Trenton Tomato Pie

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (ken8038)

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:51:02 GMT

I check the pizza board fairly often but somehow I missed this thread, so I'll throw in my 2 cents on the topic of Trenton Tomato Pies a month late.

The "ordeal" of going to DeLorenzo's (no bathroom, not exactly the most friendly service, the imposoible parking, and the crowds) has limited my visits to just one time, just to say I've been there. They did open another branch in Hamilton, but well, let's just say I posted about that in the trip reports a while back.

Championship I thought was just good, not something I'd drive the 40 miles to Trenton for.

A real Tomato Pie Roadfood find is a place called It's Nutts, about 10 miles north of Trenton on the Delaware River. Here's my post about that place from last fall. It's my #1 Tomato Pie:

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22188

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (David_NYC)

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:38:40 GMT

I first learned of the Trenton tomato pies from an article in the Sunday magazine section of the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper about five years ago. Truly a highly localized dish. I decided to go to DeLorenzo's, located in an area of working-class row houses. Once there, it didn't look to me like they catered to tourists. So, I studied what the locals did and parroted my order after the one placed by the man ahead of me. Somehow, I was expecting a great New York style slice, so was some what let down by the scant amount of cheese. While I don't remember details of the pizza, I do remember the ritual of going to and procuring the pie there. Almost like traveling to a remote area of a foreign country.

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle)

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:35:13 GMT

One other thing: there are places in Trenton that give you a choice. You can order pizza OR tomato pie. So the difference must mean something to some people.

Tony, the Hudson Street De Lorenzo's is often recognized as the superior one. We think so too. But more than a few people prefer the Hamilton Avenue DeLorenzo's. You might want to try it sometime.

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (Michael Hoffman)

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:27:40 GMT

Where I grew up tomato pie was what is known as an apizza.

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (eatingteam)

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:50:53 GMT

We found the biggest difference to be a sweeter sauce and you're right not a whole lot of cheese. Crisp, Crisp crust and a layer of great tasting sweet sauce with tomato chunks in it. Just enough sauce though to balance the thin crisp crust. The cheese jwas just enough to add flavor but not to take away from the taste of the flavor of the sauce and the crust combo.
It is different then Difara's / Lombardi's / Totonno's / Grmaldi's / Taconelli's and other famous Tri State Pizza's. It may be something you just have to have for your self - But if you do try both and let me know what you think. Papa's and De Lorenzo's on Hudson.

Tony

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (djmsalem)

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:37:53 GMT

I have to agree that a Trenton tomato pie is not what most people would consider a pizza. People who like pizza as you'd find it most places would say that there's not enough cheese on it and you can't get it loaded with 15 kinds of meats and vegetables (although maybe you can, someplace).

The thing about a Trenton tomato pie is that it honors the tomato more than the cheese. And when it does so, the crust becomes a different kind of partner than it is in the pizza most people know.

As for myself, I love cheese and on my pizza I'm proud to say the more, the better. There's enough of a difference between a pizza and a Trenton tomato pie that I know that when I have a choice, I'm going for the pizza.

But still, I recognize that there is a certain subtle taste that the tomato pie has that would every so often be just the right change...

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (eatingteam)

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:36:14 GMT

I was at the Hudson Street one. I am going back down in a couple weeks to take pics and get to find some other places - any suggestions for pizza / tomato pie?

Tony

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle)

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:17:58 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by eatingteam

Have not been to De Lo's - Any others? Last spring was our first experience in the Burg and we just hit the famous places. I am, as most of you guys, always on the hunt for more so, what else ya got?

Tony

Sorry... meant De Lorenzo's. We call it De Lo's. Anyway, there are two of them (now three), and the ones on Hudson and Hamilton are separately owned, and very different. Have you been to both?

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (eatingteam)

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:14:04 GMT

Have not been to De Lo's - Any others? Last spring was our first experience in the Burg and we just hit the famous places. I am, as most of you guys, always on the hunt for more so, what else ya got?

Tony

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (signman)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:19:41 GMT

Originally posted by signman

No need to talk about DeLorenzo's. Just look at the photos accompanying the write up in the restaurant section of this site. http://roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=3207

Baah Ben, All you had to do was click for your photos.

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:46:50 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by leethebard

We have several pizzarias where they serve Tomato pie. One place on the Pt. Pleasant boardwalk calls their pizza "Tomato pies" I see no distinct differences as described above...regular sauce and regular amounts of cheese. Sometimes it's like "Sub", "grinder" or "Hogie" Different names, same product!

