As I have said before, I grew up in the pizza-loving town of Bayonne, NJ where there was either a pizza joint or pizza-making bar on every corner. Take-out pizza was also a family affair at home. I remember how Mom would send me down to the bar on the corner to pick up a pie to bring home at a time when a whole small pie was only $1.00 and the whole large was just $1.25. I even recall one day when they gave me a cold one for free when somebody called-in an order and never picked it up. (Prank pizza calls were big back in the day.) If the waitress only knew how good a reheated pizza is she would have charged me more! Sorry, I digress.

Also when I was young, it seemed that Mom and Dad didn’t have a lot of stories to tell. So the ones that they did tell they tended to repeat often; very often. One that I remember them telling was how on their honeymoon in Florida, they couldn’t believe that they actually saw people eating pizza with a knife and fork! I must admit that even back then, long before I was the Snob, I thought that was pretty funny.

Fellow pizza-fans, slices were meant to fold and eat; unless of course you truly need the knife and fork because you are eating some overstuffed abomination that your good taste should not have you eating in the first place! My friend DJ Dave recently replied to one of my blog posts saying he didn’t like eating food that he had to fold. That got me thinking, and other than a flour tortilla, I really couldn’t come up with anything else that you fold to eat. So I guess Dave just isn’t partial to NY slices and soft tacos. Here’sa shot of the Kid getting ready to scarf one down in the classic “Fold” style, leaving his fork on the table.

Other than the Fold, there really ain’t much else to eating your slice. And on analysis, it seems that the Fold kind of holds things in (cheese and sauce) keeping it un-messy. Thinking more about it, it will also to some extent, protect the upper roof of your mouth if your slice was a little too hot to be eating in the first place. The Fold will also help you accommodate draining off any excess oil should that be the case with your slice.

But I would like to close out this piece by showing you a classic eating move that I have developed over the years. I call it the “Rip.” So, you are eating a slice down from the top the way one obviously should. But due to its triangle shape, it is of course thinner at the top than at the bottom, and as a result, at some point, you will find yourself in this spot, as illustrated by fellow pizza-lover, baseball fan and 10-K runner, Mr. Mark.

It’s a tough spot to be in since what is left of the slice is wider than your mouth. You could eat it from the side but that just doesn’t seem right as you certainly want to enjoy the remaining taste of sauce and cheese without the end crust getting in the way. So that’s when you employ the Rip as further illustrated by Mr. Mark below.

Voila! Now you can easily finish off your slice from top to bottom on each of the remaining parts of your slice. So, from years of experience, that is the Snob’s take on eating a slice. Happy folding and ripping to you all!

Thomas Wolfe once said “you can’t go home again.”  The Snob says “sometimes you go home.” Home for me is Bayonne, New Jersey, a peninsula surrounded by Newark and two boroughs of New York City -Manhattan and Staten Island. Mom and Dad still live there in the house I grew up in. It becomes my base of operations whenever I am in the New York metropolitan area offering me easy access to great pizza.

As mentioned before, Bayonne has no shortage of pizza joints.  Most of them are located on its main drag, Broadway, a street that runs the entire four-mile length of town. Now that box stores have since come to the newly-developed outskirts of town, Broadway, once Bayonne’s primary retail center for shopping of all kind, remains a haven for a variety of small Mom and Pop businesses. It’s still a great place to get a bagel, have some fine deli food, have a drink at a bar, or buy your lottery tickets or other small sundry goods. And, of course, it has always been the place to grab a great slice of pizza.

So….one afternoon, I decided to walk along Broadway and sample the four pizza places I had perceived as being Bayonne’s best. Three were familiar haunts of mine, while one would be a first-time experience.

My first stop was Tony’s Pizza – the one closest to our home and in my younger years my “go-to” place to get a quick slice or to bring home a whole pie. I can still recall the day it opened some 40 years ago. “Tony’s Pizza” at least for me, still remains the best way to answer the phone.  Just saying.

Tony’s was always one of Bayonne’s finest, and my latest tasting showed that it hasn’t changed one bit. It is the Snob’s favorite kind of pizza joint – one where you walk up and order your slice at the counter. You won’t get much else there other than pizza, subs or a handful of Italian dinners, but they certainly know how to do their pizza right.  The $1.50 cheese slice came out of the oven perfectly reheated. Hot and toasted, it crunched nicely.  The crust slightly cracked when I folded the slice. There was no “bump” in the end crust; rather it was the same height as the rest of the slice. To me, that’s a good sign that things aren’t too doughy. The cheese and sauce were fabulous as expected and in just the right quantities. At Tony’s you are pretty much on your own to sprinkle oregano and garlic because their slice isn’t spiced up much. A tad dry, but a winner all the way.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****1/2 Nearer Perfection

Tony’s Pizza
250 Broadway (between 9^th and 10^th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-792-4132
[No website]

The next stop on my walk was San Vito Restaurant, a place near and dear to our family for years. It’s safe for me to say that it is my favorite Italian restaurant anywhere. There just isn’t a bad dish on its extensive menu of Italian delights.  I get a little miffed, however, because the locals don’t seem to give as much notice to San Vito’s pizza as it deserves. The Snob has always thought it was quite special.  For me, any meal there always begins with a slice at least.

