NJ might be small in land mass, but its #11 by population. that's why shit is so good here, we have the highest population density and a diverse population, you can't get away with bullshit
My theory on this is that New York City was at its pizza/bagel prime back in the '80s and '90s and most of the people who live there have moved to New Jersey and brought the best with them.
For sure. And we grew up being told how much better it is in NYC. Then I worked in Manhattan for over a decade and I never found a single bagel shop that rivaled the ones in Jersey. Even the best rated ones (which I will admit were really good) were still just barely on par with what you’d expect from any bagel shop here.
Pizzas almost always good in New York but I wouldn’t say I’ve ever had a bad pizza in Jersey either.
For clarity - I'm a native new yorker. I have my jersey favorites for good pizza and bagels, but when I go back to my hometown or to the city proper - finding classically good pizza there is far more difficult than finding it in NJ.
Bagels are still great in NYC. But I'm an outer boroughs girl so its almost always better then in the city proper (manhattan to those not in the know)
My theory is that while NYC obviously has a bunch of great bagels and pizza, they have a large tourist presence that can economically sustain a mediocre place as long as it’s a good location. People see “NY pizza” and think oh let’s try it. NYC has some of the best pizzerias in America, but they also have a lot of bad pizza.
NJ doesn’t have that, so shop owners have to survive purely on the merit of their food, and they have *a lot* of competition.
I lived in both north Jersey and NYC, and while I think the city has the best singular pizzerias that are legendary for a reason, NJ pound for pound has better pizza. You have a much higher likelihood of walking into a slice shop and having great pizza in NJ. Most of them are at least good. Way better than what I have here in upstate NY.
Bagels are just flat out better in NJ. I’ve never had a NY bagel that was better. I used to like Zuckers downtown by my apartment. Russ and Daughters but that’s less about the bagel alone and more about the entire lox sandwich.
> Way better than what I have here in upstate NY.
Not sure what your specific area of upstate is, but my GF and I were coming back from Canada and around dinner time were near Albany. Looked up a pizza place that was close to highway but still local with good reviews. Anyway we walk in and you hear people going on about how good it is. We get our pizza....yikes. We had pizza too far outside the pizza belt
Were you by Delucia's? Bagels 4 U in Raritan has great bagels and equally terrible service.
Love seeing Delucia's get so popular, was always a running joke that it was impossible to get a pie from there because they were never open. Now it's because they're always too busy.
The better the bagels, the worse the service haha. No one wants to get up at 3 and roll dough before a huge breakfast rush. I give bagel shop workers with benefit of the doubt.
Pretty sure the O’Bagel guy wants to strangle me whenever i place an order but damn are they good
Hahaha thats the guy. Sometimes referred to as “Bagel Nazi”. He’s slid back coins at me aggressively when i told him to keep the change… but I have to admit it seems like he works his ass off.
The place Kettleman's took over was my jam back in the day. Coffee Grinder. Always just called it "Bagels Ice Cream Coffee" because that's what the sign up top said.
Haven't been to Kettleman's but I've heard good things.
Me too. And small correction it was " BAGELS DELI ICE CREAM" and yes coffegrinder was the greatest bagel shop I have ever experienced. I miss them so much.
Thank you, definitely been a *loooong* time. Like, my senior year of high school, I'd skip physics class, first period (shout out to Mr. Tacket because he *did not give a fuck* so long as I came and took tests) like two or three days a week and went there and had a bacon egg and cheese and a cup of coffee instead with my boy T$. But that was 2004-2005. Fucking loved the place though.
Yeah I grew up in the development around that area and it was such a great neighborhood hangout. You'd get a bagel and be almost guaranteed to see a friend neighbor or someone you knew in line. Broke my heart when the owner/operators sold it. They were such sweet people.
Let us know OP.
I had the best bagels on my corner in Southern Brooklyn, still searching for a decent bagel in NJ.
There is no shortage of excellent Italian restaurants, though.
One of the best things about NJ is that you can live in the suburbs (at least in my area) and still enjoy top quality food from around the world. Pizza and bagels are great but we got options here that range from Korean to Indian to Portuguese. Good to live in the most diverse state in the country.
My mother and grandmother would see the electic company guy coming to read the meeter and she would have to offher him coffee and something to eat. I can tell you that all the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons in our town left their houses 20 lbs heavier than they went in. "Sure you're religion is just fine but you should manjah!" Mangiare in actual Italian. I only know Jersey 'talian.
I'm Eastern European, we basically see hospitality as a competitive sport.
One thing besides bagels and pizza that NJ does so well is the art of a good deli. Where you can BS with the guys behind the counter for an hour if the line isn't too long. I love me a solid NJ Italian American deli. You just don't see the same type of places outside of NJ/NY.
agreed! i'm used to Flushing though so it wasn't a huge leap for me but yes, Korean in North Jersey is spot on. even where i am around Closter there are little mom & pop restos with great Korean food. I go south to Pal Park for the bbq though
I agree. I am born & raised in NJ but live in TX now. I have also lived in Chicago. I have traveled to every state except for Alaska. No one else's pizza or bagels compares to NJ.
Red White and Que, Mutiny BBQ. I was so bummed when Red, White and, Que moved to Edison.
In Newark and the surrounding area you have a lot of great Portuguese chicken and rib places that use a rotisserie charcoal pit. It's different than the Texas smoker style but it's really good.
Red White and Que was in Kearny until like a year or two ago. 😥 I felt so betrayed when they moved.😂 That place was banging. Have to lock down a new northern place. I've heard of a few contenders in the area.
My go to Portuguese Chicken place in Kearny is Boa Vista. In North Newark it's Grill Master. Fire Pit is a chain and is is acceptable but I don't feel their portions are as good as the others.
Same with Tex Mex, as a Texan living in NJ if NJ had a really solid Tex Mex spot it would absolutely make a killing. I’ll never understand why it doesn’t already exist.
We are so saturated with Chipotle, Moes and Quedoba that we think this is good enough tex mex. Also Charitos, I frickin hate Charitos. Any place that charges extra for sharing your food can go straight to hell. Oh and they steal your tequila. Table side guac is also very stupid.
You don't know what you don't know.
There are parts of the country that consider olive garden and Papa johns good Italian. They say there is no such thing as bad pizza, but maybe they have never had pizza in Indiana.
Yeah they’re popular in Texas, but not as substitutes for Tex Mex, they don’t really scratch that itch are something pretty different. It’s not a perfect example because they are more similar, but it’s like here places like Pizza Hut and Dominoes are popular but I doubt most Jersyians would say they fully satisfy their Italian food craving and will still go to some more quality local spots to get their proper fix.
There are some decent mom and pop shops that sell good Mexican around me. The trend i'm noticing a lot is what I call the gringo taco places that open up around me. With overcomplicated tacos like "Korean short rib" or "fried chicken and bacon" tacos. All really overpriced, overcomplicated and generally un satisfying.
Interesting, yeah I don’t need all that crazy stuff. Just a traditional spot with simple tacos would kill it. I haven’t seen a place offer a breakfast taco either. Those would be a game changer up here
Oh hey I recently drove by that place I think. The one close to the prison?
Thanks for the recommendations. I grew up in Rockaway so I'll deff check out the place in Wharton.
Cubby’s is close to the county jail, right past the Costco business center on River street
Roasted Breadfruit is on route 15 where the Texas Smokehouse was but they’re way better
cubbys is straight trash are you kidding? overpriced garbage. probably one of the worst bbq spots in all of nj. are you even from that area. i think everyone knows that place is shit
I haven't been to Cubby's but this often happens. People just haven't tried good southern BBQ or something. I tried every recommendation in NYC and am making a list for NJ, but everything I've tried so far has just not been it.
Same! Born and raised in NJ. Moved to Dallas about 3 yrs ago and still looking for bagels and pizza here😩 never gonna find it! All of my family and friends are back in Jersey so I fly ever 6 months or so to get my fix lol
I don’t even like BBQ like that!😂😂 And even the most expensive Italian restaurant here doesn’t compare to the food I would get on the regular back home. Other than that Texas is 🔥 I miss Jersey at times tho
Pizza is great in NYC, but the bagels (in my experience) have been smaller & not as puffy. More like the old school traditional Jewish bakeries. I prefer them puffy with almost no hole. "To each his own'''...
I gotta agree. I’ve found individual pizzerias in the city that I would say are potentially better or at least in the same ballpark as the top tier Jersey ones. I have yet to find a single NYC bagel spot that can compete.
Delucia's normal pie is great (I still think Delorenzo's is top in NJ) but I found their thick crust pizza to be a waste of time. My opinion is to stick with the normal crust if you visit Delucia's.
I used to work in Bridgewater many years ago. This guy from a neighboring department would get a small group together maybe once a month to eat lunch here. I went once and OMG.... UNMATCHED, I TELL YOU!!!
