Skip to content

(908) 354-1887

639 South Broad Street Elizabeth, NJ 07202

One half block in from Bayway Ave.  One and a half blocks in from US1&9

Providing You With Authentic Italian-Style Pizza

Three Generations Father to Son

The Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza journey started with Lou Santillo in 1918, He delivered bread via horse and buggy. By 1944 Lou and his son Alfred were making pizza in addition to Italian Bread. Currently, Lou Santillo’s Grandson, Al & Wife Lorraine operate Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza.

Traditional Hearth Baking Since 1918

Santillo's has a low arch oven "These are considered the perfect proportions for an oven; every brick was individually cut by hand to make this arch," says Al. “This oven permits infinite possibilities in temperature and character; it continues to surprise and amaze me,” he adds.

Al can create pies according to each person's taste by adjusting baking times and placements for infinite possibilities. "I take careful measure of each customer’s desires," he says. Indeed, Al is a perfectionist when it comes to his pies. That is why he incorporated the same recipe his grandfather developed.

A Devotion to Excellence

At the age of five, Al started working at the family bakery. He was raised according to Italian custom where he handed his father the dough, placed the dough in boxes, picked out unburned coal from the ashes, and poked the fire.

"Just to load the coal-13 shovels twice a day, and maintain the fire is a full-time job, to do it right," Al says. "If you want something that good, you must suffer, and we do!" Al's tenacity has won him a loyal following and numerous accolades over the years. So, he knows not to tamper with a good thing.

"Everyone else I know of has compromised the recipe for convenience or to Americanize it, to gain mass appeal," Al says. He concludes admitting being faithful to the tradition and says, “I guess you could call me an old stick-in-the-mud, because I don't want to change if it means giving up quality standards-then I wouldn't be happy with the product, and I wouldn't be happy with myself.

Brick Oven That’s Built to Last

Our pizza recipes are not the only thing that has been handed down to us for generations. Our Brick oven is over 100 years old & every brick in it has been individually carved to create the low arch oven.

Pizza Made the Traditional Way

At Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza, we ensure that we only serve pizza the way Italian traditions have taught us. From handing the dough and putting them into boxes to picking out unburned coal and poking the fire, we make sure to stick to the recipe we’ve developed. Our company believes that quality standards shouldn’t be compromised for the sake of convenience and mass production. If you want something good, you must work for it.

Scroll To Top