef and co-owner of Arturo’s, is something of a fermentation and bread making geek. His focus on the science of good bread makes for good pizza crust, the kind you take home as leftovers rather than leave behind as scraps on the plate. I love the rotating farm pizzas with seasonal ingredients, unique combinations that may raise an eyebrow when you read them (maple syrup?) but are consistently tasty.

photo by jenn kosar

What I really love is that all of this focus on preparation, science, and ingredients, which could read pretentious, foodie, Portlandia Brooklyn-West nonsense, comes through in a low-key, let’s just have some pizza vibe perfect for our Maplewood village. Arturo’s is BYO, so stop by the Village Wine Shop across the street and get advice on the perfect pairing for tonight’s farm pie.

While I probably do not have to sell it any further, Arturo’s sister restaurant Razza in Jersey City made the elite ten pizzerias listed in the global “Where to Eat Pizza” list and the Top 10 Pizzerias of New Jersey produced by nj.com. The pizza is made with the same technique and care and the restaurants are also comparable, although Razza is larger and has a liquor license. In perhaps this century’s Judgment of Paris, the New York Times may have declared it New York City’s best pizza.

Best Classic Neapolitan Pizza: Fiamma ⋅ Millburn

It is probably splitting hairs to create two neapolitan categories, but the crowds at Arturo’s left us searching for an alternative. To be clear, Fiamma is not second best — it is a decidedly different option and therefore a winner in its own category.

Fiamma is a more traditional Italian representation of the classic Neapolitan pizzeria style, as evidenced in the pizza dough itself, the type of toppings offered, and the rest of the menu selections. The crust is more buttery and a bit thinner, and the toppings are less farm-to-table, more classic. The sauce is the kind your Italian grandmother would make, perfect on those huge delicious meatballs offered as an appetizer.

Fiamma is also BYO. Visit the Unwined Boutique a block away for unique wine finds and highly personalized recommendations on a bottle to enjoy with your pizza or pasta.

photo by jenn kosar

Best New York Style Pizza: Village Trattoria ⋅ Maplewood, South Orange, and Summit

For all-around best in that floppy, just the right amount of greasy, thin but not crispy crust, New York style pizza we all love, my vote goes to the Trattorias. This was definitely the hardest category to select a winner, but life is full of hard choices. I prefer the slightly sweet sauce, and find their crust to be just right in its chewy, crispy balance. It gets extra points for great service and a range of pizza alternatives on the menu, including my favorite weeknight salad: arugula, tomato and mozzarella topped with grilled calamari, done best at the South Orange location. The Trattorias are all BYO.

photo by Engin Akyurt

Best Grandma Pizza: Clemente’s ⋅ Berkeley Heights

This may not be a category for everyone, but it is for me. “Grandma” refers to a slightly thinner crust Sicilian that is sauce-forward and dotted with fresh mozzarella. I cover it with extra grated parmesan cheese. I will travel to Berkeley Heights, which is a little out of the way most of the time, just for a slice of this deliciousness. Clemente’s is BYO.

Best Tomato Pie: Bunny’s Sports Bar ⋅ South Orange

Tomato pie is the classic Trenton style — cheese first, sauce second. It is approrpiately also known as “upside down” pizza. Bunny’s garlic-filled version completely upends your pizza towards the cheese, with the sauce only as accent. Imagine eating a very large mozzarella stick dipped in a bit of sauce. Yum, at least in my view. Bunny’s also received my vote for best plain slice. Unlike most pizza places in the area, you can enjoy a beer with your pizza here, and the service is really pleasant if not super fast. Delicious fresh pizza takes time.

photo by foodiesfeed

Best Tavern Style Pizza: Star Tavern ⋅ Orange

Tavern or “Bar” pizza refers to a very thin crust pizza commonly served in, you guessed it, taverns, usually with a focus on the toppings. Trendy flatbreads are the upscale evolution of this basic comfort food. Star Tavern does not need accolades from me: it is the only restaurant on this list to make the “Where to Eat Pizza” list and the reader-selected Top 25 Pizzas by NJ Monthly Magazine. My kids declared it the best pizza ever. It gets my vote for best in the “meat lovers” category for adding sausages, pepperoni and meatballs each full of flavor in their own right. Bonus points for a good craft beer menu.

photo by foodiesfeed

Best Pizza Chain: Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza ⋅ Livingston

I can honestly say I have tried all the major chain pizza offerings, because I am a college graduate. They are generally not delicious. Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza is a rare exception. Like their family-owned and operated counterparts, Anthony’s focuses on quality ingredients and handmade preparations. Dough made fresh every day, in-house. Homemade sauce from their own special recipe. I loved the cauliflower pizza with fresh parmesan and breadcrumbs for a healthy-ish alternative to traditional pizza. Bonus points for a delicious appetizer of coal-fired chicken wings with caramelized onions and a strong craft beer menu.

photo by jenn kosar

Honorable Mentions for Speciality Pizzas

We tried to keep the taste testing fair by focusing on the common threads of any pizza place. A nice slice of plain, meat lovers for my son, a sicilian, a margherita — you get the idea. Where possible, we sampled the house speciality pizzas, and a few stood out as worthy of their title.

The Sicilian Pesto at Roman Gourmet in Maplewood is my personal favorite. Fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and dollops of pesto heaped on crust with the perfect blend of crispy and chewy. I sprinkle it with crunchy fleur de sel, and it reheats in a cast iron skillet perfectly for days. Roman Gourmet, if you are reading this, my sister-in-law has requested delivery to Ohio.

Last but most certainly not least, the drunken margherita at Joe’s Ristorante and Pizzeria in Summit. The traditional margherita slice is made special with vodka sauce and basil so fresh you can smell it before it hits the table.

photo by jenn kosar

If there is one thing I am sure of, it is that this one will spark a lot of debate. Let’s get started. Favorite pizza place: what’s your view?

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram for my of my Dining Out adventures. If you are in the neighborhood, join the SOMA Eats Local facebook community page for friendly discussion on the restaurant and food scene in South Orange, Maplewood, and surrounding towns.