Santillo's: New Accolades For A New Jersey Classic

On a recent Saturday afternoon, I gathered a bunch of my pizza loving friends and we headed over to New Jersey to try some of the state's most talked about pizza places. Despite it's proximity to New York City, I've spent very little time eating pizza in New Jersey. In fact, until now the only New Jersey pizza place I'd written about on this site was Nomad Pizza Company in Hopewell. The idea behind this outing was to hit up not only some of the classic pizza places, but a few of the newcomers to the New Jersey pizza scene too.

Our first stop on the trip was Santillo's (639 South Broad Street) in Elizabeth, which has been churning out pies from their brick oven since the early 1900s. The oven itself -- which is 20 feet deep -- is older than Santillo's. It was built in 1904 and has since been reconfigured from a coal oven to a gas oven. Upon entering Santillo's, our group was greeted by the owner -- Al Santillo. The place is tiny and all pies are made for takeout only. Thus, there's only a few square feet of space to maneuver as you look over their anomalous menu. What's so special about it? Well most of the pies are named after the year in which they were conceived; an explanation accompanies each name.

You could, for example, order a 1940 Genuine Tomato Pie (which is essentially a cheese-less marinara pie) or a 1957 Style Pizza (which is an extra thin 14 inch round pie). Heeding to Al's advice we decided on the 1964 Style 16" (which has "a little olive oil & little parmesan on top of mozzarella"). What I love about the pie names is the fact that they pay homage to the shop's rich history. Yet although they've been around for decades, Santillo's is riding a wave of recent accolades which have garnered a new found appreciation for this classic place.

Alan Richman wrote a piece about Santillo's in GQ Magazine earlier this year. And a quote at the top of the menu reads: "Might Be The Best Pizza In NJ" - New Jersey Monthly Feb. 2010. Al, who was familiar with I Dream Of Pizza (even referring to specific postings), seemed intrigued by all the press the place has been getting recently.

The pizza itself was delicious. It was enjoyed in the trunk of our car, as the only other option for eating it on site would have been to pull up some pavement in the alleyway leading up to the entrance. Although some members of our group pointed to the excessive amount of olive oil on the pie, I thought the consistency of it was one of it's best features. The pie was crispy and held together well. No ingredient overwhelmed another and the sauce was the best I had all day. The crust was charred just to my liking, and the cornmeal on the bottom of the crust was a nice added touch. Pepper flakes gave the slices an extra kick. Of course being in New Jersey meant not only drooling over New Jersey pizza, but also New Jersey prices. The pie cost $15.00.

Although Santillo's could benefit from a few benches, there is not much I'd change about the pizza. I'd love to return to try their Sicilian pies, breads, and other offerings. It would be fun to compare pies which were conceived during different eras and see whether the differences are subtle or more pronounced. The 1959 style is "thick and saucy" while the 1960 style boasts "less cheese, more sauce." Blind taste test, anyone?

Al seems to know a thing or two about what he's doing back there. It would be really cool if Santillo's added a 2011 or 2012 pie to the menu. The 1990 style pie is the most recent one named after a year. When the time is right, I'd love to see a new pie added to the menu that will undoubtedly become a classic for future generations.

The Renaissance of Pizza Franchising

Thanks to the folks at Franchise Direct - one of the biggest franchise portals on the planet - for providing us with a report on the state of pizza franchises in 2010. As you might have presumed, the pizza industry is enjoying a renaissance.

Franchise Direct publishes many exclusive reports on franchising, and their Pizza Franchising Report 2010 is based on the examination of 25 Franchise Disclosure Documents. As a whole, the report finds that pizza’s popularity via the medium of franchising remains incredibly strong. While 59% of American pizzerias are independently-run, franchises have almost 50% of the total pizza sales share.

Like all American businesses, pizza franchises had problems in the latter part of 2008 and throughout 2009, as the cost of ingredients soared and consumer spending dropped. But as the Franchise Direct report illustrates, pizza franchises, particularly those specializing in delivery and take-out, quickly regained their market share, thanks to their high-quality and affordable product.

You can click here to download a copy of the press release in it's entirety.