Earlier that week I had to stop my over-zealous Dad from outing me as the Snob to Luciano, the proprietor of this fine establishment (Luciano and I are pictured below). Glancing at the counter I was immediately impressed by the respect for pizza it exhibited. Waiting there to be fired up by the slice were three pies: a round, a square – cheese, of course, and a second round that was half sausage and half pepperoni. It’s almost as if that counter was saying “Fu-fu pizza eaters stay away!”

When I got my slice, it came out of the oven reheated hot and toasty. After one bite I said to myself, “I don’t think you can make a slice any better than this.” It was perfect, so I will spare you my usual commentary and just leave it at that.  If you ever find yourself in Bayonne, be sure to have dinner at San Vito and start off with slices for you and your sweetie. You won’t be disappointed.

(To be continued.)

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ***** Sets the Standard

San Vito Restaurant
406 Broadway (between 18^th and 19^th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-858-2488
[No website]

Continuing my walk along Broadway, my third stop was Pompei, a long-established joint that recently had the distinction of winning the inaugural reader’s poll for “Best Regular Pizza” by the Bayonne Community News. I question this poll altogether as it cost a joint $300 to be listed as an entrant. As a result, not all the great joints participated.  A write-in option was available, but it appears to have been under-utilized by the voters.

I have previously had much respect for the pie at Pompei, but now it was time for the Snob to get serious about it. Much like Tony’s, Pompei is a walk-up pizza joint that offers a limited Italian menu.  The $2.00 slice I ordered came fresh and hot right out of the oven.  It was awesome. The thing that immediately strikes me about this and the other Bayonne slices is their economy. These places have really mastered the art of using just the right amount of ingredients. Sparing amounts of cheese and dough means you have room to eat more slices!

Pompei’s slice was exceptional in that it also cracked and crunched when I folded and chomped down on it. It also had a nice touch of oil from its oven-freshness. The flavor is not boosted much by spices but it was certainly tasty enough to be eaten naked. At this point the Snob is agreeing with the voting readers but wondering what the results would have been had San Vito chosen to participate.

PIZZA SNOB RATING   ***** Sets the Standard

Pompei Pizza
480 Broadway (between 22nd and 23^rd Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-437-5408
www.pompeipizza.org

We know that all good things must come to an end, and despite burning some calories by walking, four slices was my limit for this outing. The Snob’s last stop would be Pizza Masters, a place I had never been to before since it came into being long after I left Bayonne.  It had a good reputation, and I was excited about giving it a try.  Like the other Broadway joints, this is a place where you order your slice at the counter along with other Italian dishes and sit down in back to eat them.

The counter display proved that Pizza Masters focuses on its specialty pizzas. It also breaks local tradition by not having an Italian-sounding name. Pizza Masters would be a big hit in any other city however, here in Bayonne, this slice comes across as my Dad likes to say “not too bad.”  While they do a good job of getting things right with a downright tasty and delightful slice, it was a bit too heavy on both cheese and dough and not as crispy as the others.  Like the others, it is pretty light on the spices, which is perhaps why the shakers are all prominently displayed on every table.

Bayonne is a tough place to open a pizza joint. And although Pizza Masters makes a great slice, there are better places that will be more likely to get my business in the future.

PIZZA SNOB RATING   **** Near Perfection

Pizza Masters
532 Broadway (between 24^th and 25^th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-437-4802
www.pizzamastersbayonne.com

P.S. to my fellow Bayonnites – please don’t be shy, tell me where else I may need to visit on my future visits back home!

On my recent trip home, I had time for one last pizza adventure and decided to further explore the pizza in my hometown of Bayonne, NJ (see Part One and Part Two).  I started out early on a Monday morning with Mona Lisa Pizzeria, a full service Italian restaurant located in the Bergen Point area. Mona Lisa sits just off Fifth Street where Broadway first becomes a commercial district. By local standards, Mona Lisa is relatively new to the Bayonne pizza scene having opened in 2002. During the warmer months, they offer something not often seen in Bayonne–outside dining on their front sidewalk. Our family has ordered out and enjoyed their pies in the past, but this would be the Snob’s first visit to their joint.

In checking out their web site, I noticed some major topping abuse. Mona Lisa boasts that they make 54 specialty varieties of pizza! Upon my arrival, I spied pies on their counter topped with ziti and broccoli. Not the least bit distracted by these abnormalities, I ordered a normal cheese slice at the standard local two-dollar price. Since it was just after their 11:00 a.m. opening time, I was blessed with a fresh piping-hot slice from their first pie of the day, which they graciously delivered to me in their spacious back room. It didn’t disappoint. My slice was perfect supported by a firm crisp crust, blackened on the bottom and ready for my classic “Fold and Rip” technique. It had just the right amount of cheese and tomato sauce and was quite tasty despite not having any noticeable seasoning. The Snob says you can’t go wrong at Mona Lisa but be sure to control yourself with their wild-style pies!

PIZZA SNOB RATING   **** Near Perfection

Mona Lisa Pizzeria
165 Broadway (5th Street)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-858-1812
www.bayonnemonalisa.com

Moving on uptown through Bergen Point, in just two short city blocks I spotted three other joints that were not yet open. I also noticed one that I will never get the chance to visit, Pizza Notte, which I will add to my list of fallen pizza joints.