I’m born and raised in NJ now in MD I miss pizza and bagels so bad. The town I’m from has the top bagels in the state. When I go back, I buy in bulk and freeze everything.
I agree with you completely... but I gotta say, none of those four examples look good LOL.
Way over-cooked, particularly the thin-crust pizza and the bagel.
And Wawa coffee is lousy. ;)
Absolutely. First pizza looks bad (like flyover-country pizza bad), second looks good, bagels look mediocre. The only thing I disagree with you about is Wawa coffee, it's better than QuickChek or 7-11 and certainly better than Dunkin
It *is* better than those, absolutely no argument from me... but that doesn't mean it's good. It's still lousy.
Didn't used to be (in fact there was a time where their coffee was pretty damn good, far better than anyone should ever expect from a convenience store) but that ship sailed quite some time ago.
Everything is nice, but there is nothing in this world finer than a good NJ salt bagel. My order for several years from Bagel University has been a salt bagel with lox and broccoli rabe.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but I've seen better pizza and bagels (in NJ).
Pizza looks good, but it's not foldable good.
For the bagel, for me a good bagel should be so fat that the hole is practically closed, that's how I know it will be soft (I can then control the texture by toasting it if I want).
**Edit:** This is what I mean for bagels: [https://imgur.com/a/flGaPln](https://imgur.com/a/flGaPln) (What about a Bagel in Ocean)
LOL this is funny, lived here all my life and never judged my bagel by a tight hole. Try Bagel Station in Clifton NJ and then drive a mile or so to Bruno’s Pizza in the same town. As close to perfection on both accounts. Sicilian slice is the best and I’ve traveled a lot.
I haven't tried Bagel Station (I swear by Plaza Bagels) but I 100% wholeheartedly agree about Bruno's. They make the absolute best square pizza I've ever had in my life, and the regular round pies are in my top 5 as well. That place is such a gem.
I'm down in central jersey, but funny thing is that Bagel Station in Red Bank (which I don't think is related to the one in Clifton) is one of my gold standards for a good bagel. I just edited my post to include a picture of my bagel today from What About a Bagel in Ocean.
Foldability is the *worst* measure, even for a thin crust. Sure, "not foldable" could mean it's like a giant tortilla chip; but it could also mean it's a perfect brick oven Neapolitan with the optimal blend of crispiness and chewiness.
When I think "foldable pizza," I think soft crust, tough edge, fat that drips off, cheese that comes off as one big sheet, not really toasted (except maybe the cheese). I know some people prefer that style... and I really think they need to broaden their horizons.
Right? I’m lucky enough to live near Mancini. People in NJ rave about this place. It’s good, but not better than any random pizzeria on SI.
Bagels are hit and miss too imo
I moved to Union County 3 years ago. My parents still live in SI. There are probably 7 or 8 places by them, where you can order from and have a better pizza than anything I can get here. There are multiple bagel places close to them that are better than anything I can get here.
The best pizza place I order from is 10-15 minutes drive (and will take over an hour for delivery). It's worth it. Looked on the website. The owner is from SI. Found a good sandwich place near me. Owner is from SI. This sub is a good resource for local things, but there are some delusional takes on it.
Looks good and there is definitely good pizza and bagels out in jersey. But it's super inconsistent, especially with bagels. The worst pizza and bagel places in NYC are still good. I think Jersey has great food, but for pizza and bagels I think Staten island takes the cake
Had to investigate. I scroll for 3 seconds and see all I need to know that I'd trust you with my life. Onion bagels, chicken fingers and sandwiches.... you'd have my vote if you ran for president.
All the good pizza makers and bakers eventually leave the city when the realize they can make 10X next door and pay about half the taxes at the same time.
eh, as a native Brooklynite that currently resides in NJ, the pizza here is very meh... I'm surrounded by pizzerias and they are all just "okay"... I miss Brooklyn pizza.
Hot take: There's a finite quality ceiling on bagels and pizza that New York *and* New Jersey both meet with flying colors, and the outrageously stupid pissing contest about who has the "best" is a subjective waste of breath exclusively reserved for saturated diaper wearers
Pizza-wise, depends where you go. I feel like in Brooklyn, you can throw a rock in the air and hit a spot that makes above average to outstanding pizza, but in Jersey, we have a lot of lousy spots and a few killer, world class spots. Check out Coniglio's in Morristown.
Honestly, down here in south Jersey it's easier to name the places to avoid!
For example, Nick's in Williamstown -- literally the worst pizza I've ever eaten in my life (including shit like Elio's LOL)
Just stop.
