New Brunswick feels the knead. The knead….for pizza. For a city with what seems like a pizza shop on every corner, located smack dab in the middle of a state known for its pizza, New Brunswick is lacking some truly great ‘za.

Of course you have college staples like PJ’s, RU Grill, and Giovanelli’s, which will always satisfy your drunken cravings, but there has never really been a creative, Neapolitan-style pizza worthy of the city’s elevated culinary scene. The minds behind Destination Dogs and Knead Baked Goods are about to change all that.

If you’re reading this, there’s no doubt you know about Destination Dogs, the gourmet hot dog restaurant and bar that took both New Brunswick and Philadelphia by storm (they’ll also be featured on an episode of Travel Channel’s Food Paradise on Sunday, April 15th so be sure to set your DVR). Owner Jimmy Cronk spent many years behind the bar at New Brunswick staple Clydz before opening the Destination Dogs location on Spring Street, while co-owner Jackie Mazza was pastry chef at the renowned The Frog & the Peach before founding Knead Baked Goods. Cronk attributes Destination Dogs’ explosive popularity to Mazza’s bread, which was used for the buns at the original location and for the pretzels in the current location on Paterson Street. After a hot dog epiphany during an Anthony Bourdain episode, where he maligns a revered Chicago hot dog joint’s terrible bun, Cronk realized that you can’t have a great dog without great bread. Cronk believes that it was Mazza’s bread that helped make the concept such a success. He also weighed in on the age-old debate to definitively state that “a hot dog is a fuckin’ sandwich. That’s a sandwich. Shit!”

Fatto Americano, located at 338 George Street in New Brunswick, takes over the space previously occupied by The Dillinger Room, and while some elements look pretty familiar, there are some noticeable changes. You’ll find televisions now mounted above the bar, vintage movie posters done in a classic Italian style, and a graffiti mural modeled after those you would find in Naples. The mural was done by Highland Park artist Mike Weinberg, while the staff t-shirts, as well as the Fatto Americano logos on the back wall and above the bar were done by local designer Patrick Brennan of Decay NJ.

The overall feel of the restaurant is very cool, which Cronk and Mazza describe as a Sicily / Naples street vibe. It’s the kind of place where you’ll feel comfortable in either a blazer or a t-shirt and jeans. All the art you’ll find in the restaurant is indicative of the mantra that Cronk, Mazza, and General Manager / Bar Manager Michael Parker were hoping to emulate. Fatto Americano literally means “Made American” in Italian, and Cronk is hoping it will be received as a “new take on Italian classics.” Both the direction of the menu and drinks seem to mirror that sentiment.

I was able to get a sneak peek at the menu, and it’s evident that both Cronk and Mazza, who’s Italian heritage is threaded throughout and who included a recipe from her 87-year old Aunt Dolly, poured their hearts into it. Although the “neo-Neapolitan” style pizzas take center stage, the menu offers a ton of interesting and creative fare, from Mazza’s “Bread and Butter” with house sesame country loaf, house churned butter, and Sicilian salsa verde to mouthwatering sandwiches like the Muffuletta and Fried Chicken Cutlet, to Aunt Dolly’s Seafood Salad with shrimp, scungilli, calamari, and lemon.

But first and foremost, Fatto Americano is a brick oven pizzeria and the sheer number and creativity of the pies is enough to satisfy pretty much anyone’s palate.

I was hoping to get some insight on which pizzas Cronk and Mazza were most excited for people to try, but like parents asked to name their favorite child, there was some difficulty. After a bit of deliberation, Mazza was able to narrow her picks down to the following:

Lady Liberty: San Marzano tomatoes, mortadella, smoked mozzarella, garlic oil

Tony Manero: San Marzano tomatoes, spicy capicola, fresh mozarella, hot honey, Calabrian chili

Masaniello: San Marzano tomatoes, crab, cherry peppers, fresh mozzarella, lemon confit

Sophia Petrillo: fresh mozzarella, pecorino romano, ricotta

Super Mario: oyster mushroom, portbello, hen-of-the-woods, smoked mozzarella, caramelized onion, pecorino romano

Mike Dumone: clams, fresh mozzarella, lemon confit, garlic

Cronk agreed on most of the above, adding the Fatto Supreme, equipped with San Marzano tomatoes, house made sausage, pepperoni, red onion, and fresh mozzarella.

