JERSEY CITY — For any pizza lovers undecided on the best slice in Jersey City, Carmine’s Pizza Factory is making its case.

The downtown staple recently won two competitions - including one in the very heartland of the slice.

Carmine’s placed first in the North America Caputo Cup — a premier pizza-making competition that was held in Atlantic City at the end of September. Nine days prior, it earned second place in the World Championship of Pizza Makers’ American Division held in Naples, Italy.

“I feel that in order to really see how good you are, you need to compete against other pizza-makers that are just as passionate about their craft,” said Carmine Testa, who runs the family-owned pizzeria with his sister, Mary. “I have placed top 10 a few times, but when you win a competition like this it validates the last 30 years of your life’s work.”

Testa, who has competed for the last four years, said that in both Atlantic City and Naples, he submitted his traditional New York-style pizza with cup and char pepperoni, Italian sweet sausage, topped off with dollops of whipped ricotta and fresh basil. He was recognized in the Best Traditional and American Style categories.

Testa began in the pizza business as early as 13 when his father opened a pizzeria in Perth Amboy in 1983. His sons, Michael and Nicholas, are known for their pizza tossing acrobatics — having made TV appearances on various shows including ”Rachel Ray,” “Good Morning America” and “Hell’s Kitchen.”

“I want to set an example for my children to believe in themselves and never give up,” said Testa, who plans to compete in the International Pizza Expo held in March 2020 in Las Vegas. “You get knocked down, get back up and keep moving forward.”