This post was sponsored by Franchise Direct, one of the world's leading portals for franchise and business opportunities. Started as a single website for the promotion of franchises in the US market in 1998, Franchise Direct now operates a suite of six multilingual sites targeting North America and Europe.

Free Pizza At Pulino's For Kids

Oh how I wish I were young again. Last week, Zagat reported that on weekdays between 5:00PM and 6:30PM, kids 10 years old or younger can get a free pie when an adult places his or her order at Pulino's. When I was a child, my birthday parties usually took place at Sbarro in the food court. Or Chuck E Cheese. Looks like you can throw Pulino's into the mix of pizza places that are catering towards that crowd.

New Pie Alert: Cherry Poppins @ Roberta's

I noticed a new pie on the menu at Roberta's last week. I'm not sure if it's popped up during previous summers... but it is new to me!

The Cherry Poppins contains rocket pesto, heirloom tomatoes, fontina, parmigiano, and basil. And in case you were wondering... it was delicious. As the Roberta's menu rotates quite frequently, you better head out there soon if you want to give it a taste!

Q&A W/ Motorino Owner Mathieu Palombino

Check out a great Q&A with Motorino owner Mathieu Palombino at RestaurantGirl.com. I've had the pleasure of meeting Mathieu and he is an amazing individual.

In the interview he reveals that his favorite type of pie is not actually on the Motorino menu (tomato sauce, pecorino and olive oil) and that the beer which he thinks best compliments the pies on his menu is Sixpoint Righteous Rye.

Also of note - his cheese is flown in each week from Campania, Italy and a third Motorino outpost is unlikely in the near future.

You can read the full interview here.

Pizza By Cer Té: Eco-Friendly Pizza Comes To Midtown

Earlier this year I wrote about how Roberta's -- in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn -- has not only become a model for great pizza, but also for the sustainable food movement. A vacant lot next to the restaurant has been converted into a sprawling green space where the restaurant's produce is grown. At the end of the piece I mentioned how a place like Roberta's "could never exist in Manhattan or in a more populated area of Brooklyn." It takes space to do what Roberta's is doing.

But if I were to imagine what Roberta's would look like if it was squeezed into a Manhattan store front, it would look very similar to Pizza By Cer Té (132 East 56th Street). The eco-friendly pizza place is revolutionary. And it's not solely because of green initiatives at the forefront of their business model. But it's because of where Pizza By Cer Té is located: in Midtown Manhattan.

Step inside Pizza By Cer Té and the first thing you'll notice is that green herbs are growing -- right out of their walls. The basil on your pizza isn't being shipped in as is the case at nearly every other New York City pizza place. It's great that the basil at Di Fara comes from Israel... but that's not quite eco-friendly! Other "green" aspects of the space are less noticeable: the green walls are irrigated by collected rainwater, recycled material are used in counters, and food is delivered on foot or via bike. Having seen all of their green efforts firsthand, it's clear that the shop isn't just hopping on the eco-friendly bandwagon. Green initiatives have been getting a lot of attention in recent years and the trend is finally starting to catch up to the food industry.

There are certainly those who will say that the pizza place is not doing enough. But by branding yourself as an eco-friendly food establishment, that comes with the territory. One thing is for sure -- Pizza By Cer Té is Manhattan's most eco-friendly pizza place. We've seen such attention to green initiatives at establishments such as Birdbath Bakery and Habana Outpost. But this is new to the New York City pizza scene.

By now you're probably wondering how the pizza tastes. It's really good -- in the upper tier of pizza available in Midtown Manhattan. And you won't pay more, just because the expenses of running an eco-friendly pizza place are higher. Is it the best pizza you can find in Manhattan? Probably not. But there are so few options for quality pizza in Midtown now that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who works in the area.

They have a plethora of interesting topping combinations - like Cauliflower Merguez (Roasted Cauliflower with Spicy Harissa, Sweet Pepper, Fennel, Pomodoro and Mozzarella) and Farmers (Long Island Potato, Sharp Amish Cheddar, Shaved Corn and Scallions). In fact, there are no bland slices when it comes to the toppings. The most simple is the Margherita Cer Té (Fresh Tomato Sauce, Lioni Mozzarella, HOC and Grana Papano) which costs $2.50. Specialty slices are $1.00 more.