I continued walking north on Broadway and officially left Bergen Point crossing under the elevated Light Rail tracks. I made a quick stop at a place advertising “Bar, Restaurant & Pizza Equipment” which had long caught my attention. I didn’t see any pizza ovens inside: This was merely a small wholesaler who provided the many pizza joints in Bayonne with their small utensils and condiments. Not wanting to leave empty-handed, I bought Mrs. Pie a souvenir from my trip—a classic parmesan cheese shaker to add to our collection of home pizza supplies.

My final “eating” stop this morning was further up Broadway at a spot I had never before visited, Mario’s Pizza. I started out having to out myself as the Pizza Snob after the owner caught me snapping a picture of his place from across the street. Despite subjecting myself to possible favoritism, I enjoyed chatting with the friendly owner (not the original Mario) who happily posed for some pizza-tossing photos. Along with my $1.75 cheese slice fresh out of the oven, he treated me to a sliver of his special Sicilian pie.

Wow! What a surprisingly great slice! It was crisp and delicious–well-worth the stop. Mario’s was the kind of slice you would expect in Bayonne, slim and trim with just the right amount of everything. It did have a slightly different taste with a somewhat tangy but delightful tomato sauce. I was also surprised when I bit into the Sicilian sampler. While it had the normal expected thickness of a square slice, it was light and fluffy, bread-like rather than crisp. Although my curiosity was aroused, my stomach just didn’t have enough room to try a full slice of Mario’s Sicilian specialty. I do plan on trying one the next time I am in Bayonne as well as bringing a whole pie home from Mario’s to share with Mom and Dad!

PIZZA SNOB RATING   **** Near Perfection

Mario’s Pizza
330 Broadway (between 15^th and 16^th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-339-0191
[no website]

Continuing to explore pizza in the city of my birth, my challenge this time was to see where I could get a slice on Broadway after 11 p.m. on a Friday night. Coming off the New Jersey Turnpike, I headed downtown on a rainy spring evening. Noticing some lights and activity on the northeast corner of 46th Street, I stopped at Joe’s Pizzeria, a place that was new to me.

Plenty of delivery activity surrounded Joe’s. Some on-duty Bayonne police officers were just finishing up their dinner break. Stepping inside the free-standing building, Joe’s was nothing more than a small room with just a few tables. A single table full of youngsters looked to be putting a pizza night cap on their evening. Although the joint had a few other menu items, it pretty much was in business for its pizza.

I approached the counter to find quite an assortment of pies under glass, including a Sicilian, with nary a plain cheese in sight. Expecting a delay when I ordered mine that way ($1.95,cash only, ATM available) magically a readymade plain cheeser appeared. My server then proceeded to fire it up in the oven. While waiting, I took a visit to the potty which I found to be a room in desperate need of some renovation.

Summoned back to the counter when my slice was ready, I immediately knew that I held pizza perfection in my hand. This work of art stood firmly at attention with precision accuracy as to the appropriate thinness and cheese to sauce ratio. The crust handle allowed it to be easily guided into my mouth without any compromise of balance. Perfection!

It was delicious! What stood out to me most was the savory garlic seasoning added to the sauce. Firm yet crisp, it was delightfully chewy not crunchy. Had I not planned to sample other slices on Broadway at this hour, I would have surely had another.

I continued my drive south on Broadway, and, surprisingly, the only other joint I saw open–other than a few bars that I suspect served pie–was Pizza Masters which I had previously visited. Had it not been so late, I might have just headed back to Joe’s for more. For a late night in Bayonne, there’s no question in my mind that Joe’s is the place to go for a great slice!

PIZZA SNOB RATING ***** Sets the Standard

Joe’s Pizzeria
956 Broadway (between 45^th and 46^th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-437-6677
[No website]

In revisiting the pizza of his home town, The Pizza Snob was uncertain about the current status of the Venice Restaurant. I grew up down the street from The Venice, so you could say The Snob’s standards were set by this place. Quite often, my Dad and I would shoot a game of pool in their bar before bringing a pie home. When I got older, it became a place where I would go for a “bar pie” and a beer. The Venice was quite famous around town for their excellent extra-thin crust pizza. I knew that it had changed hands a few times since I left town, and I simply lost touch with the place.

Several readers of this blog suggested that I give the Venice a try. And, in prepping for my last trip home, I came across a 2010 article in New Jersey Monthly listing Venice among the state’s “25 Perfect Pizzas.”  I was excited to learn that the current owner is the granddaughter of the original 1939 founder of the place. So, on my first night back home, I gathered the family for our first trip to the Venice in who knows how many years.

The Venice is in its original location, and looks pretty much like it always has. It sits in the middle of a downtown residential neighborhood which presents a serious parking challenge. There are two doors into the place: the bar entrance on the left and the family entrance on the right. The latter one takes you around to the back where you will find a large, nicely refurbished dining room. The front room sports a large rectangular bar where you can sit and chase down a bar pie with a cold one while watching the game or listening to live music. A recently-added outdoor patio is accessible from the bar.

