Skip to main content

Mariana's Pizza and Latin Grill, Hillsborough, NJ

Date: 5/10/2017
Location: Hillsborough, NJ
Slices Ordered: Plain and Chicken Parm
Website: marianaspizzeria.com/

I had high hopes for Mariana's, located near the Wawa and Rita's Italian Ice in Hillsborough New Jersey. Based on reviews and another individual's pizza ranking for Hillsborough, NJ, Mariana's scored quite high and I assumed it would be a hidden gem. Unfortunately, I must have missed something.

The pizzeria itself has a fairly clean and spacious seating area that can fit larger crowds. The register and counter area seems somewhat cluttered and messy. The staff was friendly enough and the atmosphere was pretty normal. Unfortunately, none of this could make up for the quality of the pizza.

The base of the pizza was clearly undercooked featuring a gummy, doughy core. The overzealous seasoning did not help the flavor of the slice, which was fairly bland overall. The chicken parmesan slice wasn't any better. That slice was also undercooked and the chicken wasn't very appetizing. It was a strange consistency as if it were unsure whether to be crispy or chewy. Perhaps I got a bad batch or just went at a bad time, but I was fairly disappointed with the meal.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Italy's Restaurant & Pizzeria, Phillipsburg, NJ

Date: 6/21/2019 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Pizza Ordered: Plain, White, and Sicilian Website: https://italysrestaurant.com/#home Italy's is a small local pizza joint that has the appearance of your typical neighborhood pizzeria. Lovely paintings of Italy adorn the walls and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. I was extra hungry, so I went with my usual plain slice and added a white slice and a Sicilian slice. The meal came with complimentary bread that was pleasantly fluffy and had a good mix of herbs and spices on it. The plain had pretty decent sauce and cheese and the charred crust was good, but a bit burnt in some places. The white was very fluffy with a good helping of cheese. The square slice had really great sauce and parmesan and a nice amount of fluff to the base. Overall, I would say Italy's puts out a good average slice of pizza.

PJ's Grill & Pizza, New Brunswick, NJ

Date: 12/18/2016 (and later: 12/31/2016) Location: New Brunswick, NJ Pizza Ordered: Plain and Chicken Bacon Ranch, then Plain and Buffalo Chicken Website: http://www.pjsgrill.com/ PJ's Grill is located on Easton Avenue in the epicenter of the Rutgers night-life. Sitting between College Avenue Campus and a large population of off-campus housing, this pizzeria is one of the most popular in the Rutgers are. I've had many friends express their opinions to me that PJ's Grill is among the best pizza in New Brunswick. There is more room for seating than most pizzerias in the area and there is usually a large selection to choose from when deciding on a slice to eat. While the establishment lacks in parking, there is some available on Easton Avenue and the nearby streets, though most of the customers are within walking distance to their house. Despite the praises by many, the pizza is pretty average. The plain slice is fairly decent with fresh cheese and good quality sauce. The ...

Papa's Tomato Pies, Robinson, NJ

Date: 03/13/2017 Location: Robbinsville, NJ Pizza Ordered: Plain Tomato Pie Website: www.papastomatopies.com/ Before I review this pizzeria, you should know that Papa's Tomato Pies is considered the oldest family owned pizzeria in the United States and has ranked very high, if not the best on most national and New Jersey top pizzeria lists. The history and rankings definitely contribute to the hype surrounding this pizzeria and I am here to tell you that they are well deserved. Papa's Tomato Pies is a cash-only, pizzeria that does have an ATM on site and ample parking outside what looks to be a typical house. There is a very nice seating area and a separate section for takeout. The staff is very polite and friendly and the service is relatively quick. The pizza is definitely some of the best I've ever had. The sauce is delicious with fresh, flavorful tomatoes and delightfully rich cheese that stretches nicely when you pull a slice from the pie. The base of the pizza is c...