As Hungry prepares for yet another trip back east, the preparation comes with the painful awareness that one of his favorite places in the whole world of food will not be there. Tony’s Pizza, née Tony’s Italian Kitchen, was a local favorite in Midland Park (Hungry’s hometown). In such a densely populated part of Northern New Jersey, the level of pizza competition easily rivaled that of any part of New York City, some would even daresay Arthur Ave. While residents of Bergen County would be split between Kinchley’s thin crust, Nelly’s wide selection, and Brother’s stellar toppings, Hungry knew at an early age that Tony’s was his favorite, by far.
Every Friday night for over a decade, Hungry and his father would pick up a Tony’s pie on the way home from their work shift at the gas station. The family would enjoy the pizza while watching the iconic TGIF television line-up. Hungry would save his crusts for his mother, who couldn’t eat cheese, and all was well in the world. Hungry brought that love to people from all over the world who visited him in Midland Park. Nearly every person he brought to Tony’s agreed that it was the “best” pizza they’ve ever eaten.
What made it so great? Think of everything you want in a good pizza, and they had it. They didn’t mess with the toppings too much, they found excellence in a simple cheese pie. The sauce had a hint of sweetness, but was blended to a smooth and silky perfection. The cheese was generously portioned and melted into the crust and sauce with the most beautiful buttery feeling. The crust was simple, yet perfectly cooked every single time. Never over, never under. It all came together on a pie with perfect structural integrity that never folded or broke in your hands. The composition was flawless.
While we’re unaware of the closure, it leaves a gaping hole in our heart. Food bloggers seeing their favorite pizza in the world close is not something that is easily digestible. It just reminds us how quickly the things we love can leave us, so if not anything else, remember to continue to support your small local businesses and keep coming back for more. Take an extra step to bring friends and spread the word because not all good things need to come to an end, at least, not while we’re still hungry.
We still haven’t determined who will take our top spot as our favorite pizza. There are some strong contenders, but it’ll take some time to figure out. Let us know what your favorite pizza place is in the comment section below so we can try it out and see how it measures up with others. Oh, and obviously you can claim bias here, but Hungry had no personal relationship with anyone at Tony’s and doesn’t feel much in terms of being sentimental/nostalgic. He has had pizza all over the world and doesn’t think anyone makes a better pie than Tony’s. Eat good pizza to stay hungry and fit!
