Candela Pizzeria & Ristorante, 22 Lawn Park Ave, Lawrenceville, NJ
M-Sa 11 AM - 10:30 PM; Su 12 PM - 9:30 PM
(609) 882-9119   Website    Google Maps

Candela’s is hidden away on a side street off of 206, not far from Notre Dame School. Obviously a converted residence, it’s a very pleasant place to eat a tomato pie. An outstanding, crispy crust that stays firm through the last slice. Good quality cheese: I would prefer a little more, but that’s a matter of taste. Good quality tomato, though overpowered by garlic. I enjoy garlic, but this was too much, and tasted like the pre-chopped garlic from a jar…. next time I’ll ask him to go easy. We also had mixed reactions to the mushrooms. Candela’s is one of the few restaurants that cooks their fresh mushrooms before baking them (they’re blanched). This is important, because raw mushrooms release a lot of water, and will make the pie soggy in the center (as many are, but not this one). On the hand, the blanching makes the mushrooms taste like they were canned, even though they’re not. Some or our judges just didn’t like them. Special thanks to the folks who nominated this place! We never would have found it without you, and it’s great! Recommendation: order with “light garlic”