Seven of the highest-rated pizzerias in New Jersey are headed to Dave Portnoy’s One Bit Pizza Festival this Saturday.
Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, runs a popular pizza review series online called One Bite, where he scores pies across America on a stringent 1-to-10 scale.
Now he is featuring more than 40 of his highest-rated pizza parlors in America at an all-you-can-eat pizza festival in New York City.
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Gracing the pizza stage will also include some of New Jersey’s pizzerias, including:
DeLorenzo’s Tomato Pies in Robbinsville, which Portnoy scored a 9.2 in 2019, saying the pizza had “bite, it has pop, it has spunk, it has pizzazz.”
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In a survey in 2017 from People magazine and Zagat, De Lorenzo’s Tomato Pies was selected as the most popular restaurant in New Jersey.
Next up is Brooklyn Square Pizza in Jackson, which Portnoy scored an 8.9, saying, “This is a great slice.” The pizzeria is located at 265 S New Prospect Rd, Jackson Township.
“As a first-generation Italian, our owner, Pietro ‘Peter’ Grippo, was raised with strong Caggianese values and traditions. Since 2001, he’s owned and operated pizza places founded on a love and passion for the same Italian food his mother would prepare for him. When he was unexpectedly diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, the same cancer his father had passed away from 20 years prior, he made a commitment to fight and never give up. Built on a foundation of family and passion for food, Brooklyn Square Pizza operates on that same conviction to remember the important things in life,” according to Brooklyn Square Pizza.
Coniglio’s Old Fashioned in Morristown also will be featured, which Portnoy scored 8.3 in 2024. Coniglio’s Old Fashioned is located at 11 South Street in Morristown. The pizza shop opened late in 2023 with tremendous enthusiasm from the community, with lines forming before the pizzeria opened its doors.
Co-owner Nino Coniglio is a world-renowned pizzaiolo with more 10 awards as a US and World Champion Pizza Maker. Coniglio owns several pizzerias in his native Brooklyn, New York and has also been named a Food Network “Chopped” Champion.
Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza in Elizabeth is back after suffering from a fire in 2024. Portnoy had previously rated the pizzeria an 8.3 and donated his proceeds from the One Bite Pizza Festival in 2024 to owner Al Santillo to help him rebuild his brick oven pizzeria, at 639 S Broad St.
The pizzeria has received many accolades over the years. In 2014, The Deal Meals ranked Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza of Elizabeth number 51 out of 700 pizzerias considered for the website’s list of notable places to enjoy a slice.
In 2017, Santillo’s was named the Best Pizzeria In New Jersey by the Daily Meal. And in 2018, Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza came in second for New Jersey and was 32nd on the list on The Daily Meal’s 2018 ranking of America’s 101 Best Pizzas.
Amano Pizza in South Amboy was rated 7.9 by Portnoy. The pizzeria, located at 346 Bordentown, South Amboy, is owned by John and Ninowho are first-generation Italian Americans.
“We infuse our passion for food and people into every handmade pizza. With a commitment to perfection, we invite you to savor the authentic flavors of our heritage and experience pizza-making at its finest,” according to Amano Pizza.
Squan Tavern in Manasquan will also be featured at the festival. The pizzeria opened at 1964 at 15 Broad St., Manasquan, and scored a 7.6 out of 10 by Portnoy in 2021.
“Very crispy. Like good, thin…. the crisp is to die for on this thing. Super crispy,” said Portnoy during the review.
Last but not least is Nonna’s in Florham Park, which scored a 7.7 from Portnoy in 2020 saying the pizza was “very good, it’s not crispy… I really like it… I wish this was crispier.”
“Nonna’s Italian Restaurant was founded in 2009 with one goal: To provide the area’s best Italian cuisine and homemade Pizza and baked goods in a warm and comfortable atmosphere,” according to comehometononnas.com.
In 2019, the pizzeria at 176 Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park, was named the best pizzeria in Morris County by The Star Ledger.
For more information on the One Bite Pizza Festival or to buy tickets, visit onebitepizzafest.com.
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