With both my dad and brother living in the north central Jersey town named for the guy who invented the light bulb, Edison has inevitably become a part of my pizza universe. Likewise, I have come to learn that I had severely underestimated the legacy of what I’ve since come to learn is the fifth largest city in the Pizza State. Through my recent reports, I have learned that several of my Music City music buddies hail from or spent time in Edison. Recently, one young guitar slinger told me that the best slice in town was at Zia Lisa Pizzeria and Ristorante.
Calls like that do not go unanswered by the Pizza Snob. So. On an adventure back home earlier this year, I made a lunch at Zia Lisa the site of my first meal. Calling upon my brother to meet me there, I was surprised to hear he was totally unfamiliar with the place. I was even more bewildered when I realized that we both regularly drove past the place! I guess it just shows you that there’s no shortage of pizza joints in Jersey. (It also happens to be just down the block from the Tastee Sub Shop which just might make the best sub sandwich you will ever eat. President Obama has even dined there!)
Situated in a small strip center on the slim but bustling Plainfield Ave., I t-boned parked my trusty Kia Soul rent car smack dab in front of the place. My brother soon followed suit, and we had Zia Lisa all to ourselves since no one else was ready yet for lunch on this sunny Friday. There was nothing new to the drill, so we stepped up to order slices at the counter prior to acquiring space at a comfy cushioned booth in the rear.
On display at the front desk were only a tray of Sicilian and a tray of Grandma. (If you long to know the difference between these too, let this guy explain it to you.) When I asked, of course there were regular slices which were just out of view. I decided to get a little adventurous when I split my pair of slices into one regular and one Grandma. When offered my selection from the Grandma slices, I of course requested a double-ended corner slice to which my host replied “Yes, that’s what you gotta do!” We also ordered a chicken Caesar salad to split to satisfy our health-conscious shoulder angels.
The collection of pizza slices came out in a flash. Both of mine looked well-toasted which raised my hope meter. The regular slice was however in size no more than a small almost-equilateral triangle, and the Grandma occupied about as much paper plate space as the regular.
The regular looked somewhat cheesy but the toasting seemed to have made its way through to the top securing it firmly to the crust. The serving temperature was perfect, and the slice was expertly seasoned with a noticeable touch of oregano. Very tasty, it was a smash! While I would have liked a more compact slice, this is certainly one of the most delicious slices I’ve had in Edison.
The Grandma? Well, it was nothing short of spectacular. Chewy and crunchy with that double-ended crust really making for a special treat. Yum.
Well, Zia Linda was a great recommendation and is one that I pass along without reservation when you are not in the mood for a Tastee Sub!
PIZZA SNOB RATING **** ½ Nearer Perfection
Zia Lisa Pizzeria and Ristorante
242 Plainfield Avenue
Edison, NJ 08817
732-985-3531
www.zialisa.com