In Pursuit of the Perfect Pizza

Pizza is synonymous with New York. There’s a pizzeria on every street corner. Whether it’s the slice we grab at Teresa’s for lunch or the slice we grab at La Mia Pizza at 3 a.m. after a night out on the town – we eat it all the time. Lilly and I will even be celebrating her New York one-year anniversary with pizza at Lil' Frankie's.

But where’s the best pizza you ask? You don’t have to ask too many people to figure out the New York staples. They’ll send you to Grimaldi’s, to Lombardi's, to Patsy’s, to Luzzo’s.

But I have a secret. The best pizza isn’t in New York. It’s in Jersey. Gasp! It’s shameful, I know. I betray my city and cross state lines regularly to get the best pizza everrrr.

Tucked away in Neptune City, New Jersey is Pete & Elda’s Bar. Tucked away in Pete & Elda’s Bar is Carmen’s Pizzeria. Tucked away in Carmen’s Pizzeria is the secret recipe for the best thin crust pizza I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting. I can safely say that I have never left Jersey without stopping in once, sometimes twice. It is quite simply, perfection.

Unfortunately, the Jersey Shore knows about my dirty pizza secret. You can’t eat at Pete & Elda’s without waiting. Just this Saturday, John Marshall and I tried to eat there after he picked me up at Metropark. The place was so busy, we put in a to-go order so we could enjoy the deliciousness from home.

You might think it’s odd that a New Yorker would travel as far as Jersey for pizza, but that’s just how much I love it. So if you’re brave enough to brave Jersey in the pursuit of pizza perfection, just let me know.