Erin Lanahan 
From thin crust to deep dish, marinara sauce to vodka sauce, there are plenty of savory slices of pizza to enjoy across local pizzerias in New Jersey. While many continue to debate over where you can find the best slice of pizza in the Garden State, Monmouth County is crowning itself the winner. The County Commissioner Director made the announcement at the beginning of February 2026 – unprovoked – celebrating small businesses and the pizza that locals know and love. Here’s what we know about Monmouth County proclaiming itself the new pizza capital of New Jersey.
During the Monmouth County Government State of the County 2026 address in Colts Neck on February 5, 2026, the Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas Arnone made the Pizza Proclamation.
“We are incredibly proud of our pizzerias and our small business community and we believe that our pizzerias are truly the best in New Jersey,” Thomas Arnone shared online. “We have officially proclaimed Monmouth County as the Pizza Capital of New Jersey.”
It’s part of a new initiative called “Slice of Monmouth,” aiming to support local businesses and spotlight the different slices of pizza around Monmouth County.
Photo by Monmouth County Government Over 230 pizza places sling slices in Monmouth County. The County tourism department wants to highlight these businesses and developed the Slice of Monmouth social media video series.
The series kicked off by spotlighting Federici’s Family Restaurant at 14 East Main Street in Freehold. The family-owned restaurant has been in business for over 100 years, serving its award-winning pizza, Italian dishes, and desserts to the Monmouth County community.
The Slice of Monmouth website has a list of all of the pizza places in Monmouth County. If locals don’t see their favorite pizza place on the list, they should reach out to the County by sending an email to [email protected].
New Jersey locals know there are lots of options for pizza across the state. Jersey has nearly 2,700 pizza places around the state, with roughly 3 pizza places per 10,000 people.
In 2025, NJ.com ranked the top 101 pizza places in New Jersey. 13 of those places on the list call Monmouth County home.
The Jersey Shore Girl did our research and compiled a guide to the best pizza spots at the Jersey Shore, breaking it down town by town back in 2024. The guide has over 25 pizza places serving hot and ready pizza slices loved by locals.
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The Pizza Proclamation
Slice of Monmouth
New Jersey Pizza By The Numbers
