Delorenzo's Pizza, Trenton

Rick DeLorenzo Jr.'s family inheritance is more than just a recipe for thin-crust pizza—it's a tradition of hard work and dedication. After emigrating from a small Italian town called San Fele, his grandparents settled in a row home on Hudson Street in Trenton. They raised 12 children there, all of whom became well-versed in the application of elbow grease. Circa 1938, DeLorenzo's uncle Joe opened the first family pizzeria at the corner of Hudson and Mott Streets. Four of the older brothers formulated the signature Trenton tomato-pie recipe—a supercrispy thin crust topped with garden-fresh california tomatoes and wisconsin cheese—and passed it on to four younger brothers, including DeLorenzo's father. Today, the pizzaiolo duties are carried on by DeLorenzo and his children, Michael, Melissa, and Maria.

The menu at DeLorenzo's Pizza has earned high praise in several newspaper articles and a spot on Dash’s list of America's best slices. After enjoying a tomato pie, Rich Defabritus of the Slice food blog said, "The balance struck between the sauce and cheese is about as close to perfection as you could get." Wood-paneled walls and old-timey memorabilia give the restaurant a nostalgic, throwback vibe, similar to the pizza parlor where Frank Sinatra first read a menu with his famously blue-tinted contact lenses.