Besides serving some of the better quality pizza in the area, their innovative topping combinations also give Pizza By Cer Té a leg up on the competition. If you're an adventurous pizza eater, this place is for you. Personally, I tend to enjoy slices that are more simple. The Bianca (Hand Dipped Ricotta and Truffle Oil with Arugula and Fresh Pepper) was one of my favorites.

Other than the pizza, there are a number of salads, sandwiches, and desserts on the menu. The tiramisu is delicious. There's also lemonade which you can customize to your liking.

Margherita Cer Té
(Fresh Tomato Sauce, Lioni Mozzarella, HOC and Grana Papano)

Bianco
(Hand Dipped Ricotta and Truffle Oil with Arugula and Fresh Pepper)

Bolognese
(Crumbled Meatball, Hand Dipped Ricotta, Fresh Dipped Tomato Sauce and HOC)



Tiramisu



Lemonade

Pizza Crust Fail

I recently dined at Roberta's - one of my favorite pizza places in the city - with a friend who was here from another country. She told me that she loved the pizza she ate there.

But when I glanced down at her plate, my heart skipped a beat. "Anonymous friend," I began. "How could you possibly have enjoyed the pizza you ate?"

Well, apparently she just really doesn't like pizza crust. Our waitress told us that this is the most crust that anybody has ever left behind at Roberta's.

What a shame!

* This pizza crust fail should not be confused with a pizza cheese fail and a pizza stone fail which have previously appeared on this site.

Have You Ever Gone Gaga Over Pizza?

Lady Gaga and pizza. It could be the next great integrated marketing campaign. Or maybe not. We've already told you how fond the pop singer is of pizza (Star Pizza Deliveries). US Weekly reported that she sent $1,000 worth of pies to fans waiting in line for her autograph in LA earlier this year. And now a pizza place on Avenue A is capitalizing on Gaga's popularity with this sign (via EV GRIEVE).

What's next? Bieber Fever for meatballs?

$1 Slices @ Midtown's Pizza By Cer Té Tomorrow

Last week we brought word about a new pizza truck roaming the streets of Midtown with $1.00 slices (New Pizza Truck Alert: $1 Slices).

Not to be outdone, Manhattan's first green pizzeria - Pizza By Cer Té (132 East 56th Street) - is offering a great lunch special tomorrow: 2 slices of margherita pizza for just $2.00.

Swing by starting at noon for the freshest slice in the area.

Totonno's: High Expectation Are Hard To Meet

Back in March 2009, a devastating fire forced Totonno's - a legendary Coney Island pizza place - to close indefinitely (Fire Shuts Totonno’s). Weeks passed and false reports of a reopening date surfaced from time to time. Finally, nearly a year after the fire, Totonno's was back in business. The only problem? It was the middle of winter in New York City -- not exactly a prime time to be visiting Coney Island. Nevertheless, loyal customers returned right away and when the cold weather was gone, the place was packed once again -- as if it had never even closed.

Sadly, I never made it to the original Totonno's. From what I hear, not much has changed. Ever since I started Pizza Club in 2008, I'd been looking forward to organizing an outing there. And last month, it was finally time to make the trip. I was worried, though, that I wouldn't be able to form an objective opinion about the pizza there. For years now, I've been hearing about how amazing the pizza is at Totonno's. Nearly every pizza enthusiast I meet lists it as one of their favorite places. Even before I set foot inside, I already had unrealistically high expectations for what I'd find behind those glass doors.

The place itself feels like it's been around for decades. The walls are adorned with photos and plaques of awards and reviews. About 35-40 people can comfortably fit inside -- most at tables, some in booths. The way Totonno's is arranged makes it difficult to accommodate large parties. Had our group been larger than seven people, I fear we would have encountered a problem. When the place is full, as it was on a Friday evening around 7PM, a disorderly line forms outside. When a table opens up, the place's no-nonsense owner, Louise Ciminieri, steps outside to let in the next party.

