Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Press
  • Writing
  • Contact

Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Grimaldi’s: The Best Pizza in New Jersey?

January 6, 2009 · Narrative

Grimaldi's in HobokenI love pizza.  Particularly good pizza.  Recently, we’ve been on an accidental pizza tour, hunting down both popular and lesser known places in search of, as The Newlywed Neighbor puts it, that TDF (to die for) slice.  This past Saturday afternoon, our search took us to Grimaldi’s in Hoboken.

A place pretty well known in the Tri-State area, Grimaldi’s has two locations, one in Hoboken and one in Brooklyn, New York.  I’m glad I checked their hours before we headed off on our adventure because they don’t open until 2 pm on Saturday – go figure.

We lucked out and found parking right across the street and headed inside.  As soon as you pull open the door, you are hit instantly with the smell of fresh, coal-fired brick oven pizza.  The perfect way to start your visit. It’s a small place, nothing fancy, with the requisite old school red and white checkered tablecloths at every spot.  Nothing says Italian like those tablecloths.  We made our way to a table on the upper level so Nicholas Nick (he goes by Nick now, thankyouverymuch) could watch the guy make our pizza (half cheese, half garlic and sausage).

Nothing Says Italian Like Red Checkered TableclothsThe menu is very simple and they focus on what they’re known for … good pizza.  While they do have three pasta dishes available, there is not a lot of extra going on here, and that’s ok.  Really, that’s the way it should be.  You know, it’s like when McDonald’s made their brief and disastrous foray into making pizza years ago … stick with what you know.

I can’t explain how good the pizza was … but trust me, it was.  Totally worth the visit.  The marinara sauce was achingly fresh, with the smell of fresh strips of basil just wafting up to your nose as you took a bite.  I don’t think I’ve ever eaten pizza quite that fast, right down to the very last speck of coal-smoked crust.  Nick ate three (THREE!) slices on his own.  I’ve never seen him eat anywhere near that much pizza in one sitting, let alone that fast, and these were fairly large slices to boot.

But hey, don’t just take my word for its goodness … their kudos are up and down Zagats.  We will definitely be back, but in the meantime, the O’Malley Pizza Tour continues …

A few notes in case you visit:
– Highchairs are available.
– They get busy fast.  We were the second table when they opened, and it was packed by the time we left.
– Extras will cost you.  I asked for Parmesan cheese to put on top of the pizza and decided against it after I heard about the $2 extra charge.  With good reason though … the waitress said they grate it fresh, so it’s more expensive, and they do use an ample amount in the pizza already.
– On-street parking in that area is sometimes a challenge, but they will validate if you use the parking garage nearby.

Happy eating!

P.S.  I know, I really should have a picture of the amazing pizza, right?  Well I would have, except that I forgot to bring my camera (duh!) so took pictures with my BlackBerry.  While these two here came out fine, the pizza one?  Not so much.

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPRINT

Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: coal-fired brick oven, Grimaldi's, Pizza

Comments

  1. The Sister In-Law says

    January 7, 2009 at 7:25 am

    Well it’s a good thing I got sick this Saturday, my darlin’ brother told me to stop in on Saturday. Men… go figure!!!

    I may have to make a trip to Hoboken this weekend.

    SIL

    Reply
  2. maris says

    January 7, 2009 at 8:54 am

    OOh I love Grimaldi’s pizza. I think it’s the best pizza I’ve had in Hoboken. Have you ever been to Benny T’s? Everyone thinks it’s great because the slices are huge but I found it overrated. Grimaldi’s is great though!

    mariss last blog post..Italian Beef Stew

    Reply
  3. Cate says

    January 7, 2009 at 10:51 am

    SIL – he said you were coming before dinner at Madelyn’s – we were home in plenty of time. ;) Hope you’re feeling better!

    Maris – haven’t been there yet. BUT we did also go to … ahem … Sweet. Don’t tell me I beat you there when you live in the neighborhood. ;)

    Reply
  4. The Neighbor Husband says

    January 7, 2009 at 2:20 pm

    I think Tocanelli’s is the best pizza PERIOD. Located in Philly and one location in NJ. When they run out of dough they close. I have seen them close at 8pm on a Saturday before.

    Reply
  5. Karen says

    January 7, 2009 at 2:31 pm

    Germaldi’s is good. Yeah. But I will be the bad guy and say that they are overrated.

    But if you are doing tours for the best pizza in the area, I suggest Star Tavern on High St. in Orange, NJ. They have delicious thin crust. To die for.

    For a more traditional sicillan slice, I say nothing beat Brunos Pizziaria in Clifton on Route 46.

    Just my two cents.

    Karens last blog post..Doubt

    Reply
  6. Cate says

    January 8, 2009 at 1:27 am

    Neighbor Husband – ok, I looked them up – Maple Shade may be a bit of a hike for a slice, but maybe on our next Philly trip…

    Karen – I’ve heard a lot of good things about Star Tavern (Chowhounds seem to like them too) and they’re on the list. Haven’t heard about Brunos, but adding… thanks!

    Reply
  7. claire says

    January 8, 2009 at 8:44 pm

    We went to Grimaldi’s when we went to NYC this summer and it was SO good! I am definitely a New York style pizza person…NOT a Chicago styler!

    claires last blog post..Soup’s On Call

    Reply
  8. Sadaf says

    January 8, 2009 at 10:32 pm

    I used to love going to Grimaldi’s in Brooklyn, back in the day. I used to work not too far from there, and on occasion would go in during the week when the lines were not out of control. On the weekends, was another story.

    I had no idea there was one in Hoboken – will have to remember that!

    Sadafs last blog post..Oh No!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Storytelling…
Through photos.
Words. And recipes.

Archives

Categories

Instagram

Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!

Pinterest

Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.

Copyright © 2023 Sweetnicks · Theme by Vicki Harrison Design