Although the Venice is a full-scale Italian restaurant offering many fine looking dishes, our group stuck with pizza.  We ordered two large cheese pies at $12 each. (The legendary bar pie, generally meant to be consumed solo at the bar, sets you back $7 these days.) I had a delish chicken Caesar salad while we waited.

The pies arrived shortly, and looking at them made me feel like I had journeyed back in a time machine. They looked just like the trademark Venice pies I was once so fond of–light cheese on a super-thin and crisp crust with a thin, blackened and cracked end crust. Diving right in, I was taken back for a moment when my slice drooped while I aimed it for my mouth. Although the bottom crust was darkened and well-cooked, the slices were not at all firm. In fact, they required assistance from your other hand to get them into your mouth.

My taste buds started jumping for joy due to the custom blend of tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and olive oil was unbelievably delicious. This just had to be one of the tastiest pies I have ever eaten.  The crust, although limp, was both tasty and chewy. Wasting no time, I estimate that I devoured my four slices in less than three minutes. I still think back and wonder what magic they use to get their pizza to taste that good—especially the savory tomato sauce. My parents thought the pie was too oily, but I found the oil smooth and delicious.

I agree with the magazine that this is one of Jersey’s best pizzas. Had it not been for the limp crust, we’d be talking about a perfect pizza rating. My memory did not recall it being that way back in the day, and I’m not sure whether or not this blemish was simply a mishap or a standard. I promise I will be back to find out.

PIZZA SNOB RATING ****1/2 Nearer Perfection

Venice Restaurant
31 Cottage Street
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-339-1115
[no website]

The Snob grew up on the same block as Chris’ Corner, and their pizza was the first he ever tasted. In the early 60’s, Mom would call in the order, and I would walk down the street to bring home a tasty, classic, large pie for $1.25 or a small one for $1.00. Like many East Coast establishments, Chris’ Corner was a fine family Italian restaurant with a hall to cater receptions for baptisms, weddings, and funerals. In fact, after Ms. Pie and I were married in Texas in the early ‘80’s, we had a week-after-the-wedding reception at Chris’. The place then fell off my map, so that was the last time I had gone.

Chris’ Corner survived over the years and remains locally-owned still functioning as restaurant, catering hall, and bar. Late one Saturday afternoon, I decided to see how their pizza had fared over the years. The place looked pretty much like it always had as I walked to it through my old neighborhood: a non-descript, single-story building nestled alone on the corner under a patch of trees. At the front door, there is a restaurant entrance on the left.  I went through the one for the bar on the right and grabbed a seat at the large square bar.  It was just the owner and I until a woman stopped in for a mid-day beer. We three soon discussed the woes of Eli Manning and the then 0-6 New York Giants while the television blared in the background.

I ordered a chicken Caesar salad to kick things off which surprisingly turned out to be by far the best one I have ever had—fresh, tasty, and simply out-of-this world delicious! I followed it up with my first “bar pie” in who knows when. A bar pie is a Jersey tradition—a pizza for you to eat while you sit at the bar nursing a beer. Oddly, their bar pies were available in both thick and thin. Mine of course would be a thin plain cheese. It cost $6.95 and was just the size I expected—10-inches cut into eight small slices served on a silver platter.

Sadly, my bar pie wouldn’t be as great as my salad. It looked much whiter on top than usual and was covered with much more cheese than necessary. There was a nice thin crust on both the bottom and around the ends. The heavy cheese and thin crust did not pair well together, however. The slices were too heavy and cheese would slide off the crust while I ate.  The real downfall of this pie was the disappointing taste of both the cheese and the tomato sauce. Despite undetectable traces of oregano, the taste was bland and uninviting, lingering unpleasantly on my tongue. The crust on the other hand was well-cooked and had a delightful chewy taste. Somewhat reluctantly, I finished my pie immediately making a note not to have it again.

To our dismay, both places and things change over times.  While Chris’ Corner has kept its look and feel, their pizza has changed for the worse. With so much great pizza in Bayonne, I doubt that I will find my way back there unless someone I know in Bayonne has a baby, marries, or dies!

PIZZA SNOB RATING     *** Better Than Dominos

Chris’ Corner
117 West 2nd Street
[corner of Humphrey Avenue]
Bayonne, NJ  07002
201-436-8181
www.chriscornerrestaurant.com

These days, when the Snob goes back home to Bayonne, he fills in his trips to the famous pizza joints in Manhattan and Brooklyn with visits to places in his old home town. There is no shortage of pizzerias and bars making pies in Bayonne. Having already covered a lot of ground, I am now down to those that weren’t around or that I didn’t frequent when I lived there.

The Big Apple Sports Palace & Restaurant sprung up on Broadway in the late 70s. While it’s got the feel of a neighborhood bar, the Big Apple is a sports and evening hot spot that attracts a crowd from all over town. Similar in many ways to the Venice, it has a split-identity with separate entrances: left into the barroom (Sports Palace) or right into the dining room (Restaurant and Catering). Each room has several large screen televisions, and late one NFL Sunday afternoon, I found both filled with lively sports fans.

With the Giants-Packers game in full swing, finding a spot in the bar was out of the question. So, I grabbed an empty table in the spacious, half-full dining room where a small group of serious Saints fans were watching their team play. While, Big Apple carries a full menu of Italian dishes, it boasts about pizza and Buffalo wings. I knew what I was looking for—a famous Bayonne “bar-pie” meant just for me!

I requested a plain cheese bar pie ($6.50) and watched the Giants while I waited. Big Apple’s outdoor sign advertised “Famous Thin Pies.”  In looking around the room, however, I noticed some thicker ones. It seems, the waitress told me, that some have to be made thicker to support the toppings.  Another reason a true pizza snob is a cheese-only guy! I saw on the menu that their choice of toppings even included Kielbasa—now that’s an “only-in-Bayonne” thing for sure!

My bar pie showed up fairly quick and turned out to be a ten-incher cut into eight small slices. And, yes, it sure was ultra-thin, similar to the Venice’s, but slightly firmer. Each tiny slice was easy to fold and fit right into my mouth:  two bites, the crust and I was done.

Overall it was delicious with a light, tasty, oregano seasoning. The crust was cooked well with a blackened thin end crust and a charred toasty bottom. It perhaps could have been little crispier for my liking.  One minor flaw was that the tomato sauce ran a little thin and watery in its mix with the olive oil. Nonetheless, it was still quite flavorful, and I knocked off all eight slices in no time flat. It was wonderful!

The service I received was warm and friendly and furthered my enjoyable experience at the Big Apple. In addition to finding their pizza to be quite satisfying, the Giants even held on to beat the Packers making it a great day all around.  Next time you get a craving for great pizza while watching the big game, leave the living room and head over to the Big Apple—you won’t be disappointed.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****Near Perfection

Big Apple Sports Palace & Restaurant
414 Broadway (between 18^th and 19^th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ  07002
201-858-1075
www.bigapplesportspalace.net

Since crowning myself The Pizza Snob, I have made several trips back to my hometown of Bayonne, NJ. I now have written about eleven pizza places in the Peninsula City. As a result of my last trip home, readers have six more to look forward to. Even so, there are still enough pizza joints and bars selling pizza yet undiscovered for me to write about pizza in Bayonne until I’m old and gray. For a city of just over 60,000, Bayonne may very well sell more pies per capita than any city in the USA.

Lately, I have followed the leads of the Bayonne Facebook community. At the top was Mama Rosa Cucina Pizzeria. I had been there once for dinner and knew that it was an Italian restaurant that my family liked to frequent. That’s a good sign since Mom and Dad are fussy about the places they eat. But somehow Mama Rosa made their list—second only to their fave Italian place, San Vito. No one in the family ever spoke about Mama Rosa’s pies, so I thought I’d start off this trip by bringing one home for lunch.

Mama Rosa sits on the corner of Broadway and 36^th just at the end of midtown. As with any place on Broadway, it can be tough to find a parking spot. Be sure to have change to feed the meter! Inside, they work from a counter off to the right with a half-a-dozen or so dining tables off to the side. They sported side-by-side dual pizza ovens, conventional and brick. What a nice touch to cater to both those who like a good old traditional pie and those who like to fancy one up gourmet-style. Their menu follows suit and is split into two respective pizza sections. I noticed a few slices sitting out which surprisingly were of the gourmet genre. They also cater and deliver.

I did my usual and kept things simple by ordering a large plain cheese ($10.95) to go along with some Caesar salads with chicken. The extra nice wait-staff told me it would take fifteen minutes, and they delivered on time as if on a stopwatch! I usually try to eat at least one slice on site, but this time I chose to not keep the family waiting.

Back home, I opened the box to find a pie looking as classic as you’d expect in Bayonne. It had a slight disadvantage of having cooled down during my ride home. Nonetheless, it turned out to be a delightful pie made from textbook ingredients: delicious cheese and sauce atop tasty dough. Not overly flavored or seasoned, the sauce and cheese merged together hitting your taste buds exactly with the taste that you expected it to have. I would have preferred a crust that was perhaps a little crisper and less chewy.

I felt that something was missing from my analysis, so asked the Pizza Mom what she thought. “Not bad,” she said which for her means it was quite good. She did mention that it was dry. That was it! A little more olive oil would have not only provided some added flavor, but it also might have made the crust cook better. Still, Mama Rosa makes a great pie that I recommend you try.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****Near Perfection

Mama Rosa Cucina Pizzeria
795 Broadway (corner of 36^th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-823-0500
[no website]

As the Snob has said before, it feels like I will never run out of new pizza places to try in my hometown of Bayonne, New Jersey. I took advantage of the mild winter weather one Sunday afternoon on my last trip back to walk around town and visit a few places for the first time.

I stumbled upon my first stop, a new place on Broadway just across from Bayonne Hospital. The very un-Italian sounding Ronny’s Pizzeria and Restaurant was so new that a “Grand Opening” banner still hung atop its storefront. Inside, I found a spacious newly-tiled and painted room full of tables and chairs with the usual walk-up counter overlooking the pizza oven. If my memory serves me well, another pizza joint stood on this spot before Ronny’s takeover and refurbishment.

