Walk in as a rookie, walk out as a champion. That is the unlikely fairy tale this pizzeria lived just months after flipping open its doors.
The dough was still finding its rhythm, the ovens were barely broken in, and yet a panel of serious pizza people declared this newcomer the best in the entire state.
No years of building a reputation, no gradual climb up the ranks, just pure, undeniable pizza perfection right out of the gate.
The crust has that ideal chew, the sauce sings, and the cheese does exactly what cheese should do.
New Jersey takes its pizza very seriously, so earning that crown is no small feat.
This place came, they baked, and they conquered.
A Championship Win That Shocked the Garden State
Two months after opening, most restaurants are still figuring out their rhythm.
Coniglio’s Old Fashioned skipped that part entirely and went straight to winning Best Pizza in New Jersey at Pizza Bowl 3, the third annual statewide championship organized by Jersey Pizza Joints on February 4, 2023.
The Morristown location had only opened in October 2022, right around Halloween. Landing a statewide title that fast is not just impressive, it is the kind of thing that makes other pizzerias do a double take.
The winning pie was a Brooklyn Round loaded with Calabrese tomato sauce, garlic confit, crispy basil, Italian pecorino, Parmigiano-Reggiano, ricotta from Jersey Girl, and mozzarella from Lioni Latticini. Every single ingredient had a reason to be there.
This was not luck dressed up as pizza. It was precision, passion, and years of craft packed into one unforgettable round pie that announced Coniglio’s arrival to the entire state.
The Man Behind the Dough
Behind every legendary pizza is someone who has spent a lifetime obsessing over flour, water, and fire. Nino Coniglio is that person, and his resume reads like a pizza hall of fame induction speech.
He holds over ten titles as a US and World Champion Pizza Maker. His biggest moment came in 2005 when he won the World Pizza Championships in Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy, which is basically the Olympics of pizza.
Nino is also a Chopped Champion from his time on the Food Network, which means his skills extend well beyond the pizza stone.
He already runs successful pizzerias in Brooklyn and Manhattan, so opening in Morristown was not a gamble, it was a calculated move by someone who knows exactly what great pizza requires.
When a person with that kind of background opens a new spot, the community takes notice fast. The championship trophy just confirmed what the dough already knew.
Old-School Philosophy, Modern Execution
The name says it all. Coniglio’s Old Fashioned is built around a commitment to recreating the kind of pizza New York City served in the early 1900s, back when ingredients were simple and techniques were everything.
Fresh San Marzano tomatoes go into the sauce. Locally sourced mozzarella lands on top.
The flour is unbleached and unbromated, with most of it imported directly from Italy and some sourced locally. These are not marketing talking points.
They are deliberate choices that change how the pizza tastes from the very first bite.
The dough is naturally leavened using wild yeast that Coniglio’s crafts in-house, which creates complex flavors that commercial yeast simply cannot replicate. The result is a crust that manages to be light and chewy at the same time, with a finish that is both crisp and soft.
That balance is incredibly hard to achieve, and even harder to repeat consistently. They do it every single day.
The Brooklyn Round That Started It All
There is a reason the Brooklyn Round keeps coming up in every conversation about this place. It is the signature, the showstopper, and the pie that won a championship.
Ordering one feels less like a menu choice and more like a rite of passage.
The classic version features mozzarella, tomato sauce, Parmesan Reggiano, and basil. Clean, focused, and deeply satisfying.
The championship version pushed things further with garlic confit and ricotta that adds a creamy richness against the sharp pecorino.
The crust on this pie deserves its own paragraph. It has a chew that holds up under toppings without going soggy, and the outer edge blisters just enough to give you that satisfying crunch.
Guests consistently rave about it, with many calling it the best crust they have ever had in the state. Coming with at least two people is a smart move since the pies are full rounds, but honestly that just means more slices to work through happily.
Sicilian Pies Worth Planning a Trip For
If the Brooklyn Round is the star of the show, the Sicilian pizza at Coniglio’s is the underrated supporting role that steals every scene. The texture is what gets people talking first.
It is airy in a way that feels almost impossibly light for something that thick.
That airiness comes from an extended fermentation process using wild yeast. The dough develops sourdough notes that add a subtle tang and depth you would not expect from a Sicilian slice.
It is the kind of flavor that makes you pause mid-bite and think about what you are tasting.
The Upside Down Sicilian is a popular variation on the menu, flipping the traditional order of toppings for a different texture experience on top. Detroit Red is another distinct square-style option for those who like their pizza with crispy, caramelized cheese edges and a thick, focaccia-like base.
