The best slice and meatball will be crowned at Redd’s Bar and Restaurant in Carlstadt on Saturday, Feb. 3. Pizza Bowl IV is the grand finale following weeks of competitions across the Garden State, with members of the Facebook Group Jersey Pizza Joints casting votes.
Jersey Pizza Joints has close to 100,000 members and was started by Rutherford native and Clifton resident Guy Madsen. The sister site he launched, Jersey Sandwich Joints, has close to 84,000 members. Jersey Burger Joints is inching towards 10,000.
The Pizza Judges
The final Jersey nominees from North, Central, South and the Shore will be judged by a slew of judges that include local media, celebrities, businesses, foodies and politicians.
Meadowlands Chamber Event Manager Marianne Axon will be on hand to judge, along with Meadowlands Media head Cindy Capitani. Axon previously won New Jersey Cupcake Wars and was a guest judge. She was also a guest judge at America’s Best Bakers Competitions.
Celebrity judges include Dan Grimaldi and Artie Pasquale from the Sopranos, Joseph Donofrio from Goodfellas, Giants Super Bowl Champ Stephen Baker, and many more.
NJ 101.5’s Steve Trevelise is a media sponsor and judge, as is New 12 NJ’s Jim Murdoch, WPIX 11’s Dan Mannarino, NBC News 10 Philadelphia’s Justin Godynick, Louis Vanaria from the Wizeguy Show, and others.
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Meadowlands mayors serving as judges include
- Carlstadt Mayor Robert Zimmermann
- North Arlington Mayor Dan Pronti
- Lodi Mayor Scott Luna
- Hasbrouck Heights Mayor Ron Kistner
- Lyndhurst Mayor Robert Giangeruso
The Pizza Finalists
The competition comes to these pizzerias:
NORTH JERSEY REGION
- Grumpy’s Pizza Co. -, Saddle Brook
- Nellies Place, Waldwick
- Coniglio’s Old Fashioned, Morristown
- Vinnie’s Mootz, Lyndhurst
CENTRAL REGION
- Capricci Pizzeria Panineria & Restaurant, Howell
- Squan Tavern, Manasquan
- Maruca’s Pizza, Seaside Heights
- Mancini Pizza East Brunswick, NJ, East Brunswick
SOUTH REGION
- Nonnas Pizza Deptford, Depford
- Boaggio’s Bread, Mt. Laurel
- Lillo’s Tomato Pies, Hainesport
- Riccardo’s Italian Restaurant, Browns Mills
Raising Funds for Tunnel to Towers
Pizza Bowl elevates pizza and meatballs across the state while also having a whole lot of fun and giving small restaurants a social boost and hopefully bringing them more business.
But it also serves a higher purpose, and that is to raise money for Tunnel to Towers, which “honors the sacrifice of firefighter Stephen Siller who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. We also honor our military and first responders who continue to make the supreme sacrifice of life and limb for our country,” according to its website.
People can scan the QR code on the photo here or see Jersey Pizza Joints on Facebook.
Community Goodwill
“It’s been to help these mom-and-pop businesses all along…these are genuine salt of the earth people, knowing how difficult it is to work even in good times, let alone bad times… this is our way of honoring them,” Madsen said.
He said the sense of communal support is one of the most gratifying parts of this entire experience. People come from all over the state to attend and judge the Pizza Bowl.
“It’s a great way to bring the community together, a chance to be recognized as the best in the state.”
Read more: Head To Redds For Pizza Bowl IV Where the Best Slice Will Be Crowned
