Panatieri's, Hillsborough, NJ

Date: 9/26/2016
Location: Hillsborough, NJ
Pizza Ordered: Margherita and Plain
Website: www.panatierispizza.com/

Panatieri's is a New Jersey Chain of pizzerias that originated in Bound Brook. The owner, Chris Panatieri still owns and operates the original location. There are nine total locations throughout New Jersey, but this review is for the Hillsborough location. The pizzeria itself replaced another Hillsborough Pizzeria called "Portabello's" which, from what I remember, served a decent plain slice. The setup is similar, with a large counter that displays many of the options available and ample indoor seating. Parking is also quite simple, as the lot is shared with a nearby Kohls, so there are plenty of spots.

While I initially missed the disappearance of Portabello's, after trying Panatieri's I have nearly forgotten why I enjoyed Portabello's in the first place. Panatieri's pizza is very good with a thin and crispy bottom and delicious bready crust. The crust is one of the most satisfying features of the pizza and features great crunch. I thought the sauce was a pleasant mix of spicy and zesty and the cheese was fresh and very tasty. The margherita slice was decent. Maybe not an award winner, but it was a good choice featuring more of the sauce I enjoyed. It's clear why Chris Panatieri has been so successful opening a pizza chain in New Jersey, one of the pizza capitals of the world. The pizza is quality and the crust is some of the best I've enjoyed. When I eventually release my ranking for the worst to best pizza in Hillsborough, I'm certain Panatieri's will score higher than average.

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