Tony’s Pizzeria

Walking the Mason concrete boardwalk, I was drawn to @tonyspizzeriaandcatering by its “A Taste of Jersey” mural. I had recently been to a Mason pizzeria most notable for its stylized bathrooms, and was craving something more real. I’ve been known to have a few slices on the various Garden State boardwalks (see my reviews at #jpjerseypizza) and so was excited to try a Jersey style slice here. Traditional Jersey style is close to New York style pizza but distinct (just like the state): a slightly thicker yet genuinely crisp crust. The crust snaps when you fold it (which you should).

Once I sat down I realized I had been here before in 2010 when it was Aponte’s - memorialized in an Urbanspoon review now lost to the digital void. Aponte’s was also the subject of a “Restaurant Impossible” episode on the Food Network in 2013, where an English protein bar manufacturer gave them pizza tips (remember cable?). It is since rebranded and the pizza has been tweaked.

Rather than Jersey style, I would describe Tony’s as more Midwest style - the sort of doughy take on New York style you see a lot in Ohio (this is not a criticism, just a classification). The undercarriage here tells the story plainly: lightly browned and soft, not crisp. This is Midwestern pizza. So while Springsteen didn’t play in my head, I did in fact enjoy the pizza. The pepperoni is genuinely high quality and cupped with real flavor complexity beyond flat salt-and-fat. The cheese was plentiful whole milk mozzarella. Overall, it was a decadent and filling slice. We finished the pizza and perhaps that’s the best compliment.

Bottom line: Perhaps any pizza someone from Jersey makes is “Jersey style”. Whatever, I enjoyed it. So I’ll deem this the best pizza in Mason Ohio.

The hungry heart will be fed.