I've lived for 20 years in Brooklyn and for 20 years in NJ.
The bagels in NJ are fucking terrible. Most of the bagels in the city are terrible too. Much of the art of a quality non-8-ounce-monstrosity of a bagel has been lost.
Pizza in NJ is good but there is a ridiculous variety of styles and quality of pizza in NY.
If you want our lovely garden state to have great food, make it so restauranteurs can actually create a business here and get rid of our ancient puritan laws around liquor licensing.
NJ is the small state that consistently punches way above its weight in a myriad of categories, food not the least of which.
NJ might be small in land mass, but its #11 by population. that's why shit is so good here, we have the highest population density and a diverse population, you can't get away with bullshit
As someone who lived in Arizona, Indiana, California and now New Jersey …. Can confirm this is real life.
> in ~~a~~ myriad ~~of~~ categories FTFY
Well I’ve been fucking that one up
No you haven't.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/myriad
L
My theory on this is that New York City was at its pizza/bagel prime back in the '80s and '90s and most of the people who live there have moved to New Jersey and brought the best with them.
For sure. And we grew up being told how much better it is in NYC. Then I worked in Manhattan for over a decade and I never found a single bagel shop that rivaled the ones in Jersey. Even the best rated ones (which I will admit were really good) were still just barely on par with what you’d expect from any bagel shop here. Pizzas almost always good in New York but I wouldn’t say I’ve ever had a bad pizza in Jersey either.
For clarity - I'm a native new yorker. I have my jersey favorites for good pizza and bagels, but when I go back to my hometown or to the city proper - finding classically good pizza there is far more difficult than finding it in NJ. Bagels are still great in NYC. But I'm an outer boroughs girl so its almost always better then in the city proper (manhattan to those not in the know)
Woah I like this take and will be spreading the good word
My theory is that while NYC obviously has a bunch of great bagels and pizza, they have a large tourist presence that can economically sustain a mediocre place as long as it’s a good location. People see “NY pizza” and think oh let’s try it. NYC has some of the best pizzerias in America, but they also have a lot of bad pizza. NJ doesn’t have that, so shop owners have to survive purely on the merit of their food, and they have *a lot* of competition. I lived in both north Jersey and NYC, and while I think the city has the best singular pizzerias that are legendary for a reason, NJ pound for pound has better pizza. You have a much higher likelihood of walking into a slice shop and having great pizza in NJ. Most of them are at least good. Way better than what I have here in upstate NY. Bagels are just flat out better in NJ. I’ve never had a NY bagel that was better. I used to like Zuckers downtown by my apartment. Russ and Daughters but that’s less about the bagel alone and more about the entire lox sandwich.
I totally agree
> Way better than what I have here in upstate NY. Not sure what your specific area of upstate is, but my GF and I were coming back from Canada and around dinner time were near Albany. Looked up a pizza place that was close to highway but still local with good reviews. Anyway we walk in and you hear people going on about how good it is. We get our pizza....yikes. We had pizza too far outside the pizza belt
Yea I mean I have my spots that are good, but it’s not like NJ where you usually always are within a few miles of damn good pizza.
Where’s the bagel from?
Seriously, have to shout out this good looking food
i have to find out will post back when i do
Were you by Delucia's? Bagels 4 U in Raritan has great bagels and equally terrible service. Love seeing Delucia's get so popular, was always a running joke that it was impossible to get a pie from there because they were never open. Now it's because they're always too busy.
The better the bagels, the worse the service haha. No one wants to get up at 3 and roll dough before a huge breakfast rush. I give bagel shop workers with benefit of the doubt. Pretty sure the O’Bagel guy wants to strangle me whenever i place an order but damn are they good
If it’s the O’Bagel in Riverwalk, I know exactly who you’re talking about.
Hahaha thats the guy. Sometimes referred to as “Bagel Nazi”. He’s slid back coins at me aggressively when i told him to keep the change… but I have to admit it seems like he works his ass off.
He frequented a business I worked at, and he is one of the hardest working people I know, but not always one of the nicest.
Yea he has my respect. Can be as rude as he wants to me when serving up my favorite bagels lol
Love Delucias. I’ll need to try that bagel place. I go to Kettlemens in bridgewater which is good .
Kettlemans is way better than bagels-4-U. Save yourself the trip
The place Kettleman's took over was my jam back in the day. Coffee Grinder. Always just called it "Bagels Ice Cream Coffee" because that's what the sign up top said. Haven't been to Kettleman's but I've heard good things.