The pizza itself was underwhelming. It was good. Solid. Enjoyable. Tasty. But it wasn't all I hoped and dreamed it would be. We ordered three pies - one plain, one with sausage, and one with mushrooms and peppers. Our group seemed to agree the the toppings only took away from the key ingredients. The plain pie was the best.

At $19.50 for a large pie, it seems in line with other classic Brooklyn pizza places. A large pie at Grimaldi's is $14.00, but at Di Fara you'll have to shell out $25.00. Totonno's, however, is a far cry from Di Fara. I was disappointed there was no basil on the plain pie and the crust was crunchier than I like. Some of the pies were lukewarm when they arrived. I love when a pie is placed in front of you... still steaming from the oven.

I'm sure I'll return to Totonno's very soon and perhaps my opinion about it will change. When a pizza place involves a bit of a trek to get to, I ask myself this: Would I send a friend from out of town there for some pizza? The answer is a resounding no. Other Brooklyn pizza places I might send them to include Di Fara, Grimaldi's, Paulie Gee's, Motorino and Roberta's. I'm perhaps ashamed to say that I even enjoyed a place like Toby's Public House more than Totonno's. I appreciate the history and it's somewhere every New Yorker should visit. I just don't appreciate the pizza as much as I do elsewhere. Had I gone with lower expectations, perhaps I would have been pleasantly surprised. But when you're expecting greatness, it's easy to be disappointed.

New Pizza Truck Alert: $1 Slices

New York Street Food tipped me off to a brand new pizza truck that hit the streets. Apparently, they like to keep it simple. The truck is called Pizza Truck NYC. And they sell $1 slices. I haven't tried it yet, but I already like their business model. It's precisily what I suggested Eddie's Pizza Truck needed to do last week. Well, folks -- the $1.00 slice craze has joined forces with the food truck craze. It was only a matter of time. Check out a first luck at the truck on the New York Street Food website.

Related: Maffei’s Pizza Launches $1 Slice Truck (Midtown Lunch)

Pizza Featured In NY Magazine Cheap Eats Issue

"Cheap Eats" is one of my favorite issues of New York Magazine each year. And no "Cheap Eats" issue would be complete without a rundown of some of the best pizza deals in the city. Leading the pack is Paulie Gee's -- new to the scene since last year's issue. Other places that get mentions are Totale Pizza, Zigolini's Pizza Bar, and the recently reopened Totonno's.

You can read the piece here.

Photo: Paulie Gee's from New York Magazine - Julia Gillard

50% Discount At Tonda In The East Village

Last month we told you about InBundles -- a great food-centric group purchasing site that recently launched. One of their deals this week is $20 of food at Tonda for only $10. You can use your coupon on one of their delicious pizzas and it's also good on alcohol.

Now through this Wednesday night, click here to get your coupon.

Eddie's Pizza Truck: Not Worth The Wait

There are some food items that are intended to be served from trucks. Tacos, cupcakes, and even schnitzel (Schnitzel & Things!) fall into that category. But one thing that shouldn't be sold from trucks is pizza -- or more specifically, personal pizza pies from food trucks in Midtown Manhattan. Back in the day, a food truck (or more likely a cart) was typically somewhere you went for a quick bite and a few minutes of fresh air during your lunch break. But slowly New Yorkers have come to accept waiting in line for the opportunity to snag a bite from one of the dozens of mobile food vendors located throughout the city. Eddie's Pizza Truck, however, takes the notion of patience to a new level.

The truck is technically the first outpost of Eddie's Pizza in New Hyde Park -- a renowned establishment that is best known for its thin bar pies. The truck hit the streets of Manhattan in June to much hype (as do most new food trucks these days), but the experience of eating there failed to meet even my low expectations.

It's impossible to write about my Eddie's Pizza Truck experience without first mentioning the wait. From the time I placed my order until the time my pie was ready: 51 minutes. I went there expecting a wait and placed my order just after 12PM on a Thursday afternoon. There was no line when I approached the truck although there were people hanging out who had already placed their orders. The person who took my order told me that it would take 30 minutes for my pie to come out. When I checked back about 25 minutes later, I was told it would be 12 more minutes, but it ended up taking another 25 minutes.