Ronny’s offers a full menu of Italian wares, and their counter displayed an assortment of specialty slices. I stayed basic and ordered a $2.00 plain cheese which my host immediately reheated. The slice looked to be right out of the Bayonne guide to making pizza—thin and crisp with its ingredients in all the right proportions, although perhaps slightly smaller than usual.

Overall, Ronny’s was a delicious slice that went down quick—just three fast bites to get to the “Fold and Rip.”   I found Ronnie’s crust to be a little dry, and my slice tasted rather plain. This plainness got me to thinking whether some joints expect you to do all the spicing up yourself. Maybe that’s why they leave the oregano, garlic and parmesan cheese on the table. While the Snob thinks that the spicing should be left up to the pizza craftsman, it seems that the students of the Bayonne school of pizza are inconsistent about who should do the seasoning.

With so many pizza-lovers and places in Bayonne, most people tend to order their pies where it is most convenient. If I lived in this area, I would not hesitate to place an order from Ronny’s. But, it’s probably not a pizza that I’d go out of my way for.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     **** Near Perfection

Ronny’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
637 Broadway (between 29th and 30th Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-858-5777
[No website]

The next target of my Bayonne Pizza Blitz was just a block up Broadway from Ronny’s Pizzeria and Restaurant.  Brothers Pizza & Pasta was new to me, but many locals on the Bayonne Facebook page said great things about this family-owned and operated business.

Entering the small joint, I made my way through a packed house of young children celebrating a birthday party. Getting to the counter, I ordered the requisite $2.00 plain cheese slice while succumbing to the fact that there would be nowhere inside for me to eat it!  Aside from the facts that their room is small and that there is no counter space from which to scarf a slice, Brothers looked to be the usual generic Jersey pizza joint. They offered specialty slices and the usual things you would expect from a place like this. They do stretch out a bit in the pizza department by also offering pan and stuffed varieties.

While waiting, I watched the day’s San Francisco-Carolina NFL playoff game on the hanging flat screen. Joining me was the rather boisterous birthday dad who was diverting most of his attention to the game rather than the birthday party. These kids were on their own since that looked like their uncle who I encountered standing out front grabbing a smoke.

As they threw my slice in the oven for its reheat, I noticed that it looked a little smaller than usual, but it came out looking great with a generous coat of oil on top. The bottom was toasted crispy to reveal a delicately browned crust.

Each time I eat an unfamiliar slice, I start by finding the reasons why a slice might not get a perfect Snob score. I soon came to the conclusion that there was simply nothing wrong with Brothers’ slice. This one must have been made by an honors graduate from the Bayonne school of pizza-making!

Comparing this slice to some other Bayonne slices I found that the cheese had a slight run to it. When I think about it, I take this as a good sign that they used just the right amount of Mozzarella. The cheese needs to move a little! The delicious tomato sauce was boosted by a light flavoring of oregano which made for one tasty piece of pizza. The fact that I had to eat this one while standing outside on Broadway did not distract me enjoying the splendor of this slice. My Bayonne Facebook friends were right—Brothers slice is a true winner!

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ***** Sets the Standard

Brothers Pizza & Pasta
649 Broadway (between 30th and 31st Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-339-9500
http://brothersbayonne.com/

I resumed my Bayonne Pizza Blitz by heading across to Avenue A on the west side of town. Pizza Linos was another place recommended by the Bayonne Facebook page, located just a block away from Bayonne High School. Judging by their 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. weekday $1.00 slice special, I suspect they do a good after-school business despite there being another pizza place directly across the street from the school. They sell the usual stuff one finds at a place like this, and they surprisingly also serve a Philly cheese steak.

Linos is your typical Bayonne pizza joint—tables in the front and counter in the back overlooking the conventional pizza oven. Walking up to the counter, I thought that their specialty Philly cheese steak slice on display looked pretty tempting if I was into that kind of thing. Not wanting to shock my readers, though, I stuck with my normal cheese slice for the going Bayonne rate of $2.00.

I got there just before the 2 p.m. special kicked in, and they took my slice from a fresh whole pie sitting on the counter waiting for the students to arrive.  I waited a few minutes for my reheated slice, and on its arrival, my first thought was how economical Lino’s slice looked. It is a typical NY-style slice that is good and lean on all fronts—sauce, cheese and crust. Slices like this are a dream—they go down real fast and you can eat quite a few before filling up.

Lino’s slice could have used just a little more tomato sauce to suit my liking as well as some oregano or garlic flavoring. Ingredients aside, it was cooked perfectly—firm and crisp and nicely scorched on the bottom making for a tasty and chewy crust.

By Bayonne standards, this slice was super-thin, but a very good one. Had I not had other pizza plans for the day, I would have eaten a few more. Lino’s pie is one I’d certainly want to try again.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****½ Nearer Perfection
Pizza Linos
721 Avenue A (Between 31st and 32nd Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-455-3032
[No website]

The Bayonne Pizza Blitz continued with a walk further up Broadway. La Guardiola Pizzeria & Bistro was another recommendation from the folks on the Bayonne Facebook page and is a bit more upscale than most of the pizza joints in town. It has a nice European-style café look. Its hip look and fancy tables made me wonder if I would even be able to grab a slice there. When I finally spotted some slices sitting on the counter, there was not a plain cheese in sight among the fancy ones on display. I really was not sure what I was getting myself into!