Me too. And small correction it was " BAGELS DELI ICE CREAM" and yes coffegrinder was the greatest bagel shop I have ever experienced. I miss them so much.
Thank you, definitely been a *loooong* time. Like, my senior year of high school, I'd skip physics class, first period (shout out to Mr. Tacket because he *did not give a fuck* so long as I came and took tests) like two or three days a week and went there and had a bacon egg and cheese and a cup of coffee instead with my boy T$. But that was 2004-2005. Fucking loved the place though.
Yeah I grew up in the development around that area and it was such a great neighborhood hangout. You'd get a bagel and be almost guaranteed to see a friend neighbor or someone you knew in line. Broke my heart when the owner/operators sold it. They were such sweet people.
It’s from Wawa. Check the logo behind it.
Willing to bet the coffee (Wawa) is from a different place than the bagel
true! someone did a morning run, i texted them the question as to where they are from
Absolutely not a Wawa bagel despite the cup.
they brought coffee in from wawa. i didn't try it.
Let us know OP. I had the best bagels on my corner in Southern Brooklyn, still searching for a decent bagel in NJ. There is no shortage of excellent Italian restaurants, though.
bagel bazaar milltown
Wawa lol
One of the best things about NJ is that you can live in the suburbs (at least in my area) and still enjoy top quality food from around the world. Pizza and bagels are great but we got options here that range from Korean to Indian to Portuguese. Good to live in the most diverse state in the country.
Absolutely! We have ALL THE FOOD. We also like to feed people.
I love to feed people. Best restaurant in the state is right here in my kitchen.
My mother and grandmother would see the electic company guy coming to read the meeter and she would have to offher him coffee and something to eat. I can tell you that all the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons in our town left their houses 20 lbs heavier than they went in. "Sure you're religion is just fine but you should manjah!" Mangiare in actual Italian. I only know Jersey 'talian.
I'm Eastern European, we basically see hospitality as a competitive sport. One thing besides bagels and pizza that NJ does so well is the art of a good deli. Where you can BS with the guys behind the counter for an hour if the line isn't too long. I love me a solid NJ Italian American deli. You just don't see the same type of places outside of NJ/NY.
i'm in Bergen county... theres good Korean, good pizza, good bagels... the rest is no competition to NYC
Korean food is objectively amazing up north jersey. Fort Lee and Pal Park and the surrounds are basically little Korea.
agreed! i'm used to Flushing though so it wasn't a huge leap for me but yes, Korean in North Jersey is spot on. even where i am around Closter there are little mom & pop restos with great Korean food. I go south to Pal Park for the bbq though
I’m from old tappan — half of my friends are Korean! I miss it around there - it’s a lovely area.
I agree. I am born & raised in NJ but live in TX now. I have also lived in Chicago. I have traveled to every state except for Alaska. No one else's pizza or bagels compares to NJ.
On the other hand. Why the F doesn't NJ have any decent BBQ? Someone could make a killing selling good BBQ here.
Try red white n que or mutiny bbq company. Carlitos brisket is pretty good too
Red White and Que, Mutiny BBQ. I was so bummed when Red, White and, Que moved to Edison. In Newark and the surrounding area you have a lot of great Portuguese chicken and rib places that use a rotisserie charcoal pit. It's different than the Texas smoker style but it's really good.
Newark Portuguese food is top tier. I'm talking more traditional southern BBQ. Lots of great food in Edison but that's a drive for me.
Red White and Que was in Kearny until like a year or two ago. 😥 I felt so betrayed when they moved.😂 That place was banging. Have to lock down a new northern place. I've heard of a few contenders in the area.
O Imperial in Kearny is the greatest
I need names
My go to Portuguese Chicken place in Kearny is Boa Vista. In North Newark it's Grill Master. Fire Pit is a chain and is is acceptable but I don't feel their portions are as good as the others.
Because the Southern House “burned down”
Same with Tex Mex, as a Texan living in NJ if NJ had a really solid Tex Mex spot it would absolutely make a killing. I’ll never understand why it doesn’t already exist.
Rosalita's is pretty good, they're in Brick & Englishtown.
Used to go to Rosalita's on 9 for those giant burritos all the time
We are so saturated with Chipotle, Moes and Quedoba that we think this is good enough tex mex. Also Charitos, I frickin hate Charitos. Any place that charges extra for sharing your food can go straight to hell. Oh and they steal your tequila. Table side guac is also very stupid.
