Lanoka Harbor Pizzeria Celebrates Three Years Of Home-Cooking

It was billed as a place that offered homemade food made by three culinary chefs.

Now Espo’s Pizzeria & Italian Grille at Laurel Plaza on Route 9 in Lanoka Harbor is already ready to celebrate three years of business.

Espo's Pizzeria will celebrate its third anniversary on March 12, offering 99-cent slices and a $9 large plain pizza. For more information, go to http://www.espospizzeria.com.

As he told Patch three years ago, Espo’s was “a dream come true” for owner Anthony Esposito, 27, of Lacey Township as he dreamed of having his own pizzeria since a child.

Anthony’s flair and passion for food came from being around his mother and grandmother in the kitchen growing up, he said.

“I was constantly around food,” Anthony said. “I knew what I wanted young and I got good at it.”

His father, Francesco Esposito, would bring him to different pizza shops. He also owned the coffee shop, Café Napoli in Summit, and Piccolo Italia in Scotch Plains for a few years when Anthony was a child.

“He influenced me. He was my mentor; he was my right hand man. After a while in an Italian household, they turn into your best friend, especially as an only child,” Anthony said.