The New Jersey Pizza Hunt

Date: 1/10/2019 Location: West Haven, CT Pizza ordered: Traditional Plain Pie Website: ​https://zuppardisapizza.com Zuppardi's, to me, is the quintessential neighborhood pizzeria. They're tucked into a residential area on the corner. There is ample seating inside in the form of classic booths and there is a friendly vibe. I decided to order the traditional plain pie and I was not disappointed. The sauce is legendary with a good fresh taste and a decent amount of sweetness. There is a dusting of parmesan rather than loading up with mozzarella like New York Style pies. The crust and base are very crispy and taste of fine bakery bread. This fabulous location came recommended to me from The Pizza Show featured on Munchies and it more than lives up to the hype!

Date: 10/17/2018 Location: Branchburg, NJ Pizza ordered: Plain and penne vodka Website: vinniespizzaandpasta.com/ Vinnie's is located along the busy Route 202 tucked inside a strip mall. There is ample seating in the form of classical booths and the service I received was very friendly. I decided to order a slice of plain and a slice of penne vodka. The plain slice was solid. Good cheese, sauce, and crust and the right amount of crispy. The penne vodka tasted delicious, though I wish the base were crispier to offer better support for liberal topping.

Date: 2/7/2019 Location: Manville, NJ Pizza Ordered: Plain and Fresh Tomato Website: [none listed] Phone: 908-725-3020 Adam's Pizza & Italian Restaurant is a small corner pizzeria across from the CVS plaza along the bustling S. Main Street in Manville. Upon entering, you will see classic tiled walls with a few tightly packed tables to sit at with a TV playing near the sodas and drinks. There is a bit of a cluttered appearance, and the counter-top display for slices is a bit concealed. There wasn't much selection, but I went with my usual plain slice and a tomato slice. The pizza was actually quite good! The plain, while very greasy, had good flavor and a decent cheese to sauce ratio. The bottom was perfectly crisp. The crust was rather plain, but the slice as a whole was a good, average slice. The tomato slice featured a crunchier crust with the same perfectly crisp base. The tomatoes were fresh and juicy and provided good contrast to the cheese. Once you get past the c...

Date: 10/17/2018 Location: Branchburg, NJ Slices ordered: Tomato and Meat Lovers Website: www.trattoriaunonj.com/ Trattoria Uno lies along the busy US Highway 202. There is a medium-sized parking area in front of the plaza the pizzeria is a part of. Inside lies a welcoming interior with good lighting, clean tables, and great decorative wall hangers. The staff was very polite and friendly and the slice selection was excellent. I decided to go with the meat lovers and the tomato slice. They were not stingy on the meat with this slice...it came fully loaded. Very filling. The tomato slice benefitted from amazing sauce. There was a good amount of cheese and the ratio to the sauce was excellent. Both slices had a nice crisp crust and base. The tomato slice is a real winner, and one of the better ones I've enjoyed in Somerset County. Overall, this place has my approval! Excellent pizza!

Date: 6/31/2018 Location: Asbury Park, NJ Pizza ordered: Sausage, Margherita, Vegan supreme Website:  https://talulaspizza.com/ My girlfriend and I stopped into Talula's after a day at the Jersey Shore. The first thing you notice when you walk in is the trendy atmosphere. They also have a tremendous classic rock selection playing in the background. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that Talula's has a fantastic vegan selection! I decided to start with the Savile Bourbon mixed drink. It had a nice herbal flavor to it and tasted great! My girlfriend tried the Gin and Jam which started with a zesty lemon taste that was instantly sweetened by the delicious jam. I am definitely trying a Mezcal flight next time we stop in. For pizza, I decided to try the sausage party and the Margie. My girlfriend went with the Temple V vegan pizza. All three pizzas came out very fast. The sausage party had amazing, fluffy crust that was charred and bubbly. The flavor of the spicy sausage...

Date: 6/23/2018 Location: Somerville, NJ Pizza ordered: Plain and Chicken Parmesan Website:  http://www.centralpizzerianj.com/ I stopped into Central Pizzeria at the end of a pizza crawl through Somerset. There is a decent amount of seating and the wall decorations are funny and entertaining. There wasn't much selection, but I went with a classic plain slice and a chicken parmesan slice. The chicken parm slice was okay. There was a mix of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses on the slice. The chicken was plain and the crust was generic and didn't stand out. The plain slice was slightly gummy and undercooked, but did have a nice mixed cheese flavor. The slice was a little light on sauce and overall wasn't much to brag about.

Date: 06/23/2018 Location: Somerville, NJ Pizza ordered: Margherita Website:  http://alfonsostrattoria.com/ Alfonso's Family Trattoria is a bustling pizzeria in the heart of Somerville. The wooden floors, brick walls and large variety of photos and pictures that adorn the walls all contribute to a warm and cozy atmosphere. If you were asked me to picture the epitome of friendly neighborhood restaurants, I would probably picture Alfonso's. The service was excellent and incredibly fast. The complimentary bread tasted great and had a pleasant mix of spices and herbs. I decided to go with a classic Margherita pizza and was not disappointed. The crust tasted fantastic. It was perfectly browned with a crispy base. The mozzarella was fresh and had good stretch, but did not suffer from the all-too-common cheese slide. The red sauce was extremely tasty and matched the pizza perfectly. Overall, I would highly recommend Alfonso's to anyone in the area looking for a good meal.