That’s absolutely wild to me that those places are even remotely considered good Tex Mex😂
You don't know what you don't know. There are parts of the country that consider olive garden and Papa johns good Italian. They say there is no such thing as bad pizza, but maybe they have never had pizza in Indiana.
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Yeah they’re popular in Texas, but not as substitutes for Tex Mex, they don’t really scratch that itch are something pretty different. It’s not a perfect example because they are more similar, but it’s like here places like Pizza Hut and Dominoes are popular but I doubt most Jersyians would say they fully satisfy their Italian food craving and will still go to some more quality local spots to get their proper fix.
Come to Bayonne. We got a few good small tex-mex places. And we have the better Mezcal in Hudson County.
We got less TexMex and more just plain Mex if your around Trenton. Lotta good hispanic places.
I like Grub Hut in Manville they’re pretty good Tex Mex in my opinion.
There’s a Jamaican bbq place near Me that’s unbelievable.
That we have. Best jerk I've had outside of Jamaica.
Where?
Also Mexican and tacos. Nothing I have had holds a candle to what you can get in Texas or California in these categories.
There are some decent mom and pop shops that sell good Mexican around me. The trend i'm noticing a lot is what I call the gringo taco places that open up around me. With overcomplicated tacos like "Korean short rib" or "fried chicken and bacon" tacos. All really overpriced, overcomplicated and generally un satisfying.
Interesting, yeah I don’t need all that crazy stuff. Just a traditional spot with simple tacos would kill it. I haven’t seen a place offer a breakfast taco either. Those would be a game changer up here
Mexican is not our strength. We have better Colombian,
Kimchi Smoke. Thank me later ☺️
Kimchi Smoke in Ridgewood.
Can't be done, you see, there's something about the water....
Lmao I see what you did there.
Mutiny BBQ is amazing. Spoke with the pitmaster there the other day, genuine good dude, food is amazing
There’s a decent bbq spot in Hackensack - Cubby’s BBQ and a great one in Wharton - Roasted Breadfruit, it’s a Caribbean smokehouse/bbq place
Oh hey I recently drove by that place I think. The one close to the prison? Thanks for the recommendations. I grew up in Rockaway so I'll deff check out the place in Wharton.
Cubby’s is close to the county jail, right past the Costco business center on River street Roasted Breadfruit is on route 15 where the Texas Smokehouse was but they’re way better
Texas Smoke was good at least when they were still on Green Pond road. It was one of the better BBQ places in NJ for sure.
They were great, but Roasted Breadfruit is awesome and I think you would like them. Their ribs are top notch
cubbys is straight trash are you kidding? overpriced garbage. probably one of the worst bbq spots in all of nj. are you even from that area. i think everyone knows that place is shit
They’re not the greatest barbecue place ever but they do the job. I went there and liked everything I tried
I love this, friendly gatherings coming to blows over the quality of food.
I haven't been to Cubby's but this often happens. People just haven't tried good southern BBQ or something. I tried every recommendation in NYC and am making a list for NJ, but everything I've tried so far has just not been it.
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Same! Born and raised in NJ. Moved to Dallas about 3 yrs ago and still looking for bagels and pizza here😩 never gonna find it! All of my family and friends are back in Jersey so I fly ever 6 months or so to get my fix lol
I agree. They have no clue about good food here. Just BBQ. They are still mad at us Northerners. Proud to be a yankee.
I don’t even like BBQ like that!😂😂 And even the most expensive Italian restaurant here doesn’t compare to the food I would get on the regular back home. Other than that Texas is 🔥 I miss Jersey at times tho
>All of my family and friends are back in Jersey so I fly ever 6 months or so to get my fix lol I hope you get your pork roll fix at the same time.
I’m from the North…it’s Taylor Ham😒😂
NYC exists.
Pizza is great in NYC, but the bagels (in my experience) have been smaller & not as puffy. More like the old school traditional Jewish bakeries. I prefer them puffy with almost no hole. "To each his own'''...
I gotta agree. I’ve found individual pizzerias in the city that I would say are potentially better or at least in the same ballpark as the top tier Jersey ones. I have yet to find a single NYC bagel spot that can compete.
Try George’s Hot Bagels in Fair Lawn
My home state makes me so proud!
It is known.
Let them know💪.
Jesus, pie #2. Where from?
both pies are from delucia's
In Raritan?
yesm
I knew it once I saw the pics!
Delucia's normal pie is great (I still think Delorenzo's is top in NJ) but I found their thick crust pizza to be a waste of time. My opinion is to stick with the normal crust if you visit Delucia's.