I asked for a plain slice ($2.00), and mysteriously one appeared out of nowhere. It was just out of sight and ended up looking just about as Bayonne-like as could be. After its reheat, it came out looking great in all the right proportions and with the traditional contents. The tomato sauce was plentifully applied, and the cheese was just a tad runny within acceptable limits. It was toasted just right with a nice scorch on the bottom that made it stand up firm and crisp.

The slice had perfect execution but was lacking in flavor somewhat. I didn’t see any condiments on display pointing me in that direction either. Maybe pizza places should post a sign saying “Apply Your Own Seasoning!” Although the oil on the surface was applied just right, as I got to the end, I found the pizza bones to be a little dry.

Looking around at the flair of this place, I thought it would be a great place for a full Italian dinner. Their van out front proudly boasts their catering biz.  When it comes down to it, however, La Guardiola stands up well as a place in Bayonne with a solid pizza slice that won’t do you wrong.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****½ Nearer Perfection

La Guardiola Pizzeria & Bistro
819 Broadway (Between 37th and 38th Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-823-3399
http://laguardiolabistro.com/

Walking back home from my Bayonne Pizza Blitz, I thought I was finished until I saw another place that was off my radar. This joint was just a block up from Brothers on the other side of the street. Thinking that I had room for another slice, I thought I’d give this place with an interesting name, Denapoli Krispy Pizza, a try. I found the thought of a crispy pizza quite enticing, so the appeal imbedded in their name worked!

I walked inside to find a sleek modern-looking interior with flashy tile and a violet neon “pizza” sign. Denapoli’s design was a diversion from the Bayonne pizzeria handbook despite its modest look from the outside. The sleek design was quite Spartan with bare walls and little else in sight. The napkins were even hidden behind the counter. Denapoli’s was also different in the price department:  Surprisingly, my plain cheese slice was only $1.50.

Things started off a bit strange when my slice came out so steaming hot I did not even want to touch it.  I could also tell that the cheese was fragile, and that I was going to have trouble keeping it on the crust. Overall it was cheesier and oilier than my liking. There was also a flaccid spot in the middle of the crust that caused some huge cheese slippage. In fact, when I was done, two large globs of cheese remained atop an oily paper plate.

The advertisement of “krispy” was certainly a disappointment since there was really nothing crispy about this slice at all–until I got to the crust which produced a crunch. Overall, this was disappointing for a Bayonne slice. It was even a little wider than usual making it harder to fold to help with the hot slipping cheese issue. Man, this slice was a mouth-scalder!

On the good side, the slice had a nice oregano flavoring, and when I could safely manage a bite without burning or making a mess on myself, it was quite tasty. Sorry, but there are too many better joints in Bayonne. I doubt I will go back to Denapoli.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     *** ½ Working on a Good Thing

Denapoli Krispy Pizza
674 Broadway (Between 31st and 32nd Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-823-3500
[No website]

By now you’d think that I would have visited all of the decent pizza joints in my hometown of Bayonne, New Jersey. Well, perhaps not. On my last trip home, I found another great place that I somehow overlooked. This was odd since my Pizza Compass shows it as one of the closest to my family’s home. In business since 1950, Naples Pizzeria & Restaurant isin the Bergen Point district on Broadway just a few blocks south of the 8th Street Bridge.

It was a Monday evening, and the thought of something new for takeout dinner made Naples a prime target for The Pizza Snob. Mom jumped right on the bandwagon telling me about their Mon-Wed-Sun special of two large thin pies for only $12.95. Dad was less excited telling me the hard-to-believe fact that he once got a pie from Naples, and they left off the cheese.

Still early in the evening when I arrived, only one couple was dining in the small darkened room. With no more than just a few tables and booths, the decor of white Christmas lights and Tiffany lampshades made the dining room look like a hip 1960s basement. The inside floor plan made me theorize that their business storefront was likely converted from a home.

The lady working the back kitchen came out and took my order of two plain cheese pies to go. She even gave me a gentle reminder that the pizza was thin. With such a small crowd, I was surprised that my pies took much longer than I expected, but I suspect there were quite a few deliveries being readied.

Naples’ pie is ultra-thin and light on all the basic ingredients. Although I lost count, I must have eaten at least eight slices of this “goes down nice & easy” tasty pizza. It is a bit tricky to eat though. Without much crust to support things, the slices are quite limp. You still can (and since this is Jersey, you of course must) eat them by hand, but you will need some help from both hands to get that first bite into your mouth.

The cheese and tomato sauce were a delicious blend atop the light tasty crust. The car smelled like garlic all the way home attesting to the source of the delightful seasoning added to the sauce. The narrow end crust was blackened and crunchy while the rest of the crust was not crispy. This may be more of a personal style point, but I would have preferred a crisper bottom which is my only knock on this otherwise perfectly unique, thin pizza.

I now understand how Dad once thought Naples forgot the cheese! Today, his story changed to “we got these pies cheap, since they cut back on the cheese!” Well, I for one am glad that they did since they have come up with a special pizza that should make Bayonne proud. I can’t wait to go back.

P.S. Be prepared, since Naples is cash only with no checks or cards accepted!

