Pizza is one of the most popular, and tasty, foods in the world, but arguments could go on for hours on which area makes the best: Brooklyn, Staten Island, Chicago or New Jersey? 

As a Brooklyn native, I have been on a never-ending search for great New Jersey places to satisfy my craving for the Italian delight. 

Here are three New Jersey pizza joints that make my taste buds smile. Enjoy. 

Coppola’s Ristorante – 590 Central Ave, New Providence, N.J. — (908) 665-0266

Coppola’s is everything right about New Jersey pizza.

Located in New Providence, the restaurant provides the finest Italian food, made with a Naples-inspired flair.  

As for the pizza, I enjoyed a sausage slice, with the meat baked right into the pizza, just the way I love it. Some places throw the sausage on top of a slice before popping it into the oven. Hey, it is just not the same, trust me. 

Next, I devoured a Sicilian pizza (square, for you people not in the pizza know). This slice was not too doughy and had a ton of flavor, so it was up to my Brooklyn standards of tastiness. 

My girlfriend Maggie had the spinach and mozzarella slice.

All the savory offerings were outstanding, crafted with top-quality ingredients, including tangy sauce, crispy but not that hard of a crust, with delicious, fresh mozzarella to put an exclamation of excellence point on the pizzas. 

Coppola’s has become one of my go-to spots for pizza when I am in the area. 

Coppola’s has a 3.5 out of five stars, with 183 reviews on Yelp. 

Saporito Pizza — 100 State Route 22, Springfield, NJ

Saporito is like many of the pizza joints I used to frequent in Brooklyn. It even makes a Brooklyn Pie, a Sicilian-style pizza, with the cheese on the bottom and sauce on top.

Additionally, Saporito offers a wide variety of specialty pizzas, 22 to be exact. 

Maggie and her daughter Nicole delighted in Bruschetta Pizzas (picture above) — an old fashioned pizza with a thin crust flavored, oregano and roasted garlic, topped with fresh tomato and basil pesto and mozzarella (no pignoli nuts).  Yes, it is amazing as looks. 

But if you just in a mood for a regular cheese slice or square, you can’t go wrong. It’s very close to the New York City-style, crafted with fresh, mouthwatering sauce and mozzarella, not to mention a firm, crunchy crust. 

Not to worry too much about pandemic protection, as Saporito adheres to all Garden State food guidelines, Plexiglas and all. 

Saporito has a four out of five stars, with 72 reviews on Yelp. 

Doria’s Pizza Restaurant — 432 Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ 

I was in search of a pizza establishment that was nearby to Chatham, where I now live. So, I came across Doria’s Pizza in Summit. 

When this place first opened in 1986, high hair, rubber bractlets like the ones Madonna wore, and bright neon colors were all the rage. 

So, there is something to be said for longevity. And Doria Pizza was on the money, with its delicious slices. 

Crisp and bubbling with cheesy goodness, I had two slices to go. It another pizza place that makes close to the famous NYC-style slice.

Yes, I will be back again.

Doria’s Pizza has four out of five stars, with 59 reviews on Yelp.

— Jerry Del Priore