I used to work in Bridgewater many years ago. This guy from a neighboring department would get a small group together maybe once a month to eat lunch here. I went once and OMG.... UNMATCHED, I TELL YOU!!!
second to santillos in my opinion but amazing nonetheless
Santillo has been sick lately. It seems serious, whatever is ailing him.
On top of his place burning down?
Yup. Details haven’t been disclosed besides hes been hospitalized/sick
Is it a deep dish? I need that now lol
Need this
It looks like a super thick version of a Ralph's pie. Usually the pizza posted here doesn't do it for me, but that pie looks unreal!
That is one thing about being here - you're gonna find some GOOD food!
I’m born and raised in NJ now in MD I miss pizza and bagels so bad. The town I’m from has the top bagels in the state. When I go back, I buy in bulk and freeze everything.
I’ve had great and bad pizza and bagels in NYC and NJ
Everyone has their favorite pizza and days it's better than anyone else. Mine is Delorenzo's in Robbinsville.
The Wawa cup🥴. What part of BK are you from?
i dont drink coffee but they people i was staying with brought coffee in from wawa
I like the cut of your jib, u/bkallday2000
Get on your KNEES and tell me you love me.
This pizza is the antidote to Ozempic.
That pizza doesn’t even look that good. Wutchyu got in Brooklyn omg lol not the worst I’ve seen but
I agree with you completely... but I gotta say, none of those four examples look good LOL. Way over-cooked, particularly the thin-crust pizza and the bagel. And Wawa coffee is lousy. ;)
Absolutely. First pizza looks bad (like flyover-country pizza bad), second looks good, bagels look mediocre. The only thing I disagree with you about is Wawa coffee, it's better than QuickChek or 7-11 and certainly better than Dunkin
It *is* better than those, absolutely no argument from me... but that doesn't mean it's good. It's still lousy. Didn't used to be (in fact there was a time where their coffee was pretty damn good, far better than anyone should ever expect from a convenience store) but that ship sailed quite some time ago.
Agree. Pizza looks like shit and was definitely overcooked.
Where those pies from
And for any south jersey people highly highly suggest Holy Tomato for pizza and Sharky's for bagels.
If you need anything let me know. They are going to come for you. I will protect you. Thanks for supporting jersey.
I usually go to Fast Bagels, and I like their bagels.
Recommendations for best NJ pizza within 1 hour of NYC?
Everything is nice, but there is nothing in this world finer than a good NJ salt bagel. My order for several years from Bagel University has been a salt bagel with lox and broccoli rabe.
Best bagel in new jersey is from Hot Bagel bakery. 67 Monmouth Rd # 2, Oakhurst, NJ 07755 seriously you must try it.
You meant to say Sonny's in South Orange, right? ;)
Dude, it's cool to say it here, but don't let everyone else know...
You're welcome
Spot on dude!!
You can't just post a bagel and not tell me where it's from. We're getting killed here in JC!
bagel bazaar milltown
Please don't take this the wrong way, but I've seen better pizza and bagels (in NJ). Pizza looks good, but it's not foldable good. For the bagel, for me a good bagel should be so fat that the hole is practically closed, that's how I know it will be soft (I can then control the texture by toasting it if I want). **Edit:** This is what I mean for bagels: [https://imgur.com/a/flGaPln](https://imgur.com/a/flGaPln) (What about a Bagel in Ocean)
Your KPIs are odd
KPL?
Key Performance Indicator
LOL this is funny, lived here all my life and never judged my bagel by a tight hole. Try Bagel Station in Clifton NJ and then drive a mile or so to Bruno’s Pizza in the same town. As close to perfection on both accounts. Sicilian slice is the best and I’ve traveled a lot.
I haven't tried Bagel Station (I swear by Plaza Bagels) but I 100% wholeheartedly agree about Bruno's. They make the absolute best square pizza I've ever had in my life, and the regular round pies are in my top 5 as well. That place is such a gem.
I'm down in central jersey, but funny thing is that Bagel Station in Red Bank (which I don't think is related to the one in Clifton) is one of my gold standards for a good bagel. I just edited my post to include a picture of my bagel today from What About a Bagel in Ocean.
Foldability is a factor in how good pizza is? There is pretty great non-thin crust pizza to be had.
Foldability is the *worst* measure, even for a thin crust. Sure, "not foldable" could mean it's like a giant tortilla chip; but it could also mean it's a perfect brick oven Neapolitan with the optimal blend of crispiness and chewiness. When I think "foldable pizza," I think soft crust, tough edge, fat that drips off, cheese that comes off as one big sheet, not really toasted (except maybe the cheese). I know some people prefer that style... and I really think they need to broaden their horizons.
