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When it comes to pizza, or "abeetz," as we say in Italian, I'm a harsh critic. My relatives have owned pizzerias in various locations in Jersey City since the 1920s, and my parents also owned one, and try as I might, I can't find a pizza that equals the quality of Dad's (Joe's Pizza on Bleecker St. in New York comes close). The crust on my Dad's pizza was "it," crispy but chewy, with lots of mozzarella and sauce that was not sweet and had just the right amount of herbs. So setting out on the task of finding great pizza in Hoboken was fun but challenging. At the end of sampling pizza from 20 area pizzerias and restaurants, not only was I bloated but I'm still convinced Dad's was the best. (Hey, what kind of daughter would I be if I didn't say this?) However, there is good pizza in Hoboken.

First, though, I should define "good" pizza. Pizza has three basic components: crust, sauce and cheese. But that wasn't always so. Centuries ago, in Naples, Italy, pizza was basically flat bread—a peasant food. Tomato wasn't introduced to Italy until Columbus sailed the ocean blue, and it didn't meet bread until about 1760, according to Prof. Carlo Mangoni, who teaches nutrition at Second University of Naples and who devised the "true Neapolitan pizza"--similar to the DOC for wine. In 1830, the first pizzeria opened called Port' Alba, using a wood-fired oven. In 1889, cheese was added to pizza by pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito, who made a pizza to resemble the colors of the Italian flag with tomato sauce for red, cheese for white and basil for green, in honor of Queen Margherita, who was traveling around the kingdom with her husband, Umberto I of Savoia. Pizza margherita is probably the most popular pizza. A very basic Italian pizza is pizza alla marinara with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and oregano. Today, there are many styles of making pizza—white pizza with just mozzarella and ricotta, Sicilian—a thick-crusted, doughy pizza with cheese and sauce, and basic pizza with various toppings—from ham and pineapple to chicken to (hideously) cooked ziti. So defining a good pizza is not the easiest thing to do; it's very subjective. Personally, I think it would take much more experimenting than my stomach is able to handle. But for this article, I chose to focus on the basic Neapolitan style pizza and the quality of its three basic components.

To make a great crust, you really need a great oven to reach the right temperatures. Wood-fired ovens are probably the best. Wolfgang Puck says they make "crisp, delicious crust scented with a deep smoky flavor." The first pizzeria to open in the U.S. was Lombardi's, owned by Gennaro Lombardi, in 1905 in New York's Little Italy, (still around today) and has a coal-fired oven, which also imparts a smoky flavor. A coal-fired brick oven makes great pies with black-bottomed crusts. One of the best (I think it's the best) in New York City is Grimaldi's in Brooklyn, owned by Patsy Grimaldi. Grimaldi learned the trade from his uncle, Patsy Lancieri (whose famous shop is Patsy's in Harlem). Lancieri learned the trade from Lombardi. The three shops are the only places to get the old-style pizza in New York City, and are arguably, the best pizzerias around (that's an article in itself). Today, laws prohibit new coal ovens from being built in Manhattan but not in Brooklyn or Hoboken. That's why Grimaldi chose Brooklyn and Hoboken for his pizzerias. Sean McHugh built both ovens and runs the Hoboken store. Grimaldi's, which consistently rates high in the Zagat guide, in Hoboken (133 Clinton St.) is a quaint pizza place for family or friends to dine. It's a tad more fancy than its Brooklyn counterpart but still makes great pies. This is the only place in Hoboken to get the traditional, old-style Neapolitan pizza. The crust is crispy and it's made with fresh mozzarella and basil. Nothing beats Grimaldi's (though I do think the pizza in the Brooklyn location tastes better).

Hoboken's most famous pizza is Benny Tudino's, a small pizza place on the 600-block of Washington Street—another Zagat guide winner. Benny's is famous for its huge slices, so big (about a foot), each slice is served on two paper plates. Because the large slice is loaded with stringy cheese and sauce, it's difficult to pick up and eat. Most folks use a plastic knife and fork. Benny's pizza is good and fun to eat, but I found the crust gets soggy quickly. Filippo's isn't far away on 406 Washington Street (another location at 267 1st Street), and I've found that you are either a Tudino's fan or a Filippo's fan. Sheree Feigelson, a five-year Hoboken resident, swears by Benny Tudino's. She says, "Benny Tudino's has the largest slices I've ever seen." Angelo Petruzzella of Weehawken remembers the store's large slices from years back. "Some of the best pizza I have had was at Benny Tudino's," he says. Keith Carpentier, owner of patisserie Ganache on 13th Street, likes Filippo's basic pizza. "There's a crispness to the crust when you bite into it," he notes. Il Cantuccio's (518 Washington Street) is a pizza restaurant that serves slices only after 11 p.m. on weekends. One customer says Cantuccio's brick-oven pies have a "delicious crust." A place with good crust is Delfino's at 500 Jefferson Street, owned by Delfino and Frank Biancamano since 1987. It's decorated with New York Giants memorabilia and photos of famous Italian American entertainers and has a basic slice with a thicker crust than most.

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