Dave Portnoy, the renowned pizza reviewer from One Bite Pizza, made a return to the Shore on July 28. Portnoy visited Gigi’s New York Style Pizza in Sea Bright and The Sauce Pizzeria in Oceanport.
Ratings from these visits are not yet available but are expected to be posted within a week, according to Jason Enger, CEO and owner of The Sauce.
At Gigi’s, co-owner Kenny Gambella was not present during Portnoy’s visit. However, Kenny’s wife, Kelly Gambella, expressed gratitude to Portnoy on her Facebook page on July 29. Gigi’s also operates in Long Branch and Oceanport.
Enger, known as the “Sauce Boss,” nearly missed Portnoy as well. He was out at the time but quickly returned when notified by his staff. Enger greeted Portnoy with, “It’s about time you’re here. We’ve been waiting forever.” The Sauce Pizzeria, which opened in October 2023, was playfully noted by Portnoy for its relatively short time in operation.
Enger previously met Portnoy at Luigi’s Famous Pizza in Lincroft, where Portnoy gave an 8.1 rating. Portnoy’s review process involves tasting one bite of a pizza and then providing a rating. He has reviewed over 1,000 pizzerias across the country and has visited numerous Jersey Shore favorites.
The One Bite Pizza Festival is scheduled for September 14 at Randall’s Island Park in New York City. Eight New Jersey pizzerias will compete against others from New York and Connecticut. The New Jersey pizzerias selected are:
Angeloni’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, Caldwell
Brooklyn Square Pizza, Jackson, Toms River, and Manalapan
Bunny’s Sports Bar, South Orange
Calabria Pizzeria & Restaurant, Livingston
De Lorenzo’s Tomato Pies, Robbinsville Township
Federici’s Family Restaurant, Freehold Borough
Lillo’s Tomato Pies, Hainesport
Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza, Elizabeth