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If there's one thing New Jersey does well, it's pizza. Actually, no, scratch that – it's one thing New Jersey does unusual Well, when you're in the Garden State, you expect to be surrounded by pieces so perfect you'll wonder why you'd ever settle for anything less. But sometimes, just when you think you're about to bite into a cheesy, crispy, doughy masterpiece… it's a total disappointment.

Let's be clear: bad pizza in New Jersey isn't just disappointing – it's downright insulting. This is one of the pizza capitals of the world, folks! How could it go so wrong?

What Should How about New Jersey pizza?

When you think of a classic New Jersey pizza, you imagine something heavenly. The crust? Thin but not floppy, with just the right amount of crispiness around the edges. The cheese? Gooey and perfectly melted, stretching with each bite like it's in a slow-motion food commercial. The sauce? Slightly sweet, tart, with just the right blend of herbs that makes you want to lick the plate clean. And the fat? Yes, there will be some fat—but it's the kind of fat that makes it taste even better, not like you're drinking oil from a cup.

A wonderful blend of old-world Italian tradition and New York City hustle and bustle, New Jersey Pizza is quick to make, tasty, and the kind of pizza that stays in your heart (and possibly on your shirt) long after you've eaten your last slice.

Where pizza dreams come true (mostly)

New Jersey is home to some legendary pizzerias that have earned their status. If you are lucky enough to stumble upon a place like this, Razza in Jersey City, you're probably eating what some critics call “the best pizza in America.” Their wood-fired pizzas with locally sourced ingredients are a game-changer – literally.

Or maybe you are on your way to Santillo's in Elizabeth, where the old-school atmosphere matches the taste. They've been making pizzas since 1950, and it shows – they've perfected the art of finding a perfectly balanced sauce-to-crust ratio that will have you shouting from the rooftops, “THIS is how pizza should be!”

Then of course there is Star Tavern in Orange, home of the legendary thin pizza. It has that crispy, cookie-thin crust, plenty of toppings but never too heavy. It's the kind of place that once you try it, you'll never want to go back.

These places and dozens more across the state set standards high for what New Jersey pizza should be, so when it doesn't live up to expectations, you feel it in your soul.

A pizza story as old as time

Let's not forget that New Jersey's pizza magic is no accident. We have history on our side, baby.

For one thing, Jersey is basically New York City's pizza cousin—and the influence is obvious. When New York became famous for its pizza in the early 20th century, Italian immigrants came to the suburbs and brought their pizza knowledge with them. That's right, some of the city's best pizza makers decided to settle on this side of the Hudson and bring New Jersey a taste of that New York-style pizza without the Manhattan price (or the subway ride).

This mix of proximity to New York and deep Italian-American roots has helped create a pizza culture so intense that New Jersey not only follows New York's success but also serves pizzas that rival (and sometimes outshine) that of its big-city neighbor.

So why does bad pizza hurt so much?

Given all of this – the history, the legends, the proximity to New York – a bad pizza in New Jersey feels like a betrayal. You're not just disappointed because the pizza isn't good; you're disappointed because you know it should be good. great.

When you order a pizza in this state, you're not just paying for a meal. You're entering into a sacred pizza pact, an unspoken agreement between you and the pizzaiolo that your taste buds are about to go on a journey of cheesy bliss.

And what if that doesn't happen? You feel like the universe has failed you. You're surrounded by all this great pizza and yet you stumble into a place that somehow doesn't get it right? It's like going to Paris and getting a bad croissant. That just shouldn't happen!

But we don't want to warn anyone here. That's not our style.