Yes, there are still more pizza places to visit in my hometown of Bayonne, NJ. On the recommendation of my younger brother, last time home, I set my sights on Fontana Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant. The twist this time would be my guest: our 87-year old Mom after a morning on line at the DMV to get her a state-issued ID card.
Fontana is uptown on Broadway in the middle of the block. It’s one of Bayonne’s long-standing pizza joints, and surprisingly, the more recently-established Goodfella’s brick oven joint is only a few doors down.
We got there a little after lunch time on a Friday and had the place all to ourselves. After ordering some cheese slices ($1.95 each) at the front counter, we took table seats in the back until we were summoned. In a wild mood, I even went so far as to order a square Sicilian slice in addition to my regular one.
While waiting, I checked out the menu. Like most of these Bayonne pizza joints, there are also other Italian dishes from which to choose. But, I must say that Fontana’s offers one of the widest selections (from Paninis to falafels) I have ever seen. It amazes me the talent and skill that it must take to manage such a large menu in terms of availability and ability.
Like a real pizza joint, the slices were out there waiting for us, and were soon ready after a reheat in the CPO (Conventional Pizza Oven). Getting right to the chase, what did Mom have to say about her slice? “Good, but little oily. Nice and crispy, but I don’t like when the oil drips.”
I agreed with her 100%. As for the oil, this slice was definitely a dripper, but was just fine after a short drain before eating. Otherwise, everything was put together with perfection. The dimensions were on the money, and the great-tasting cheese and sauce were properly blended and delicately seasoned. There wasn’t really much to gripe about since it was also served at the precise eating temperature. But full disclosure make me want to say that maybe it could have been a little crisper, and there was a bit of cheese slippage.
It was fun getting Mom out of the house, and we sure enjoyed our slices together. Mom is a tough pizza critic who remains quite loyal to her favorite place San Vito. However, I could tell that she enjoyed her slice as much as I did mine.
Add Fontana to the list of can’t-miss Bayonne pizzerias! I really enjoyed it.
PIZZA SNOB RATING ****1/2 Nearer Perfection
Fontana Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant
1011 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-630-6460
www.fontanapizzanj.com
