Benny Tudino’s In Hoboken On ‘Greatest Old-School Pizzeria’ List

HOBOKEN, NJ — A beloved local eatery and immigrant success story in Hoboken recently got a nod as of the “Greatest Old-School Pizzerias” in America.

The Daily Meal has released a list of the 56 Greatest "Old-School" Pizzerias in America for 2019, naming Benny Tudino's among them. (See the other NJ locations here)

According to the Daily Meal:

“Benny Tudino's is best known for serving slices that are the size of a small child, as photos on display throughout the restaurant make sure you know. But it's also been a Hoboken, New Jersey, landmark for more than 40 years.”

See the full Daily Meal list here.

For a half-century, the Hudson County restaurant and local institution has been serving what it calls "the biggest slices" in New Jersey. They've earned their bragging rights, being featured on numerous news stories and social media videos over the past years, and serving up monster slices to high-profile names such as former Vice President Joe Biden and ex-senator Frank Lautenberg. To many locals, taking on the Benny Tudinos Giant Pizza Challenge has become a rite of passage. Mayor Ravi Bhalla called the restaurant a “Hoboken institution and an immigrant success story.”

Last October, the restaurant, which recently experienced the passing of its namesake and founder, Bahri Drishti, in 2015, celebrated its 50-year milestone.

• See related article: Home Of New Jersey's 'Largest Pizza Slices' Turns 50 In Hoboken

For those seeking to appreciate the depth of the community's attachment to Benny Tudinos, Drishti's obituary in 2015 may provide some clues:

"Born in Shkoder, Albania, 'Benny' came to settle here in Hoboken in 1968. The numerous awards he has received over the years regarding his pizza and the many celebrities that have passed through his establishment made him a proud man with regards to his business… He always looked to feed the homeless as he thought no one should ever go hungry through this world. He was proud of his heritage, and accomplishments he has made in his life with the help of his wife whom both came from Albania knowing little English but eventually followed the American Dream and became a foundation of his community. He would often say how many people at one time or another worked in the pizzeria and he would pay them with free pizza."

• See related article: Hoboken Obitutary: Bahri 'Benny' Drishti

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