The famous Maruca's began serving tomato pies in Trenton in the 50's, before ultimately becoming a Jersey shore legend. Maruca's use of the term "tomato pie" has spread up and down the shore. But yes, tomato pie is just a local name for pizza, and even Sam at De Lorenzo's will admit it when pressed. The emphasis on the tomatoes rather than the cheese is subtle, but it does constitute a real difference.

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (leethebard)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:05:59 GMT

We have several pizzarias where they serve Tomato pie. One place on the Pt. Pleasant boardwalk calls their pizza "Tomato pies" I see no distinct differences as described above...regular sauce and regular amounts of cheese. Sometimes it's like "Sub", "grinder" or "Hogie" Different names, same product!

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (porkbeaks)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:01:47 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by Baah Ben

Any chance of getting some pictures of what a Trenton tomato pie looks like? Not sure I understand...How different is it from a coal oven pie from a place like Brooklyn Pizza in Hackensack, NJ where they use fresh pieces of tomato or pieces of canned whole tomatoes and slices of mozzarella..No sauce

Go[url='http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,4104.0.html']here[/url] to read a 9 page thread about these pies on pizzamaking.com. Here are 2 pics from that thread.

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:23:01 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by eatingteam

To be honest, we have had 9 different eatingteam members go to both Delorenzo's and Papa's. Papa's has rated much better by far. We keep sending people to these two because it seems the consenses is Delorenzo's but to a person every one has chosen Papa's and it was not even close in the ratings. Don't get me wrong me - Delorenzo's is on our top all time favorite pizza list but at #22. Papa's though is #5 Different strokes...

Tony

Have you been to both De Lo's - Hamilton Ave and Hudson St? How do you guys rank them?

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (Baah Ben)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:22:49 GMT

Any chance of getting some pictures of what a Trenton tomato pie looks like? Not sure I understand...How different is it from a coal oven pie from a place like Brooklyn Pizza in Hackensack, NJ where they use fresh pieces of tomato or pieces of canned whole tomatoes and slices of mozzarella..No sauce

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (eatingteam)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:13:20 GMT

To be honest, we have had 9 different eatingteam members go to both Delorenzo's and Papa's. Papa's has rated much better by far. We keep sending people to these two because it seems the consenses is Delorenzo's but to a person every one has chosen Papa's and it was not even close in the ratings. Don't get me wrong me - Delorenzo's is on our top all time favorite pizza list but at #22. Papa's though is #5 Different strokes...

Tony

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:59:19 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by NYNM

Originally posted by eatingteam

A much overlooked pizza is the Trenton Tomato Pie. This is cooked pizza with cheese and tomato sauce.

Tony
[/quot

I have heard of Trenton tomato pie, but your description (pizza w/cheese & tomato suace) sound like regular pizza. Why is it distinctive?

Crust is thin, cheese is lightly applied, tomatoes are crushed canned tomatoes, not sauce, liberally applied, tomatoes usually go on top of the cheese, and there are no herbs (basil, oregano). More than the sum of its parts, somehow. The best, found at De Lorenzo on Hudson (there's a branch just opened in Robbinsville - we haven't yet been there), is extraordinary. Papa's is very good too although, in our opinion, not at Delo's level.

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (wmceaton)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:32:15 GMT

Love the pies at DeLorenzo's....I am from Boston but get to Trenton about 4 times a year & everytime i'm there I go for one.
Great, great stuff.

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (NYNM)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:30:09 GMT

Originally posted by eatingteam

A much overlooked pizza is the Trenton Tomato Pie. This is cooked pizza with cheese and tomato sauce.

Tony
[/quot

I have heard of Trenton tomato pie, but your description (pizza w/cheese & tomato suace) sound like regular pizza. Why is it distinctive?

RE: Trenton Tomato Pie (signman)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:23:36 GMT

No need to talk about DeLorenzo's. Just look at the photos accompanying the write up in the restaurant section of this site. http://roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=3207

End of conversation.

Trenton Tomato Pie (eatingteam)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:40:12 GMT

A much overlooked pizza is the Trenton Tomato Pie. This is cooked pizza with cheese and tomato sauce.

Two of The Eatingteam's favorites are:

Papa's Championship Tomato Pies on Chambers Street
This place has been open since 1912 for a reason

Delorenzo's Tomato Pie in Trenton as well
Also been open for ever.

These are some great pizza places that if you are not in the local area you may not know too much about. Trust me, these are good and should be on anyone's pizza list.

Tony

Other great eateries in that area: Rossi's for Burgers, Amici Milano - Italian