Five High-Quality New Jersey Pizza Places

Let me start by saying, I’m some sort of pizza snob, especially since I’m from Brooklyn, the king of pizza joints. But not to the point I won’t give other pizza establishments a chance. 

Nevertheless, I tried five pizza places in the vicinity of where I have been living for the past three years: Chatham, New Jersey, and all seemed to range from good to lip-smacking delicious. 

I know people will say there are better spots, but these pizzerias fit the bill, and the ones I hit for now. Please send me your suggestions. 

Arminio’s Italian Corner – 236 Main St, Chatham, NJ (Photo of Napoleone pie below).

Being from the Borough of Kings, known for its great pizza, I needed to see how the Chatham restaurant measured up by the slice, my preferred form of the saucy, cheesy fare.  

Much to my surprise, the pizza at Arminio’s was rather delectable. Crispy, a not-too-think, not-too-thin crust, with a savory sauce and supple, oozing mozzarella. This was a big win for me. I have stopped by multiple times since I first busted through the doors in June of 2018.

Hickory Tree Pizza – 641 Shunpike Rd., Chatham Township, New Jersey

The brick oven pizza slice boasts a nice, perfectly chard crust, crispy enough for my hard-to-please palate.

Savory sauce? Check. Solid mozzarella? Check. Add up all those qualities together, and you have everything for a tasty slice of heaven.

But why stop at the pizza? I also had a few jalapeno poppers with melted, smoothed American cheese in the middle – a solid offering indeed.

Chianti Brick Oven Trattoria – 249 Main Street, Chatham, New Jersey

Has a rainy Jersey day lowered your bottom lip? No worries, paisan. Good pizza is the perfect antidote to rid the body of the grey day blues, as well as cheer you up not matter how gloomy you’re feeling. Hey, I’m a genuine pizza lover, what can I say?

Whether you order the Margarita and/or the white pizza, just I like I did, Chianti got your back. 

On my next visit, I’d like to try the Chatham Cougar (probably named after the local high school’s sport teams) – Buffalo mozzarella, Taleggio (smear-ripened Italian cheese named after the caves of Val Taleggio), parmigiana, black pepper and cream sauce.

Bacci Brick Oven Pizza and Restaurant – 1260 Springfield Avenue (in the New Village Shopping Center) – New Providence, New Jersey.

While I tend to favor pizza by the slice or even a Sicilian, the brick oven variety is a nice change of pace. 

I’m glad I did, as I sampled some delectable, crispy, thin-crusted brick oven Pepperoni and Margarita Pizzas, with the ladder being my favorite, although the Pepperoni was rather delicious. 

In addition, Bacci has a splendid menu, with a range of tasty salads and scrumptious pastas from which to choose. 

Romanelli’s Pizza & Italian Eatery— 42 Lincoln Place, Madison, New Jersey

I found another pizza parlor, in the form of Romanelli’s, that measures up to the New York City’s traditional slice — crispy crust, savory sauce and tasty mozzarella — all of the qualities that make for a solid pizza offering. 

In addition, I sampled Romanelli’s lasagna, which was surprisingly good, considering it’s a simple, charming pizza parlor. Moist, succulent and covered in mozzarella, it hit the spot. But truth be told, it’s still not as grand as my Mom’s. Hey, I’m a little bias, but what do I know? 

— Jerry Del Priore