In a ‘surprising upset,’ the winner of this year’s Pizza Bowl is new to North Jersey

Forget Super Bowl LVIII, Jersey pizza lovers want to know who won Pizza Bowl IV.

And we have a winner: Vinnies’ Mootz of Lyndhurst, whose thin and crisp grandma pie topped with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes took home the prize on Saturday, Feb. 3, at Redd’s Restaurant in Carlstadt.

Jersey Pizza Joints, a Facebook group with 100,000 members, sponsors the event. Its members act as judges and whittled down hundreds of pizzerias to the “delicious dozen.”

New to North Jersey’s pizza scene, Vinnies’ Mootz will celebrate its first anniversary in April. The winning pie is a collaboration between restaurant owner Vinnie Morelli and his pizza maker, Angelo Dalia.

Dalia, who owned Charlie’s Pizza in East Rutherford, which was opened by his parents 40 years ago, initially hired Morelli. Then Morelli, who specializes in making fresh mozzarella, hired him to make the pies.

In the first three rounds, pizza makers from each of the three regions, North, Central and South Jersey, were judged. A winner from each region advanced to the final round.

The event started at noon. Attendees who paid $50 to attend served as judges of one of the earlier rounds. Celebrity judges, including former New York Giants player Stephen Baker, judged the final round.

It takes hard work

There are more than 3,000 pizza joints in the Garden State, so to win top honors takes some doing. JPJ founder Guy Madsen of Clifton says the bar to win this contest is pretty high.

Just to make the final four in any one region means impressing a significant portion of JPJ’s 100,000 members. They are, he said, truly discerning in picking their favorite pie.

Take last year’s winner, Coniglio’s Old Fashioned of Morristown, which put out Brooklyn-style pie and holds several world pizza making championships. He was eliminated in the North Region round after being edged by Vinnies’ Mootz of Lyndhurst.

The difference in the North was incredible tight, JPJ judges said.

“That was a surprising upset,” Madsen told the crowd.

Then again JPJs’ whole schtick is that Jersey pizza is the world’s greatest.

“Great pizza can be found all over New Jersey,” Madsen said. “The pizza in central and northern New Jersey is like the wine region of Napa and Sonoma valleys, the world’s best.”

North Jersey Region

• Grumpy’s Pizza Co., Saddle Brook
• Nellies Place, Waldwick
• Coniglio’s Old Fashioned, Morristown
• Vinnies’ Mootz, Lyndhurst

Central Jersey Region

• Capricci Pizzeria Panineria & Restaurant, Howell
• Squan Tavern, Manasquan
• Maruca’s Pizza, Seaside Heights
• Mancini Pizza, East Brunswick

South Jersey Region

• Nonnas Pizza Deptford, Depford
• Boaggio’s Bread, Mt. Laurel
• Lillo’s Tomato Pies, Hainesport
• Riccardo’s Italian Restaurant, Browns Mills

Past winners

There’s been a different winner every year for the Pizza Bowl — and each year, there’s been a different style of pie. The first year, Pizza Terminal of Verona won with its more traditional pie.

Year 2 was Maruca’s of Seaside and Asbury Park, which is a tomato pie, where cheese goes on first and the tomatoes sit on top.

Last year, the judges picked Coniglio’s Old Fashioned, which is a Brooklyn style pie, square, with lovely bits of plum tomato and basil.

Meatballs

JPJ also holds an annual meatball contest as part of its Pizza Bowl, and JPJ members vote in the months preceding the pizza voting. John Speciale’s PizzAmore Italian Kitchen of Carlstadt has been a repeat winner. He won again in 2024.

“Thank you, this was one hell of party,” Speciale said. “I am beyond words.”

Hall of fame

Each year, JPJ names a longtime pizza maker to its hall of fame. This year, the honor went to Al Santillo, owner of Santillo’s of Elizabeth. The pizzeria and bakery has been closed since a Jan. 6 fire caused extensive damage.

Part of what makes Santillo’s stand out is its 100-year-old brick oven, with a barrel arch. It was purchased in 1957 by Santillo’s father for $10,000.

The oven is 16 feet wide and 10 feet deep and can hold up to 30 pizzas. The bricks are ancient and heated by gas jet. It has a shallow roof, which keeps the heat in.

“It’s a cathedral,” said Speciale, of Santillo’s 104-year old oven.