This Hidden Gem Is The Best Hole-In-The-Wall Pizza Joint In NJ

NEW JERSEY— Looking for the best hole-in-the-wall pizza spot in New Jersey? A popular food site says it’s worth skipping chain restaurants and seeking out this under-the-radar favorite.

Food and culture website The Takeout recently rounded up the top no-frills pizza joints in every state, the kind of places “where the ovens have history, the dough gets the time and care it deserves, and the staff often know regulars by name.”

In New Jersey, the honor goes to Riccardo's Pizza & Italian Restaurant in Browns Mills— a beloved local spot known for its sweet-leaning tomato sauce and slightly crispy crust.

The restaurant currently marks high with a 4.9 out of 5 star rating on Google.

"Ricardo’s really hit the spot," Shannon Mahedy, a local guide, wrote. "The sauce was especially notable— sweet and fresh."

The selections were based on a mix of local recommendations, customer reviews, critics’ opinions and existing “best of” lists, along with the writers’ own experiences.

The picks reflect the kind of neighborhood pizza spots people discover through word of mouth rather than a formal ranking system.

Christopher Lynam and his family travel to different pizza restaurants on a quest to find the best slice.

"Held up to our scrutiny and well worth the drive," he wrote on Google. "The place is charming with beautiful fresh basil and buckets of flowers... One of Jersey's best pizza."

The 50-state list includes everything from “blink and you'll miss them pizza places tucked into nondescript strip malls to corner markets also housing culinary pizza wonder kings,” The Takeout said.

For the full list, go to The Takeout