The new PaciDough's Pizza Joint in South Toms River has sourdough pizza and a '90s theme
Pizza is one of the Shore's most popular foods, so when a new pizzeria opens, it helps to have something different, fun or creative to make it stand out.
PaciDough's Pizza Joint, which opened in early May in South Toms River, has all three.
The pizzeria's pies are naturally leavened, meaning the dough is made without yeast (aka sourdough).
"We don't even have yeast in the building. It's all naturally fermented," said Anthony Pacitto, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Donielle. This kind of dough, he said is healthier and more natural.
PaciDough's is a '90s-themed restaurant, from the movie posters and old-school snacks on the counter — Big League Chew, Bubblicious and candy necklaces — to the names of the dishes. There are the "Getting' Figgy With It" and "Pretty Fly for a White Pie" pizzas; "Craised and Confused" and "Saved by the Bell" appetizers; a "Livin' La Vida Vodka" dinner; and the "Mighty Morphin Mortadella" sandwich.
"I had a vision of people walking into this place, and it has '90s hip-hop playing with all these slices out," he said, "and (Donielle) just ran with it."
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Pacitto started in the pizza business as a teen delivery driver at Attilio's of Toms River, then for six years owned Lorenzo's Pizzeria and Restaurant in Toms River. When his lease was up, he turned an empty pizzeria along Atlantic City Boulevard into a brick and mortar for PaciDough's, his pop-up pizza company.
Friends and family helped name the menu items, from the the "Home Alone"-inspired "Little Nero" pizza topped with vodka sauce, hot chili oil and straciatella cheese; the "Pizza Planet," named for the pizzeria in "Toy Story" and topped with bechamel sauce, mushrooms, onions, sausage, pesto and balsamic glaze; and "T.M.N.T.," a meatball parmesan pizza with pesto and whipped hot honey ricotta, named for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Twelve- or 16-inch pizzas can be made Detroit style, grandma style or Sicilian ($13 to $32).
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Some of the shop's sandwiches are made on housebaked sourdough, including the "No Reservations," an Anthony Bourdain-inspired sandwich of fried mortadella, provolone cheese, mayo and mustard ($12). And local beer fans will want to try wings tossed in barbecue sauce made from Toms River Brewing's Irish Red Ale ($10 to $35).
One thing to note: Because of the nature of naturally leavened dough, the pizzeria may run out on occassion.
"We don't want to rush our fermentation process," Pacitto said, "so if we're sold out, unfortunately we're sold out."
Go: Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays; 312 Atlantic City Blvd., Toms River (the restaurant is physically in South Toms River); 732-966-9881, instagram.com/pacidoughspizzajoint.
Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014. Send restaurant tips to [email protected], follow on Instagram at Jersey Shore Eats and subscribe to our Jersey Shore Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore pizza: PaciDough has '90s theme, sourdough pies
