De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies — Restaurant in Robbinsville Township

Originally founded in 1947 in Trenton, before moving permanently to Robbinsville around 2012, De Lorenzo’s Tomato Pies, when going through the various lists featuring the best pizzerias in the best state in America for pizza, is not only common place among those lists, but is indeed considered by many to be the best pizza in New Jersey. It is undebatable that De Lorenzo’s is 1 of the 2 most synonymous purveyors of a traditional Trenton tomato pie (The Garden State’s signature style where the cheese goes on first and the tomato sauce goes on second, on top of the cheese), alongside it’s down the street neighbor, and the longest continually operating pizzeria in America, Papa’s Tomato Pies. It’s also, for what it’s worth, one of the 2 highest scoring pizzerias in New Jersey reviewed by Barstool Sport’s Dave Portnoy (the other being the second oldest pizzeria in New Jersey and home to our state’s oldest operational brick oven, DeLucia’s, which I have also tried and can confirm is not only fantastic but my personal all time favorite pizza as well). Now, with all that out the way, here’s my review. Even among other places that serve Trenton tomato pies, a De Lorenzo‘s pie is its own unique species. First and foremost, instead of a typical simmered seasoned tomato sauce or a raw blended passata di pomodoro puree, they just use high quality hand crushed tomatoes and olive oil (other Trenton tomato pie spots also do this or they use a raw blended purée, rather than a seasoned simmered sauce like most spots in NYC and North Jersey). Secondly, is their crust, which is cracker thin, more akin to American bar pies or Roman thin crust tonda romana scrocchiarella pizza, as opposed to the more airy and foldable crusts of most NYC/NJ pizzerias. With that said, while I’m not the biggest thin crust lover, I really enjoyed the bitter char on the De Lorenzo’s pie and the overall bread quality and flavor is significantly better than any thin crust pie I’ve had which is part of why I’ll go to say it’s definitely the best thin crust pizza I’ve ever had so far. Finally, the most distinguishing trait of this pizza for me, is the way that it’s cut. Somewhat rectangularish cuts, as opposed to more uniformed triangle slices, something I’ve never seen before on a round pie in New Jersey or New York City, but something that truly gives the De Lorenzo’s tomato pie its own unique and special character. The cheese, a high quality low moisture mozzarella blend, was perhaps the most normal or prototypical part of the pizza. The toppings that I added to my tomato pie (I order a half regular with basil and half with Italian sausage, garlic, onions, and hot cherry and banana peppers) were fresh tasting and of high quality. In addition to the pizza, the cold octopus salad I ordered is one of the best salads I’ve ever had at a restaurant. The restaurant space was classic and classy. The kitchen staff and waiters were dressed in vintage mid 20th century restaurant worker attires and the waiters were very friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The staff and the customers (many of which seem to be long time visitors) were seemingly having a joyful time throughout the restaurant. As an overall restaurant De Lorenzo‘s is a 10 out of 10, it hits all the marks for a great dining experience. Now, as far as the pizza itself, it’s the best thin crust pizza I have ever had, but being a born and bred North Jerseyan with half my family being from New York City, I’ve grown up on the quintessential triangular NY/North Jersey slice that has an airy and foldable crust. I also tend to really love places that have a real deal brick oven, especially if fueled by wood or coal (authentic Neapolitans are my second favorite style of pizza). De Lorenzo’s 2 defining traits (crust & cut pattern) rob it of a 9 or better for me, but everything else about the pie garners it no less than an 8 1/2 out of 10 (same score I gave to one of my all-time favorites, Bevaqua’s Reservoir Tavern in Boonton). I can definitely picture certain pallets I considering this the best pizza...

We showed up at DeLorenzo's on a Saturday evening expecting it to be a bit crowded and it was PACKED. We were going to turn around and try somewhere else but when I asked the hostess how long it would be, she insisted that for only 2 people it would be "just a couple of minutes." We put our name down and she said if wanted we could go wait at Centro Grille across the street and grab a few drinks and then she would call us for our table (this should have been our first red flag--if we only had a couple minutes to wait, why was she telling us to go grab drinks??). I'm pregnant so that was a no-go, so we were forced to wait crammed up against the pizza counter with the door opening next to us every two seconds, alongside about 30 other people because there was really no waiting area.

Being right against the pizza counter I got to see the food prep and I must say, the "sanitary" practices were abhorrent. None of the men preparing pizza had gloves, and I saw the same person touch a pizza, then a pen, then the phone, then another pizza. Disgusting. I also noticed that literally EVERY SINGLE pizza was coming out burnt to a crisp, but at this point we were starving, so we continued to wait.

After FORTY-FIVE minutes, we were finally seated. My hubby ordered a tomato pie, and as I was still kinda grossed out by the food prep, I ordered a salad. We expected our meals to come out together, but instead, my salad came out in about a minute--with the dressing on it, even though I ordered it on the side. I sent it back and another one came out immediately, with dressing on the side but ALSO on it (maybe it spilled? because it was only on one side of the salad...either way, half the salad was soaked in dressing). I didn't want to send it back again, so ended up eating it. It was okay...very overpriced for what was just a bowl of lettuce with a couple apple slices and some candied walnuts (it was weird too because they don't advertise it as a "sweet salad," just as mixed greens, so I had expected a standard greens salad with cucumber, tomato, carrot, etc.).

My hubby's pizza came and as I'd expected, the bottom of the pizza and crust were burnt black. After the wait we had, he just ate it, because we didn't know how long we'd be waiting if we sent it back.

I give them 2 stars because despite the completely charred pizza, he said it still tasted very good. However, it was EXTREMELY overpriced for how small it was (especially because you pay the same price for toppings on a small as on a large). We will most definitely...

My family moved to 417 Hudson St, 1 block from DeLorenzo’s Tomato Pies. In1953 and I started kindergarten@ Carroll Robbin’s school. Every Fri. Was DeLorenzos nite, and I have been enjoying it ( except for my 4 yrs in the Marine corps). There is no better tomato pie in the world. The only time people complain is when they are used to pizza which is a sloppy mess. A tomato pie is built differently1st is the dough, then cheese, next is toppings and the tomato chunks are last/ with olive oil. People who say the pies are burnt or crispy don’t realize it supposed to be that way so it doesn’t droop like a pizza where everything falls off, thus the mess. If you want slop get a pizza I loved Delos on Hudson st because of the pies and the atmosphere, no bath rm, cheap plastic glasses (which I still have from the old store and of course the stainless steel cash register.I moved from NJ To Fla. and Ga., but, I always get to Robbinsville at least 4 time a year for my tomato pie cravings. I remember when Gary Amico started making pies and a family when he married Eileen,,Pasquales daughter and had a third generation tomato pie named in their son Sam. Of my 75 years, I have enjoyed DeLorenzo’s for 68 of them; and my wish is to die peacefully after an evening of a salad and a sausage and fresh garlic/ Or a white clam pie. My whole family incl. brother in law Billy and Linda, my son Bobby, nieces and nephews, all enjoy Delos. Some times we have 8 to 12 people in our group, but Gary Eileen( when she was with us) and Sam always have a smile and always have a place for us. The whole Gang at DeLorenzos always delivers the best and freshes salads and tomato pies with courtesy, and a smile. If you want slop, there are plenty of Pizza parlors. But if you want the absolute best Tomato Pies, there’s only 2 DeLorenzos Tomato Pies Yardly Pa/ Robbinsville NJ;...