Curioni’s Pizza in Lodi: New Jersey’s Best-Value 100-Year-Old Pizza Spot

In a state famous for pizza, Curioni’s Pizza in Lodi stands out for something increasingly rare: history, family tradition and honest value under one roof.

Located at 80 Liberty Street in Lodi, New Jersey, Curioni’s traces its roots to 1923. The business reportedly began as a neighborhood grocery store serving Lodi’s growing Italian-American community. A later generation added a pizza oven, transforming the family business into the old-school pizzeria locals know today.

More than a century later, Curioni’s remains a family-run neighborhood institution. That continuity matters. It is not a polished restaurant concept built to imitate the past; it is the real thing—a compact local shop where the food, owners and community history are tied together.

Why Curioni’s Belongs in the Best Pizza in New Jersey Conversation

Declaring one restaurant the absolute “best pizza in New Jersey” is nearly impossible. New Jersey has legendary thin-crust tavern pies, coal-fired institutions, tomato pies, boardwalk slices and modern artisan shops. Curioni’s earns its place in the conversation for a different reason: it combines old-school character, strong customer ratings and unusually affordable whole-pie pricing.

Restaurantji currently lists Curioni’s with a 4.9 rating from 170 reviews and ranks it first among pizza restaurants near Lodi. One Bite lists an overall score of 8.1 based on 28 reviews, including an 8.2 community score. Those scores do not settle the statewide debate, but they show that Curioni’s reputation extends beyond nostalgia.

Watch Dave Portnoy’s Curioni’s Pizza Review

Curioni’s was featured in a Dave Portnoy One Bite pizza review. Watch his visit and reaction below.

Watch the full Curioni’s Pizza review on YouTube →

Possibly New Jersey’s Best-Value Pizza

For this feature, the supplied pricing is $12 for a round pie and $14 for a Sicilian pie. At those prices, Curioni’s may be one of the strongest pizza values in North Jersey—especially at a time when a basic whole pie at many regional pizzerias costs considerably more.

Value here should not be confused with “cheap for the sake of cheap.” Customer reviews repeatedly emphasize the combination of price, generous portions, friendly service and traditional pizza. That is what makes Curioni’s compelling: the restaurant offers a genuine neighborhood experience without turning its century-old story into a premium-priced marketing gimmick.

What the Pizza Is Like

Curioni’s is known for classic round cheese pizza and Sicilian pizza. Reviewers commonly describe the round pie as thin, crisp and old-school, with a flavorful sauce and a straightforward cheese-and-crust balance. The Sicilian is thicker and more substantial, offering a different texture while keeping the same traditional neighborhood-pizzeria character.

This is not a menu built around trendy toppings or elaborate presentation. The appeal is familiarity done well: a hot pie, a crisp base, sauce, cheese and the feeling that the shop has served generations of the same families.

A 100-Plus-Year Lodi Story

Curioni’s history is bigger than pizza. A business that began in 1923 has survived enormous changes in Lodi, Bergen County and the restaurant industry. Its evolution from an Italian-American grocery store into a pizzeria mirrors the story of many immigrant family businesses: adapt to the neighborhood, work across generations and build loyalty one customer at a time.

A 2019 local history feature reported that the business had reached its fourth generation, with Ryan cooking alongside his father. That generational continuity is one reason Curioni’s feels less like a restaurant brand and more like a piece of living local history.

Curioni’s Pizza Contact Information

Curioni’s Pizza
80 Liberty Street
Lodi, NJ 07644
Phone: (973) 473-7934

Recent listings identify Curioni’s as cash only. Published hours vary across online directories, so calling before making a special trip is the safest move. Restaurantji’s June 2026 update lists Monday through Wednesday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday closed.

Final Verdict

Curioni’s Pizza deserves attention not because it is trying to become the next viral pizza destination, but because it has already done something far harder: remain relevant to its community for more than 100 years.

For pizza lovers searching for an authentic North Jersey stop, Curioni’s offers a rare combination—family history dating to 1923, strong local reviews, classic round and Sicilian pies and pricing that may make it the best-value old-school pizza experience in New Jersey.

Bring cash, call ahead and order both styles. At the featured prices, trying the round and Sicilian together still costs less than a single premium pie at many modern pizzerias.

Editorial note: This is an independent local-business feature published by Modern Memory Design and is not the official Curioni’s Pizza website. The artwork is an original illustrated tribute, not an official restaurant photograph. Historical details were researched from Dining on a Shoestring; current contact, rating and hour information was checked against Restaurantji; review scoring was checked against One Bite. The embedded video belongs to its original YouTube publisher. Prices were supplied for this feature and should be confirmed directly with the restaurant.