PIZZA SNOB RATING ****1/2 Nearer Perfection

Naples Pizzeria & Restaurant
191 Broadway Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-437-8879
www.naplespizza.org

Original Review: 05/03/14

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****½ Nearer Perfection

One of the Pizza Snob’s favorite new Bayonne pizza places, Pizza Linos, was recently featured on Spike TV’s Hungry Investors, and you can watch it online here.

Seems like times have been tough for this local joint, and they turned to the team of Jon Taffer, Tiffany Derry and John Besh for possible help. I won’t spoil the ending for you, but in the meantime please go and have a slice or two to support this great Bayonne business.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****½ Nearer Perfection
Pizza Linos
721 Avenue A (Between 31st and 32nd Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-455-3032
http://www.letseat.at/Pizzalinos

Original Review: 04/06/13
PIZZA SNOB RATING ****Near Perfection

On a recent trip back home, The Pizza Snob came across a locked door and handmade sign offering a pizza setup for lease. It looks like Mario’s Pizza is no more. I was glad to meet the owner last year and wish him the best in the future. He made a pretty good pie. With a pizza joint on nearly every corner, Bayonne is a tough place to survive in the pizza business—a fact that Spike TVs Hungry Investors failed to mention on their recent visit there.

NEW PIZZA SNOB RATING   R.I.P

Mario’s Pizza
330 Broadway (between 15^th and 16^th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002 201-339-0191
[no website]

Addendum: Often I am unable to get historical background about the pizza places I visit. Since I left Bayonne in 1980, such was the case with Mario’s. I have now learned from my friends on the You Know You Grew Up in Bayonne When …. Facebook page that Mario’s opened in the 80’s and was sold to the recent owner about two years ago.

Original Review: 09/22/12

PIZZA SNOB RATING ****1/2 Nearer Perfection

My posting yesterday about the demise of Mario’s Pizza, brought with it the sad news from my friends on the You Know You Grew Up in Bayonne When …. Facebook page that Tony’s Pizza also closed about a month ago.

The Snob usually checks on these things whenever I can. But strangely enough, when I was home last week, there was construction on Broadway right in front of Tony’s creating a detour that kept me from driving by.

This is a hard one for the Snob to take since in the days of the twenty-five cent slice, I practically cut my teeth on Tony’s great pie. It will be missed.

It just keeps getting sadder every time I go back to Bayonne. There are just fewer and fewer reminders of the good old days, and there are way too many vacant storefronts on the once vibrant Broadway.

All around this country of ours—let’s do our best to support the local businesses that once-defined America. I pick unique and special over cheap and corporate.

NEW PIZZA SNOB RATING     R.I.P

Tony’s Pizza
250 Broadway (between 9^th and 10^th Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-792-4132
[No website]

Original Review: 09/22/12

PIZZA SNOB RATING ****1/2 Nearer Perfection

My post this morning about the suspected demise of the much-loved Tony’s Pizza created a level of interest like this blog has never before seen. The amount of sadness mixed in with an overall appreciation for this Bayonne landmark was incredible.

Well, leave it to the You Know You Grew Up in Bayonne When …. Facebook page to get to the bottom of things. It seems that Tony’s is merely undergoing a renovation and will be reopening shortly. The outpour of concern eventually got to Carmine Vitale, son of founder Tony, who today runs the place with his cousin.

Here’s what Carmine had to say:

“Mike, this is not true. We are just in the midst of doing renovations to the interior of the shop. We are not going anywhere! We love Bayonne and all its citizens and definitely all our customers. As many people know, we have been there for over 40 years, and the interior hasn’t changed much in that time. So we were well overdue for a major renovation to the inside–hence the delay in the re-opening

We are revamping our pizza menu as well. We will be offering some family recipes that we have been holding out on, and I hope you come in to try them. We are going to build a display case for our new and classic pizzas. Anticipate stuffed square pies with escarole and broccoli rabe and also grandma squares, all of which I’m sure will be a tasty and big hit!

I will keep you updated. We have a very loyal following, and I can’t wait to reopen with a brand new menu. Both I and my cousin Nicholas have trained under my father Tony who was truly a pizza master and set the bar so high in many ways. I consider Bayonne the pizza capital of the world–so many pizza parlors in such a small town. Our dough recipe dates back to the old country, and me and my cousin feel ready to take it to the next level!”

Wow! This is really great news, and I for one can’t wait to visit the new Tony’s when I come back to Bayonne later this year! Thanks Carmine for checking in with us.

NEW PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****1/2 Nearer Perfection

Tony’s Pizza
250 Broadway (between 9^th and 10^th Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-792-4132
[No website]

Original Review: 05/03/14

PIZZA SNOB RATING ****Near Perfection

Last trip home, I was driving up Broadway and noticed that Ronny’s Pizzeria & Restaurant appeared to be closed for business. Sad news since they had not been open for long.

With so many pizza places, Bayonne has got to be a tough place to start a new one. I’m sure being only a block away from the great Brothers Pizza & Pasta didn’t help Ronny’s cause.

NEW PIZZA SNOB RATING     R.I.P

Ronny’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
637 Broadway (between 29th and 30th Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-858-5777
[No website]