Ten reasons why Blue Steel Pizza Co. should be the next North Jersey restaurant you try

Kara VanDooijeweert, NorthJersey.com
·3 min read

Three months ago, I relocated to North Jersey from Tampa. And almost immediately after? Some of my Sunshine State friends started to follow. Turns out summers are too hot to handle.

Now, with me being a food writer, each time one of my Floridian pals makes their way to the Northeast, they hit me with the same question: Where's the best place to eat in Jersey? (Although I do also get plenty of IPA inquiries, but we'll save that for another article).

In my professional opinion, I tell them, a first-time visitor to Jersey should eat at none other than Chef Lawrence Talis's Blue Steel Pizza Co.

Here are ten reasons why.

A White Pizza slice from Blue Steel Pizza Co.
A White Pizza slice from Blue Steel Pizza Co.

10 reasons why I love Blue Steel Pizza Co.

  1. Jersey is iconically known for pizzerias, bagel shops and diners. While the latter two establishments are great, they lack the sit-down, stay-a-while vibe that the former (sometimes) has. So, on the hierarchy of quintessential Garden State foods, pizza reigns supreme for a restaurant night out.

  2. That idea in mind, Blue Steel Pizza Co. has the most distinctly delicious pizza around. Featuring Detroit-style squares baked in an 8-inch by 11-inch pan, the individual pies are crispy on the bottom, yet soft in the middle, and taste like better, sexier versions of the Pizza Hut ones you used to eat in the bowling alley as an 11 year-old.

  3. Blue Steel's pizzas have no crust. Since each pie is rectangular and tall — rather than circular and flat — the cheese melts over the sides of the dough as it rises and forms a crispy mozzarella edge.

  4. The White Pie features a creamy béchamel sauce instead of a starchy, often-dry ricotta blend (this dish is a must-order).

  5. The killer appetizers never fall flat.

  6. In the back corner of the restaurant's upper level lies "The Rabbit Hole," a speakeasy bar featuring craft cocktails and a chic vibe. Visit on a Friday or a Saturday, then, and you can enjoy your pizza in the dark on a trendy couch.

  7. Blue Steel's pizzas feature innovative toppings that highlight chef Talis's culinary prowess. In place of a standard mushroom pie, for example, the spot offers a Stuffed Mushroom, which features vodka sauce, mozzarella, goat cheese, shiitake shrooms, peppadew peppers and more

  8. Every item on the menu — from the pasta to the salad dressings — is scratch-made in house.

  9. The Crispy Cola Wings and Tuna Tostadas are bangin'.

  10. Holsten's Ice Cream Parlor is only a five minute drive down the block, so, after your quintessential Jersey meal, you can indulge in an equally quintessential Jersey dessert.

Pepperoni Pizza from Blue Steel Pizza Co.
Pepperoni Pizza from Blue Steel Pizza Co.

The takeaway

So, the next time your foreign, out of state or (simply) sheltered friends come to visit, take them to Blue Steel.

And if you still haven't been? It's time to get on that ASAP.

Go: Blue Steel Pizza Co. is located at 285 Glenwood Ave. in Bloomfield. bluesteelpizzaco.ocm.

Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can't find her in Jersey's best restaurants, she's probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, join our NorthJerseyEats Facebook group, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: 10 reasons why Blue Steel Pizza should be the next restaurant you try