New South Jersey pizza joint is definitely next level

This place is in a store front that has changed hands a couple of times in the last few years. About four months ago this place opened amid little fanfare, another pizza joint in New Jersey.

I’ve passed by it several times not thinking much of it. The signage and decor out front are not fancy or elaborate. Someone emailed me and mentioned that it’s got some pretty good pizza. I didn’t know the person, so I thought well you know how opinions are, they’re just like a-holes, everyone’s got one.

That person was so right! My daughter-in-law recommended that we meet up at Johnny’s Pies on main street in Medford Sunday afternoon. Like most New Jersey towns and counties, there are so many pizza places to choose from. What could be so special about this new place? It is a destination pizza place. It is a pizza connoisseurs' pizza joint.

There will come a time very soon when it will be hard to get into this place. Their hours are somewhat limited only being open from 2 to 8 pm Wednesday through Friday. Saturday 3 to 8 pm and Sunday 2 to 6 pm. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday. When you’re this good at what you do, you can limit your hours. There’s an old axiom in show business, “leave them wanting more“ and this place definitely will do that.

Eddie Mangione and his family run the place. Eddie has been in the food business most of his life. His son came up with a special dough recipe during Covid and they decided to run with it. Their dough is special, made with 100% organic flour, and as for the rest of the secret to the taste, you just have to come and check it out for yourself.

We took the whole family and ordered three pies. One buffalo chicken, a sausage and mushroom pie and the Trenton pie. All three were the best any of us have ever tasted of those varieties.

We got a couple of salads too, and they were also definitely next level with great attention to detail and ingredients.

The exterior is plain and simple and adjacent to an arcade for some entertainment after you eat or while you wait.

The interior is casual industrial with a pizza bar in the back for communal seating, and several small and larger tables. We picked a rainy day, but there is also outdoor seating for better weather with a great view of the quaint downtown Medford main street.

All of their ingredients are top quality, and they buy from eight different local farms for the freshest produce. If you are a pizza connoisseur and are anywhere within a 15-mile radius of Medford in Burlington County, you have to check out Johnny’s Pies. Get there soon before the place is too packed...and it will be soon!

Johnny's Pies is in a pretty non-descript building on the quieter side of Main Street in Medford.

Their brick oven cranks out the best pizza this area has EVER seen.

There is a unique communal 'pizza bar' in the rear of the place.

It doesn't hurt to have good-looking family members to help you run the place.

You can tell just by the look of these pies that they are not your ordinary Jersey pizza joint pizza.

This is their 'summer pie' with, wait for it....fresh Jersey peaches and ricotta cheese. What?!?!

The sausage and mushroom pie was the best we've ever had.

I'm not usually a big fan of Buffalo chicken pizza, but I could eat this one every day!

Their salads and not just some greens are thrown together. Really fresh and creative ingredients.

Their Cesar salad was to die for.

When you're done or waiting for your pie, you can visit the arcade right next door.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom