Review: DeLorenzo's Tomato Pies - Yardley PA

Over 35 years ago, a colleague in Princeton took me to Trenton's storied tomato pie place, DeLorenzo's. From the very first bite, I was smitten. Here was a thin and crunchy pizza that was better than any I'd had in my life, including Rosa's, my childhood favorite from Riverside, NJ.

I've had hundreds of pizzas since then, all over America and even around the globe, but DeLorenzo's has maintained its spot as #1 on my list of favorite pies. I visited the original Hudson Street location about a week before it closed (review HERE) and I've been to their new flagship operation in Robbinsville NJ (review HERE). 

The new DeLorenzo's location in Yardley PA

Robbinsville captures almost all the flavor and texture that we found on Hudson Street; if the pies differed at all, they seemed less oily in Robbinsville. Soon after the Robbinsville transition, we learned in 2014 that DeLorenzo's was exploring a Pennsylvania location in Newtown, Buck County. That never came to be, but in February of 2018, the western branch finally opened in a new building complex in the historic Edgewood Village in Yardley.

Spacious dining room 

There's a cruel irony here, because this new location is less than five minutes from where I lived in Yardley for 22 years, and from which I'd trek across the river to Trenton to score a decent tomato pie at Papa's, Joe's, or DeLorenzo's. Today, I now live an hour west of of Yardley, so the DeLorenzo pie remains a holy grail quest for me.

Fresh out of the oven

When I got the chance to be in Yardley, I phoned in an order for a large sausage pie to go. Calling in a tomato pie order was quite a privilege itself; the Hudson Street location had been so popular that they stopped answering the phone within 5 minutes of opening because the day's orders were already filled.

It was about 4 hours later when I gently re-heated the pie for dinner (375 degrees for 8 minutes on a vented pizza pan). Any pizza is best when you consume it on site, but a re-heated pie captures perhaps 95% of the original fresh experience and restores a crispness to the crust.

Underside of the crust

What makes a DeLorenzo's tomato pie so special? The crust is very thin, golden brown without char, and has an ideal mix of crunch and chewiness. I do miss the extra oil from the Hudson Street pies, especially on the home re-heat, because the crust can become a little over-dried.

Owner Sam Amico in the kitchen

The tomato sauce had the same flavor I recall from Trenton and Robbinsville, but seemed less chunky. DeLorenzo's has its own signature cheese blend, though I've never been sure what cheeses are included. One one visit, we noticed some Sargento mozzarella. On this pizza, I felt I detected some cheddar notes. 

The key, though, is that each bite delivers something a little different - some where you get a big batch of tomato, some with more cheese, some with that delectable Italian sausage that cooks on the pie.

Given that I've eaten so many pizzas - legends and newcomers - the gap between DeLorenzo's and all the others has narrowed. The biggest challenger for that #1 spot has to be Picco in Boston, a newer place making pizza in a very old-school way.

It may be partly for sentimental reasons, but DeLorenzo's keeps its top ranking. The Yardley pie is every bit as good as the Robbinsville version, and this means that more people than ever can enjoy this very special tomato pie.