Trenton, NJ - DeLorenzo's on Hudson St. closes

[Drive-by Critic]

http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2011/12/famed_delorenzos_hudson_street.html

I grew up in Trenton and spent many hours waiting in line on the sidewalk outside DeLorenzo's, waiting for a booth in the tiny row house. To me, pizza had to be made by a guy in a wife beater who tossed the dough in the air. It wasn't a cliche back then. It was the way it was done. And no fancy schmancy coal-burning ovens, no DOC. Just sublime pies. Not pizzas. Tomato pie. Great crust. Fresh, homemade tomato sauce. And just a light layer of fresh cheese.

Went back there a few weeks ago. Dear Husband had been to the new place in Robbinsville many times. I wanted him to see the real deal. Robbinsville is actually way more convenient, there is parking, and rest rooms. The pies are just as great, but the atmosphere....just not there. Like I said - there are restrooms.

The old neighborhood - Chambersburg, aka the Burg - is beyond blighted. Trenton has never been able to renew itself, despite many efforts.

By the way, if you go to Robbinsville, be prepared to wait. Even at 4:45 on a recent weekday, the place was packed. We got the last two-top and watched the line grow out the door and into the parking lot. The pies are worth the wait.

[Joe H]

That's an incredible shame. We drove from Reston to DeLorenzo's on Hudson a couple of years ago and felt it was well worth the drive. @4:00PM on a Saturday there were already 15 or more people on the street waitiing to open. Real character, real personaltiy as well as an absolutely outstanding pizza.

[lion]

I only went once, and it was a bit of detour, but it was worth it.

That's the part of getting older no one tells you about, the characters, real, kooky, eccentric people and places that give way to the modern sterile and unfortunately boring and bland are the ones you end up missing the most when they're gone.

[Joe H]

We have two dinners at Chef Vola's in Atlantic City: one next week and another, with friends, two months later. Like DeLorenzo's, Sally's and a handful of other places in America, the few places left like these are disappearing. I celebrate birthdays at Chef Vola's. The restaurant and I have a competition to see who will last the longest.

I retire next year.

...i hope this isn't a post people will one day remember...

[kirite]

What Trenton makes, the world takes.