On a positive note, the folks working at the truck couldn't have been nicer. You could genuinely tell they felt awful about the wait. They treated customers to free ice pops while they waited and gave free drinks to people with their orders. To avoid wait times, the folks at the truck have been encouraging people to call ahead to place their orders. It sounds like a good idea, but in reality doing so is only hurting their business. There didn't appear to be many people in front of me in line, so it's safe to assume that the reason my pie took 51 minutes to make was because there was a back log of phone orders they had to fill.

Any truck that needs to quote you a wait time when you place your order has a problem. Clearly they are making the maximum numbers of pies they possibly can, but my guess is that customers will be so turned off by the wait that they will find other options for food in the area. In fact, most people left when they were told that there would be a 30 minute wait for a pie. From a business standpoint, turning away customers is bad practice.

When my pizza finally came out, it was underwhelming. I ordered a "large" pie for $13.00 to split with a friend, but it was so thin I could have eaten it myself. Honestly, it tasted like high quality matzah pizza. Their 10 inch bar pies cost $7.00, but it would take two pies to fill you up. And their $10.00 lunch special - a bar pie (with a topping), a side, and a soda - is a little pricey. I tried out one of their sides - sweet potato gnocchi - but at $4.00 that means I was paying 25 cents for each piece of gnocchi. It tasted fine, but would be more reasonably priced at $2.00.

The only way that Eddie's will be able to maintain customers is if they switch their business model to sell slices rather than custom made personal pies. If they were to charge $1.50 for a slice, they'd still be making $12.00 off of a large pie. They'd be able to better maximize their oven space too. Phone orders should be eliminated. I want Eddie's Pizza Truck to do well. When any new mobile food vendor opens, there is a lot of curiosity among New Yorkers. But I'm not sure Eddie's is cultivating repeat customers right now. For me to return, I'd want a guarantee that I wouldn't have to wait more than five minutes for some pizza. I'm willing to overlook the fact that it didn't taste so great, for the ability to grab a quick bite during my lunch break.

Scott's Pizza Tours Two Year Anniversary Party

Scott's Pizza Tours recently celebrated its two year anniversary by throwing a massive pizza party to raise money for City Harvest. Some of the city's top pizza places -- Lombardi’s, NY Pizza Suprema, Arturo’s, Luzzo’s, Joe’s, John’s of Bleecker and Lazzara’s -- donated pies for the event. In total, $1,600 was raised. There was also a great exhibit of pizza boxes from around the world on display. Check out some photos from this great event below!

Also see:

Slice Out Hunger Raises $1600 in Two Hours! (Scott's Pizza Tours)
Slice Out Hunger Fundraiser (Me, Myself, & Pie)
Just Came From The Slice Out Hunger Event! (Passion-4-Pizza)

Missouri Teens Arrested For Pizza Robery

Today we delve deep into the IDREAMOFPIZZA mailbag where Melissa from Columbia, Missouri sends us an article about two teens from her local town who were arrested after beating up a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver for some pizzas, Cinna Stix and a Sprite.

Now Di Fara or Motorino would be understandable... but Domino's? Looks like you need some better pizza in Missouri, Melissa! Thanks for the tip.

Oh and the best part of the article is the last paragraph:

Two of the three also implicated themselves in the robbery of a Pizza Hut delivery driver Sunday.

You can read the full article here: Police Arrest Teens After Pizza Robbery

Eggo Hops On Pizza Bandwagon

According to a recent post on Forza Pizza, it appears that Eggo is hopping on the pizza bandwagon. They are now offering two types of pizza pies: Real Fruit Pizza Mixed Berry Granola and Real Fruit Pizza Strawberry Granola. It looks like their pizzas are essentially frozen dessert pies that can be cooked in the microwave or in the oven ("for a crispier crust" according to the website).

It's probably a stretch for the company to think that by using the term "pizza" on its boxes Eggo might attract new customers. The "pizza" on the box doesn't even look that appetizing.

It looks like a waffle with some fruit on it. If I wanted that, I'd just purchase a box of frozen waffles from Eggo... not pizza! And for the record, I don't even like Eggo waffles!

