De Lorenzo’s Tomato Pies* 530 Hudson Street, Trenton (609) 695-9534
(Directions) Open Thursday to Saturday only, 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Everyone remembers going out to pizza as a kid with a group of friends.  Usually there was somebody, like my friend Adam Sherman, who hated the crust.  He’d always leave the bready end.  And sometimes, later in the meal, he’d pick the cheese and toppings off altogether, and leave the entire crust on his plate, a forlorn, white triangle flecked with tomato sauce.

All I can say is, if you’re that kid, don’t go to De Lorenzo’s.  For there, the crust’s the thing.

A perfect De Lorenzo’s pie is like an artisan flat bread with a little cheese, some tomato and olive oil, and maybe a few toppings sprinkled lightly on top.  Every bite is crunchy.  All the flavors are there, but the crust is in the foreground, always.  Sometimes, if you get a “bad” one, the pie is TOO heavy and crunchy.  But usually it’s just delightful (if you like crust).  And it’s given De Lorenzo’s cult status as one of the top pizza joints in the entire US of A.  Don’t believe me?  Just Google it.

The toppings are fresh and high quality.  Great sausage, fresh mushrooms, etc., etc.  There’s just not a lot of them.  I suppose you could try ordering with extra cheese (I’ve never tried) but you’d be missing the point.  And it’s BYOB.

Classic De Lorenzo's Sausage Tomato Pie

OK, so here are the famous downsides:

• There is no restroom in the restaurant for patrons.  Arrive with an empty bladder.  Men, in an emergency, have been known to wander off onto the abandoned old Roebling Factory complex across the street.  Women typically have to grin and bear it.
• There’s nothing else on the menu but Tomato Pie.  Don’t even think of ordering a salad.
• There are only 14 tables, mostly tiny booths which barely hold 4 people.  On weekends, there’s usually a line out the door.  For Trentonians, your best bet is to show up on a Thursday.  Of course there are two other De Lorenzo’s, one on Hamilton Ave. and a fancy new one, recently opened, in Robbinsville(!?).  For Trentonians, telling folks you’ve eaten at De Lorenzo’s at either of these restaurants is akin to claiming you’ve been to Paris, when really you’ve been to the French pavilion at EPCOT Center.
• Service is low-energy and slow.  When it’s time to go, don’t wait for your check.  Just go up to the register.  Similarly, don’t “ask” for a box for left-overs.  You may wait a long time.  Borrow the roll of aluminum foil when you pay your bill.
• A “large” isn’t.  Two hungry men will probably need two pies (and take less than half of one home).
• When they get busy, they take the phone off the hook.  Don’t even think of trying to order take-out on a busy day (you might as well wait in line, it’ll take just as long).

For all that, you may find the sense-memory of that crust will lodge in your brain for the rest of your life.

Long-time Trentonians argue constantly about which is better, De Lorenzo’s or Papa’s.  Almost everyone has an opinion.  You owe it to yourself to check both out and decide for yourself.

*For years I’ve resisted reviewing De Lorenzo’s, thinking it wasn’t “hidden”.  After all, it has a national reputation.  But recently, when I met some newcomers to Trenton who didn’t know about it, I realized we needed to include it here.

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