Yes, Hoboken411 has it right: when we gathered for our Munchmobile pizza quest, I mentioned that a friend (GoOutJersey’s own dear John Busco) had recommended Giovanni’s pizzeria in Hoboken. Here’s why (with a possible dare to duel for Perry?) — Donna.

Have you ever eaten a large cheese pizza? All by yourself? I have…and I have done it more than once.

I don’t consider myself a large man—I’m 6’1”, 200 pounds. But I love my pizza. And, in particular, I love one specific place to get my pizza—H&S Giovanni’s.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first. I used to be a fan of Benny Tudino’s. A big fan. From the first day I moved to Hoboken (back in 2001), I was enamored with “Jersey’s largest slice.” With all the other cool sights and sounds of New York, the fact that I lived next to the place that served the biggest slice of pizza in the state of New Jersey—and for $1.75 a slice—was cool. Like arguing with your friends about the correct pronunciation of “Houston Street” or talking incessantly about subway service. Or thinking you’re the first person to eat at Gray’s Papaya or take a cell phone picture of the Gay St. sign and send it to all of your brothers at 3 a.m. Benny’s was cool. I’d go back home and tell people I regularly eat the largest slice in New Jersey.

And then, one day, hungry and in the rain, I went to Benny’s for two slices of cheese.

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First, I have to say thank you to Pete Genovese, Kelly Heyboer, and to the Star Ledger for a great day. It was a lot of fun meeting the other bloggers. I feel like Ali and I, the newbies of the group, learned a great deal from them (sometimes more than we wanted! haha). I also have to say if you ever have the chance to go on the Munchmobile, go! go! go!

This glorious specimen is from Santillo’s in Elizabeth.

So, as you know by now, Ali and I were part of a special “all blogger” Munchmobile excursion. The food for the day was pizza. The goal was to find the best. Up until the middle of our adventure, I was beginning to think there was no such thing, and this surprised me.

It’s not like I’m a hard-to-please, extreme-connoisseur-food-extraordinaire or anything, with standards the normal pizza-eater doesn’t consider. While I can truly appreciate people who look to the “history” and “tools of the trade” used by the pizza maker, I tend to take a different route. As someone who grew up among Italian Americans (including my own family), who ate pizza every Thursday after dancing school (sometimes still wearing our “tarantella” white leotards and green-sequined skirts**), or on Fridays after the youth bowling leagues, the things that have defined a “best” pizza to me/us have always been more subtle, less “quantifiable”. I never before had to think about what made pizza delicious to me. So, I’m glad this trip challenged me to do so in ways I hadn’t before.

So, I guess my personal standards include a thick layer of sauce with a bold, fresh tomato flavor, a thin crust that isn’t too crispy — I like it to have enough chew while being a sturdy stage for the toppings. Too crispy and you’re eating a giant cracker, too soft and it’ll flop until your toppings are MIA. I’m not as picky about the cheese - although I do tend to favor fresh mozzarella. Also, I think I look for an authentic approach from the makers - the more old school, the more I appreciate it, and the more passionate the makers seem to be.

We didn’t really know what to expect from the day. One of the rules of the Munchmobile is you’re not supposed to know where you’re going. We learned the towns as we went, but usually didn’t know which pizzeria. We made a total of five stops (in this order):

1. Red Bank — Brother’s
2. South Amboy — Sciortino’s
3. Clifton (on the border with Elmwood Park) — Pizzatown USA
4. East Rutherford — Caffe Capri
5. Elizabeth — Santillo’s

Want to know which came in #1? Me too! Check back here Friday through Monday for mine and Ali’s rankings, as well as”Both Sides”-style reviews from us on each place in its own right. You’ll also need to buy tomorrow (Saturday)’s Star Ledger for photos by Mia Song, and a column by Kelly Heyboer (who live-blogged during the trip). I expect to see more posted on the Munchmobile’s own blog as well.

And definitely make sure you check out the upcoming/already-up posts and pics from our fellow bloggers:

Liz George from Baristanet.com
John from redbankgreen.com
Perry from hoboken411.com (who unofficially declared all pizza in Hoboken bad - unless you’re eating it drunk. So, sorry, John Busco, we did not get to try Giovanni’s, which hoboken411 specifically said is only good cold, after a night of untamed drinking.)
Jason from OffTheBroiler

And as sick as I am right now of pizza, I’m looking forward to our hypothetical follow-up trip when we go eat/review long-standing pizzerias. Is there such a thing as a “best pizza in Jersey”? If so, will we find it?

If you have recommendations, favorites, etc., post them in the comments below!

**Obviously I am describing the little girls in my family. The old Italian men never wore such things or went to dancing school. As far as I know.

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An Italian Restaurant in Nutley? Go On!

Queen Margherita, formerly known as Regina Margherita (changed due to some kind of copyright dispute), is located in Nutley — can you fathom what type of cuisine it offers? I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.

A relative newcomer to the scene, Queen Margherita distinguishes itself from the pack with a more upscale atmosphere than is typically found in Nutley’s myriad restaurant/pizzerias. The tiny, cramped dining room is candle-lit and table-clothed, and is supplemented by a sidewalk-seating area which is open year-round. If you sit in the dining room, you have a good view of the pizza oven’s flaming interior. While the establishment does accomplish a certain level of classiness, the food doesn’t quite live up to the flair.

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Get Schooled in Nutley, Pizza-Style

To a native Nutley-ite, Ralph’s is an institution. People who have moved hundreds of miles away will journey back for a Ralph’s pie every once in a while, paying homage to cheese, sauce, and crust without a trace of irony. It is a remarkably different style of pizza from the typical fare. It’s sauce-heavy (in fact, it is unusually very red in color) sweet-tasting, and always cooked well-done. The crust is buttery in flavor, crisp and dense, almost like a really solid, crunchy breadstick. Even the aroma drifting out to the street is unique and tantalizing. The pizzeria’s owners are clearly passionate about their livelihood – some might say to a fault.

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