500,000 Free Slices Of Pizza?

Rumor has it that 500,000 free slices of pizza will be handed out in Times Square today. That seems like a lot to me. Dubbed "The World's Largest Pizza Party," this distribution of slices is apparently supposed to promote a pizza sponsored diet? Sounds more like a PR stunt.

The press release states that, "giant scales will be displayed in Times Square with local health officials assisting those looking to shed a few pounds by eating America's favorite meal: pizza."

Truth be told, I'm pretty much already on a pizza diet. I don't need an event in Times Square to know that you can stay trim when eating a ton of pizza.

Those who are curious can find more information here.

Ledo Pizza: A Hometown Favorite (That Doesn't Cut Corners!)

Ledo Pizza in Rockville, Maryland is a place that falls into the category of "hometown bias" when speaking about my affinity for it. That is, the unconscious tendency to overrate a beloved childhood pizza place which elicits (a) sentiments of nostalgia, (b) a desire to return to a time in one's life when things were simple, or (c) just pure elation. In other words, those people who have no intrinsic relationship with Ledo will most likely find the pizza average at best. But for me, Ledo will always have a place in my artery clogged heart. And on a recent trip back to Maryland, it tasted as good as it did two decades ago.

A few important notes about Ledo. In recent years it has expanded into a fairly large chain, with more than 90 locations throughout the east coast. All but about 10 locations are in Maryland and Virgina. The chain had humble beginnings; it started as a single pizza shop in College Park, Maryland in 1955 and catered to college students at the University of Maryland.

Perhaps the best press the place has ever received (other than this blog, of course!) was a couple of years ago when it was featured on Oprah [Oprah features Ledo’s as among country’s best pizza]. Oprah sent her friend Gayle King, a former University of Maryland student, around the country in search of the best pizza. And the first place she visited was Ledo. ‘‘I have always liked pizza," said King. "But there is no pizza in the world, in the world, that I am still talking about and remembering and thinking about 30 years later.” Although I don't feel as strongly about Ledo as does King, it was always a childhood favorite and is certainly unlike any pizza I've had in my life. In a blind taste test, I guaratee I could identify a slice from Ledo.

Perhaps the most distinguishing factor about Ledo's pies is that they are square. And no -- it's not Sicilian nor a Grandma pie. It's a regular pie, cooked in a rectangular pan. Their website explains why that has been the case for the past 55 years: The round pizza pans commonly seen today were very new in the fifties. Rectangular baking pans were readily available, hence the square pizza.

That's news to me, but one thing is for sure -- Ledo was not only the first time I ate a non-circular pie, but it wasn't until many years after my first experience at Ledo that I encountered pies elsewhere that were not round. Over the years, the shape of Ledo's pies also played into the chain's marketing plans. Our pies are rectangular because we don't cut corners was a frequent slogan on local television and radio ads.

The Rockville location is the only Ledo I have ever been to, but I'd be interested in trying the original location. As New Yorkers know, the original locations of places like Totonno's and Grimaldi's are much better than their offshoots. On this particular Saturday evening, the Rockville location, which is on the top level of a quiet strip mall, was empty. I have childhood memories of this place being packed, so it was odd to see it like this.

I ordered one medium pie with half mushrooms ($10.00) which gives you 20 square slices. The crust is thin, so two hungry people should be able to finish it in one sitting. I'd say it's about the equivalent of six regular slices. It tasted just as I'd remembered. The slices are oily and the crust leaves a white powder on your fingers. It's more chewy than crunchy. More cheesy than saucy. And the crust almost looks like matzah that had time to rise, but it tastes great.

I suppose there's no pizza place that has as much history in the Washington, DC area as does Ledo. It's grown from a mom and pop operation to a franchise that is expanding as you read this. A new location recently opened in RFK Stadium - a sign that despite more pizza options in the area than ever before, Ledo is still popular among locals. Perhaps it has something to do with its history. Perhaps people in the area feel the same type of nostalgia as I do when they walk into a Ledo's location. And as a new generation grows to love Ledo too, it would appear that this classic pizza place will be sticking around for years to come.