In Elizabeth, New Jersey, a century-old brick oven has been quietly baking its way into the hearts of pizza lovers for generations.
Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza is more than a place to grab a pie — it’s a living, breathing piece of New Jersey’s pizza heritage, and right now, the whole community is holding its breath, hungry for its triumphant return. 🍕
How Santillo’s Won Elizabeth’s Hearts
It was 1920 when patriarch Lou Santillo began delivering freshly baked bread by horse and buggy to stores and restaurants throughout Elizabeth, New Jersey — a humble beginning that would eventually ignite one of the most beloved pizza dynasties the Garden State has ever seen.
By 1944, Lou and his son Alfred Sr. had begun making pizza alongside their Italian bread, setting the foundation for what would grow into a multigenerational brick oven pizza institution.
Today, it is Lou’s grandson, Al Santillo, who carries that torch — with the same passion, the same recipes, and the same hands-on devotion his grandfather poured into every loaf he ever baked. 🧑🍳
Its 16-foot-deep, low-arch brick oven has been in continuous use for over 100 years, with every single brick individually cut by hand to create its signature arch.
One of the most delightfully quirky elements of the Santillo’s experience is its ordering system — customers don’t choose their pizza by topping alone, but by year, picking pies inspired by the decades they were most popular.
It’s a concept so distinct that it has attracted national food critics, earned the title of New Jersey’s best pizza from New Jersey Monthly six years in a row, and landed a coveted spot on Arthur Bovino’s 101 Best Pizzas in America list at No. 47 in 2019. 🏆
There’s also the small matter of Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy, who famously paid full price for his pies — and later upgraded his score to a near-perfect 9.8.
But then, on January 6, 2024, a devastating fire tore through the beloved family-owned pizzeria, leaving the Elizabeth community heartbroken.
The community rallied around Al, the mayor stepped in with support, and Dave Portnoy went a step further — pledging the profits from his One Bite Pizza Fest to Santillo’s rebuilding efforts.
Even with his doors shuttered, Al refused to let the fires go cold — he began shipping his 12″ round pies nationwide through Goldbelly — prepared with the same recipes he’s been perfecting his whole life. 📦
“The fire may have touched our premises,” reads a statement from Santillo’s, “but the heart of Santillo’s…remains unscathed.”
That kind of resilience is exactly why locals have loved this place for over a century — and why the anticipation for its reopening has been absolutely electric. ⚡
Food Highlights
- 1964 Style Pizza: The crowd-favorite classic — garnished with extra virgin olive oil and Parmesan; regulars call it the definitive Santillo’s pie.
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1940 Genuine Tomato Pie: Pure sauce, zero cheese — a stripped-back classic that lets Santillo’s house-made tomato recipe speak entirely for itself.
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1957 Style Extra Thin Round Pizza: An ultra-thin crust loaded with sauce and cheese — baked to a crispy, golden finish. 🍕
- 2020 Style Pizza: Fresh mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes — customers rave about ordering it at 8 minutes for a perfectly golden-brown crust.
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1967 Pop’s Style Pizza: Cheese goes on first so you can still see the sauce peeking through — fans say this one is the most nostalgic and comforting pie on the entire menu. 🤍
Atmosphere
Santillo’s is the kind of place that hasn’t tried to keep up with trends — and that’s precisely the point.
Customers enter through a side door off an alley on Broad Street, where the scent of pizza baking in a century-old oven hits you long before you ever place your order.
There are no seats inside — the entire interior is devoted to Al’s 16-foot brick oven and his ingredients, because at Santillo’s, the craft always comes first.
The whole block smells like pizza, the wait happens in the alley, and the energy is decidedly old-school Jersey — unhurried passion wrapped in a hurried pace. 🍕🙌
Bottom Line
Santillo’s is a once-in-a-lifetime New Jersey brick oven pizza experience: a three-generation family legacy, a hand-built 100-year-old oven, year-named family-owned pizzeria pies unlike anything in America, and a comeback story proving that the best pizza in New Jersey — and the best people — never stay down. 🔥🍕
Address:
639 S Broad St, Elizabeth, NJ 07202
📞 (908) 354-1887
🕔 Please call ahead or visit Santillo’s official website to confirm current reopening hours, as the restaurant is actively rebuilding and resuming operations following the 2024 fire.