New Jersey's best pizza will be crowned at Saturday's annual Pizza Bowl. Tickets available

Matt Fagan, NorthJersey.com

Those craving comfort food to ward off the February blues should consider attending Saturday's fourth annual Pizza Bowl, a bake-off to name New Jersey's best pizza.

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

In the first three rounds, pizza makers from each of the three regions, North, Central and South Jersey, will be judged. A winner from each region will advance to the final round, where 2024's top pizza joint will be selected.

The event will start and noon and anyone who buys a $50 ticket for the event will be a judge and will enjoy the food.

The contest, for the third year, will be held at Redd's Bar & Restaurant in Carlstadt.

Pizzabowl II is old at Redd's in Carlstadt, NJ on Saturday Feb. 05, 2022. A group of 16 pizzerias compete in five rounds to name the best pizza in New Jersey.
Pizzabowl II is old at Redd's in Carlstadt, NJ on Saturday Feb. 05, 2022. A group of 16 pizzerias compete in five rounds to name the best pizza in New Jersey.

This year's competition features the following pizza joints:

North Jersey Region

  • Grumpy's Pizza Co., Saddle Brook

  • Nellies Place, Waldwick

  • Coniglio’s Old Fashioned, Morristown

  • Vinnie's 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

Pizza Bowl IV will feature two past champions, Maruca's Tomato Pies, which won in 2022, and Coniglio's Old Fashioned, which won in 2023.

Robert Pisani of Union samples the many assortments of pizza by pizza makers from all over New Jersey. Hi family owned a pizzeria for over 60 years. The Pizza Bowl was held at Redd’s in Carlstadt where Jersey Pizza Joints held their annual pizza tasting contest to award the winner of the best pizza in New Jersey on February 4, 2023.
Robert Pisani of Union samples the many assortments of pizza by pizza makers from all over New Jersey. Hi family owned a pizzeria for over 60 years. The Pizza Bowl was held at Redd’s in Carlstadt where Jersey Pizza Joints held their annual pizza tasting contest to award the winner of the best pizza in New Jersey on February 4, 2023.

Jersey Pizza Joints founder Guy Madsen said there is no guarantee either of the previous winners will make the final round. He said the event will offer more than just tasting pizza. In between pizza rounds, attendees will be asked to pick the state's best meatballs, and watch the induction of pizza maker Al Santillio, into the Jersey Pizza Joint's Hall of Fame,

Santillo, whose famed Santillo's pizzeria and bakery has been closed since the Jan. 6 fire, said he appreciates the recognition. This year's contest will once again feature Aloha Monkees, Jersey Pizza Joint's house band and a performance by Edward Brigati Jr., who was one of the Rascal's lead singers.

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Pizza Bowl tickets are $50 each. Besides being a venue to promote the Garden State's top pizza makers, it is also a fundraiser for the Tunnels to Towers group, which raises money for first responders and wounded veterans. Tickets can be purchased at the Eventbrite website.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Best pizza in NJ to be crowned at Saturday's Pizza Bowl 2024

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