Sports Entertainment
A beloved pizza joint in Elizabeth, N.J., caught fire on Saturday morning, and Dave Portnoy wants to step in.
The Barstool Sports founder took to social media in support of Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza located on South Broad Street, saying he “will be there.”
“I’m aware that Al Santilllo’s had a fire this morning,” Portnoy wrote on X that featured a photo of the fire with two visible firetrucks on the street. “Al is okay thank god. Obviously Barstool will be there for whatever Al needs.”
City of Elizabeth public information officer Ruby Contreras told The Post that “the fire was reported by [a] passerby and a rear neighbor at 9:39 a.m.”
“It is currently under control, but caused extensive damage to the building,” Contreras added. “The owner was relocated and the business is shut down.”
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
When visiting the shop for one of his famed “One Bite” pizza reviews in 2019, Portnoy rated the three-generation business with an 8.3.
The shop features passed-down recipes made in a 100-year-old brick oven to cook the pizzas to perfection.
“If you love pizza you need to watch this review. If I could rescore, which you can’,t I’d give it a 9.8 based on experience and love that goes into the pizza,” Portnoy posted on X in 2019.
The family business was started in 1918 by Lou Santillo, who also made Italian bread as part of the business with his son, Alfred.
Now, Lou Santillo’s grandson, Al, and his wife, Lorraine, own and operate the pizzeria, according to the business’ website.
Santillo’s was one of 35-plus pizzerias featured at Portnoy’s “One Bite Pizza Festival” on Sept. 23, 2023, in Maimonides Park, Brooklyn.
The festival — which included New York staples like Lucali and John’s of Bleecker Street — was an all-you-can-eat pizza event that also included musical performances and a debut “One Bite Live” show from Portnoy.
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Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
