Starting Sunday, New Jersey residents will be able to vote for their favorite pizza as part of the annual Pizza Bowl competition. For the next 31 days, members of the Jersey Pizza Joints (JPJ) Facebook group will cast their votes to support their favorite pizzerias.
The top vote-getters from northern, central, and southern New Jersey will earn spots in the annual charity bake-off, Pizza Bowl V, which will take place at Redd’s restaurant in Carlstadt on Saturday, Feb. 1.
JPJ founder Guy Madsen emphasized the importance of the event, noting that winning the competition can give a significant boost to a pizzeria’s business.
“It’s like our Heisman,” Madsen said. “In New Jersey, we take our pizza seriously.”
Past NJ Pizza Bowl Winners
Each of the past four Pizza Bowl events has crowned a different winner. While long-standing favorites such as Maruca’s in Central Jersey, Patsy’s in the north, and Riccardo’s in the south are always in the running, the competition often brings surprises.
For example, Vinnie’s Mootz in Lyndhurst won the competition last year, claiming the coveted purple crown and JPJ’s Best Pizza trophy. In 2023, Nino Coniglio’s Coniglio’s Old Fashioned in Morristown took home the top prize, even though the pizzeria had only opened the previous Halloween.
In 2022, Maruca’s Tomato Pies in Seaside Heights and Asbury Park claimed victory, while Scott Rafferty’s Pizza Terminal won the inaugural Pizza Bowl in 2021 at Redd’s Biergarten in New Brunswick.
The Road to Pizza Bowl V
By Jan. 1, the top 12 finalists from across the state will be selected. These pizzerias will compete in the Pizza Bowl V bake-off, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Tunnels to Towers charity. The event aims to promote independent pizzerias, especially small, family-owned businesses.
Madsen shared that the event’s goal is to give underdogs a chance to shine, as winning the Pizza Bowl can be transformative for a pizzeria.
“The real winners are New Jerseyans,” Madsen said, noting that the competition raises the standard for pizza across the state. “Great pizza can be found all over New Jersey. Central and northern New Jersey’s pizza is like the Napa and Sonoma valleys of the pizza world.”
Meatball Bowl IV
In addition to the Pizza Bowl, JPJ has also held a best meatball contest since 2022. This year, the contests will be combined into one event. Unlike Pizza Bowl V, Meatball Bowl IV will feature a new winner, as John Speciale, owner of three-time champion PizzAmore Italian Kitchen in Carlstadt, has chosen not to compete this year.
“He decided to go out on top,” Madsen said.
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