Morristown residents have been known to line up specifically for these square pies before the shop even opens its doors each morning.
A Full Italian Menu That Surprises
Walking into Coniglio’s expecting only pizza and leaving with a bowl of pasta and a plate of eggplant parmigiana is a very real and very happy outcome. The menu stretches well beyond the pizza oven into full Italian territory.
Pasta options include Bucatini Siciliano, Fusilli Pistachio Pesto, and a family recipe Spaghetti and Meatballs that carries the kind of warmth only a recipe passed down through generations can deliver.
Every pasta dish is made fresh in-house using an Italian imported brass die pasta extruder, which gives each shape a slightly rougher texture that holds sauce beautifully.
Chicken parmigiana and eggplant parmigiana round out the heartier options, and fresh salads keep things balanced for anyone who wants something lighter. The pesto used on salads has drawn specific praise from guests who had never encountered it that way before.
This is a place where every section of the menu gets the same level of attention and care as the championship pizza.
Breakfast, Bagels, and an Antique Soda Fountain
Most pizza places are not serving freshly made bagels and croissants at seven in the morning, but Coniglio’s is not most pizza places. The breakfast offerings here are genuinely worth setting an alarm for, especially on a slow weekend morning.
Fresh croissants come in creative variations, and the supreme cannoli croissant has developed a devoted following among regulars. Sandwiches and bagels round out the morning menu, giving early visitors plenty to work with before the lunch crowd arrives.
The antique soda fountain is one of the most charming details in the entire space. Old-school drinks like egg creams and orange phosphates show up on the menu, nodding to a New York neighborhood tradition that most places have long since abandoned.
Sipping an egg cream while waiting for a pizza to come out of the oven is a specific kind of joy that is hard to put into words. Coniglio’s operates from early morning through late night, making it genuinely one of the most versatile spots in all of Morristown.
Ovens, Murals, and Morristown Green
The building that now houses Coniglio’s Old Fashioned was previously a Bareburger, but the transformation is complete and confident. Wall murals of the logo give the interior a bold, graphic energy that feels intentional rather than decorative.
Inside, two five-deck steam tube ovens from Empire Judah G40 dominate the kitchen setup. These machines are designed to mimic the thermal mass of a coal-fired oven and can bake forty 18-inch pizzas simultaneously.
That kind of capacity explains how the kitchen keeps up during peak hours without sacrificing quality.
Outdoor seating looks out toward the Morristown Green, which makes it one of the more scenic spots to eat in the downtown area. On a clear day, sitting outside with a Brooklyn Round and a cold drink while watching the town go by feels like a small reward for good taste.
The space is clean, full of character, and busy in the best way. Lines forming before opening time are a regular sight, which tells you everything you need to know.
A Spot That Does Everything Well, All Day Long
Finding a place that nails breakfast, lunch, and dinner equally well is surprisingly rare. Coniglio’s operates from early morning through late night on most days, which means it functions less like a single-purpose restaurant and more like a neighborhood anchor.
Coffee is reportedly extraordinary, which is a bold claim in a state with no shortage of good coffee spots. Pastries are made fresh every time, and the consistency of quality across every visit is something guests mention again and again.
That reliability is hard to build and even harder to maintain, especially at a place this busy.
The staff brings warmth to the experience in a way that makes a crowded, fast-moving spot feel personal. Guests celebrating birthdays have been moved to larger tables and made to feel genuinely welcome.
That human element adds something to the food that no recipe can replicate. When quality ingredients meet genuine hospitality, the result is a place people return to not just for the pizza, but for how it makes them feel every single time.
Expansion Plans and What Comes Next
A championship win two months after opening has a way of accelerating things. Coniglio’s Old Fashioned is not sitting still, and the growth happening around this brand reflects just how quickly the community embraced what Nino Coniglio built in Morristown.
Plans were put in place to double the seating capacity at the South Street location by expanding into an adjacent space, with completion targeted for April 2026.
More seats means more people get to experience the food without the wait, which is good news for everyone who has stood in that pre-opening line.
A brand new location in Asbury Park opened on June 12, 2026, bringing the Coniglio’s experience to the Jersey Shore crowd. Each expansion carries the same commitment to old-school technique and high-quality ingredients that made the original so special.
The story of a pizzeria winning a statewide championship just weeks after opening is remarkable on its own, but watching that momentum carry forward into real growth makes it even more satisfying to follow.
Address: 11 South St, Morristown, NJ.
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