OT: Delucia's Brick Oven Pizza in Raritan

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bac2therac

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I do think nostalgia plays a part in this sometimes. I went to both locations and thought the pizza was pretty good, but I can see the new location being less personal. It's a standard storefront.

I remember waiting in line as a high school kid for their yearly anniversary $4 pizza sales during the first week of March. Line would be out the door 20 deep and families would hoard pizza for their freezers
 

WhiteBus

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Honestly, though, we've been largely disappointed in the pizza offerings in Hillsborough. I know there have been outright wars over pizza places on the township FB group, but we've found most places in town are average at best.

Once the hub bub dies down, we'll give DeLucia's a try - only 15 min away. We had tried De Lorenzo's couple years back after his glowing review and weren't that impressed.

What I find funny about Portnoy is that he's a dude from Massachusetts who went to college in Michigan then worked in Boston until 2016, who somehow made himself out like some expert on NY/NJ pizza.
Give him credit. Anyone could have done this. Nobody thought of it, were too lazy to drive around to do it and now he has an empire on pizza rankings. Brilliant.
 

RUPete

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Feb 5, 2003
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I remember waiting in line as a high school kid for their yearly anniversary $4 pizza sales during the first week of March. Line would be out the door 20 deep and families would hoard pizza for their freezers
They would always win Central Jersey's Best Pizza as designated by the Courier News. Was there ballot box stuffing going on? Not sure. Good pizza but they were the Alabama of Central Jersey pizza for a while. Hmmm...
 
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mdh2003

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I’m a few years older than them(🤪) but love my Chipotle.
I’m altogether ambivalent, but my probably similarly aged wife is absolutely psyched about the Chipotle opening here in Flemington. Replaced a Boston Market (yuck).
 
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WhiteBus

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but the Chik Fil A:WooHoo:
I don't understand the whole Chik-fil-A craze. Maybe the better tasting fast food out there but it isn't fast! People will spend an hour in the drive thru line for barely above average chicken. You can make it faster and better at home.
 
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bac2therac

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Manville Pizzeria at their peak in the mid 80s....man miss places when you walked in this is what you saw

 

bac2therac

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I don't understand the whole Chik-fil-A craze. Maybe the better tasting fast food out there but it isn't fast! People will spend an hour in the drive thru line for barely above average chicken. You can make it faster and better at home.


its really good, I cannot replicate the breaded chicken filet like they can nor do i want to spend the time.
 

WhiteBus

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its really good, I cannot replicate the breaded chicken filet like they can nor do i want to spend the time.
How quick can you get through the drive thru? You can now buy the breading in stores and the dips too.
 

RUChoppin

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If you didn't like De Lorenzo's, you will probably not like DeLucia's, but I could be wrong. Definitely try it. I don't think Portnoy thinks he is an expert on NY/NJ pizza. It's just that working in NYC he has access to the best NY/NJ/CT pizza within a 1.5 hour drive. So those drive his scale since he knows those are the best.

If you listen to his reviews, he likes the bar pie style he grew up on in MA. That is why he likes the thinner / crispy pizza's. He has a different scale for those as he does for basic "football" pizza (his definition is pizza you eat every day - doughier version). That is the type of pizza we mostly see here in NY/NJ. You can pretty much rate his review before he even takes a bite.

Yeah, he has about as much credibility reviewing NY/NJ pizza as a recent NJ transplant to LA would have reviewing Mexican food. He's basically giving an "experienced tourist" perspective - but like any reviewer, he's only a good indicator if you share his particular tastes.

He certainly can be good for business, though, given the wait times mentioned at DeLucia's earlier up in this thread.
 

WhiteBus

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Yeah, he has about as much credibility reviewing NY/NJ pizza as a recent NJ transplant to LA would have reviewing Mexican food. He's basically giving an "experienced tourist" perspective - but like any reviewer, he's only a good indicator if you share his particular tastes.

He certainly can be good for business, though, given the wait times mentioned at DeLucia's earlier up in this thread.
I think he has a style he likes and searches out. I certainly wouldn't call him an experienced tourist, whatever that means, you can be from Jersey or Mars and understand instantly what good pizza is. You don't need to be from Jersey to know great pizza. He does give great reviews on pizza that isn't thin and well done either. And he certainly has way more "credibility" then you or me.
 
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mdh2003

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Manville Pizzeria at their peak in the mid 80s....man miss places when you walked in this is what you saw

When we lived in East Millstone, this was our pizza joint.

Here in Flemington, it’s Joe’s. Delizia is right across the street, and pretty typical good NJ stuff. But, no offense to my Croatian buddies that own/run Delizia (yes, that’s a thing. I spend most summers on the Croatian coast and can attest to the quality), Joe’s is better. Grandma is great, plus, really, really good cheese steaks. Maybe the best I’ve had in Central Jersey.
 

Zak57

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When we lived in East Millstone, this was our pizza joint.

Here in Flemington, it’s Joe’s. Delizia is right across the street, and pretty typical good NJ stuff. But, no offense to my Croatian buddies that own/run Delizia (yes, that’s a thing. I spend most summers on the Croatian coast and can attest to the quality), Joe’s is better. Grandma is great, plus, really, really good cheese steaks. Maybe the best I’ve had in Central Jersey.
Just moved to Flemington a couple of months ago. Joe's is good but their crust is concrete sometimes I've noticed. I've been liking Jacks on Main St and also like Delizia. Panatieris and Lennys are average. Is Angelos wood fired any good?
 

Zak57

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We frequent that Chik Fil A after BMX races at HCBMX, as well as the Moe's next door. Would love some better eats in Flemington though. How's that Red Crab place?
Crab is out of business. Never had it once as it wasn't open that long.
 

Plum Street

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Obviously , this is a great score . What is considered a solid score for portnoy ? 7 and above ?
 

Sweet Pea's Corner

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I feel like something about Manville pizza was "better" in the old strip mall...i don't like it as much now. Perhaps in my head the nostalgic places, memories going with family in easier times, makes me think the pizza was better lol. Also remember the jukebox there and my pop always playing Jack and Diane.
Manville Pizza in the strip mall by L&S Variety Store and Drug Fair. A slice with a side of asbestos.
 
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bac2therac

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dont forget the trashy bowling alley. The original Drug Fair was awesome, the smell of pool chlorine and inflatables
 
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Phi_1055

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Pizza isn’t brisket or a french omelette and there’s no standard way to make it. Just like there’s different regional styles of barbecue, there are different styles of pizza. I never go by one person’s opinion. As long as it’s made with quality ingredients and cooked right, I’ll enjoy it. Any style.
 
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MulletCork

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did anyone actually eat at the Leaning Tower of Pizza, it was always great to drive past when I was a kid, how was the peetz?

Haha wow I remember this place on Route 22 around Green Brook!
i know we stopped there a few times when I was a kid after shopping at like the Watchung Market or Sears or some other place. Can’t recall the pizza because I was too fired up about that leaning tower. Man I forgot about that place for sure.
 

bac2therac

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Haha wow I remember this place on Route 22 around Green Brook!
i know we stopped there a few times when I was a kid after shopping at like the Watchung Market or Sears or some other place. Can’t recall the pizza because I was too fired up about that leaning tower. Man I forgot about that place for sure.


remember the trips up 22 to Sears for school shopping quite well..rip
 
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Mr. Magoo1

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Nov 15, 2001
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deLucia’s in Raritan is ok but very overrated. 10th street pizza in Hoboken is the best. One thing is for sure, the pizza down here in Florida sucks!
 
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