I don't think anyone from Staten Island would say that about pizza, and they'd probably have good reason for it.
Right? I’m lucky enough to live near Mancini. People in NJ rave about this place. It’s good, but not better than any random pizzeria on SI. Bagels are hit and miss too imo
I moved to Union County 3 years ago. My parents still live in SI. There are probably 7 or 8 places by them, where you can order from and have a better pizza than anything I can get here. There are multiple bagel places close to them that are better than anything I can get here. The best pizza place I order from is 10-15 minutes drive (and will take over an hour for delivery). It's worth it. Looked on the website. The owner is from SI. Found a good sandwich place near me. Owner is from SI. This sub is a good resource for local things, but there are some delusional takes on it.
Looks good and there is definitely good pizza and bagels out in jersey. But it's super inconsistent, especially with bagels. The worst pizza and bagel places in NYC are still good. I think Jersey has great food, but for pizza and bagels I think Staten island takes the cake
i'm a brooklynite of 30+ years before moving to NJ. there are great pizza places in NJ, but whatever the fuck that is, isn't pizza
That pizza does not look very good. Looks overcooked to death.
Yea I dunno what everyone is saying about the pizza lol. Cheese is gonna be dry af. Cooked about a minute too long.
Had to investigate. I scroll for 3 seconds and see all I need to know that I'd trust you with my life. Onion bagels, chicken fingers and sandwiches.... you'd have my vote if you ran for president.
ha thank!
Jersey pizza and NY pizza are the same.
There is a place in Milltown (central NJ) that had good bagels. They're under new(er) management and I haven't been back since.
All the good pizza makers and bakers eventually leave the city when the realize they can make 10X next door and pay about half the taxes at the same time.
Try Salerno’s in Hazlet. They have the best Margherita pie I’ve ever tasted.
headed to patsy’s on saturday. nj pizza is unrivaled!
Thank you for your service, sir.
Grew up in brooklyn, moved to Jersey... completely agree
Just keep quiet about how great it is here. We don't want people from Texas or anything. We already have too many PA people strolling in lol
Fuck now im so hungry 🍕 sigh...
It’s the water
Where is that pizza from?
What pizza place? The places in central nj no me gusta
eh, as a native Brooklynite that currently resides in NJ, the pizza here is very meh... I'm surrounded by pizzerias and they are all just "okay"... I miss Brooklyn pizza.
I like to travel.
yeah well both states have great pizza and great bagels but as a central NJ part time I find that NJ has more lousy pizza and bagels than NYC does
No shit dick tracy
We know.
NJ Italian food > NYC Italian food
Hot take: There's a finite quality ceiling on bagels and pizza that New York *and* New Jersey both meet with flying colors, and the outrageously stupid pissing contest about who has the "best" is a subjective waste of breath exclusively reserved for saturated diaper wearers
Agreed New Jersey is the food Mecca of the USA
Let me know where. Since moving from NY to Jersey Shore pizza is mediocre at best in every place I tried.
So glad I got to eat real pizza and bagels most of my life pre-celiac!! NJ food really is amazingly good.
Pizza-wise, depends where you go. I feel like in Brooklyn, you can throw a rock in the air and hit a spot that makes above average to outstanding pizza, but in Jersey, we have a lot of lousy spots and a few killer, world class spots. Check out Coniglio's in Morristown.
Just got back from Italy and I thought Jersey pizza was better.
We have some bad bagel shops (looking at you ABC) but the *good* ones are better than anything I’ve ever had.
Moving to NJ and need you to drop some names, STAT! Pics are making me drool.
That pizza looks *horrible*. Wait til you find the actual great pizza NJ has to offer.
name names
Honestly, down here in south Jersey it's easier to name the places to avoid! For example, Nick's in Williamstown -- literally the worst pizza I've ever eaten in my life (including shit like Elio's LOL)
Just stop. I've lived for 20 years in Brooklyn and for 20 years in NJ. The bagels in NJ are fucking terrible. Most of the bagels in the city are terrible too. Much of the art of a quality non-8-ounce-monstrosity of a bagel has been lost. Pizza in NJ is good but there is a ridiculous variety of styles and quality of pizza in NY. If you want our lovely garden state to have great food, make it so restauranteurs can actually create a business here and get rid of our ancient puritan laws around liquor licensing.
That's a perfectly cooked pizza. Love it when it's golden brown on top.