It’s no surprise that Mazza and Cronk had a hard time narrowing down their cheesy, toasty labors of love, as the menu seems to have something for just about everyone. The Fatto Americano team also has the hardware to back up their ambitious pizza offerings, which will be fired in a Pavesi Twister. The brick oven, which can reach 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, was made in Modena, Italy, shipped to the United States, and painstakingly assembled in their kitchen. It has a one piece, rotating refractory floor and a Pompeii style brick hearth. Needless to say, they are ready to handle even the most discerning Hub City pizza cravings.

Fatto Americano’s bar program is helmed by Destination Dogs veteran Michael Parker, while the cocktail list itself was crafted by Chris Zingler, who also put together the list at Destination Dogs’ Philadelphia location. Parker describes the focus as an emphasis on both old and new Italian cocktails, which like the food and decor, will be “American spins on Italian classics.” The cocktails aim to make guests more comfortable with cocktails they may be reluctant to try elsewhere, such as Amaro-centric digestifs and apéritifs. The wine list, which unfortunately was not yet available to peruse, will be tailored towards Italian varietals, which Parker wants to keep at a more accessible price point than at some of the pricier New Brunswick-area restaurants. Parker seemed extremely proud of what the team has accomplished thus far and can’t wait for the public to experience what he, Mazza, and Cronk have created. The New Brunswick cocktail scene is in for yet another treat.

On Saturday, April 7th I was lucky enough to snag an invite to the soft opening with my girlfriend and a few friends and although we were unable to sample the full menu, what we did try was much closer to mid-season form than one would expect. Although, given the track record and level of professionalism brought to the table by the Destination Dogs crew, it’s not really that much of a surprise. Everything we tried was not only extremely fresh, but exceptionally composed and satisfying. Even the bar and dinner service seemed well-practiced. There is no championship hangover here.

Servers came around with some small plates, and we were able to order any of the pies off the menu. A few of the small plate options included citrus-marinated olives, arancini, meatballs, and the burrata and heirloom tomato salad. The olives brought bold, salty flavors, while the arancini (a Mazza family recipe) would make any nonna proud. With such a simple, delicious concept, the arancini showed just how important a beautifully done tomato sauce and crispy breading can be. I was also a big fan of the burrata and tomato salad, with bright, crisp flavors and perfect seasoning paired with a heavenly, creamy burrata. Not a bite was spared.

Arancini Aunt Dolly’s Seafood Salad (Photo Credit: Fatto Americano) Burrata & Heirloom Tomato Pinzimonio (Italian Crudites) (Photo Credit: Fatto Americano)

With so many delicious-sounding options, we had a hard time choosing our pies, but decided to go with one red and one white, both of which were recommended by Cronk and Mazza a few days prior. Of the “Masaniello,” with San Marzano tomatoes, crab meat, cherry peppers, fresh mozzarella, and lemon confit, and the “Super Mario” with oyster, portobello, and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, caramelized onion, and pecorino, the Super Mario was by far my favorite and not just because of its incredible name. The ‘shrooms were the stars of the show, as they should be. The mushrooms’ funky, sweet, earthy notes were an ideal compliment to the cheesy, crispy base. That being said, it’s too early to crown a champion with so many other pizzas left to try, but one thing both pies got right was arguably the most important part: the crust. With a perfect balance of crunch and chewiness, any pie on the menu will have you ordering a second to take home.

In such an incredible food town with a surprising lack of quality pizza, this is just what the doctor ordered. And if Jimmy Cronk and Jackie Mazza’s track records are any indication, Fatto Americano is set to make quite an impression on the Hub City dining scene without leaving a significant impression on your wallet.

Fatto Americano is set to open on Tuesday, April 10th at 338 George Street in New Brunswick, NJ. Come with friends and an appetite, because you’re guaranteed to leave with a smile.