By Stephen Appezzato
MIDDLETOWN – Point Pleasant staple Rosie’s Pizza has migrated north to a second location, offering its famous slices from a new storefront along Route 35. The Middletown location, which is about 50% larger than the original location, boasts two three-deck pizza ovens, making it much easier to get a hold of a Rosie’s pie.
According to owner Mike Mercuro, the decision to set up shop in Kings Commons – nestled between Booskerdoo and Nicholas Creamery and across the parking lot from Shoprite – was a “no-brainer.”
Since opening his Point Pleasant location in 2017, dozens of customers from the Middletown area have flocked down south to secure Rosie’s’ pies.
“They would drive from Red Bank or Holmdel or Middletown, get a couple boxes of pizzas and drive them all the way home, which was always, you know, somewhat amazing,” Mercuro said. Now, the popular slices are being served closer to home.What sets Rosie’s Pizza apart from the many great pizzerias already in Monmouth County?
A combination of a sourdough crust, top-notch ingredients and perfected cooking times are all factors.
“The dough should have flavor. I like to think that when someone’s pretty much done with their slice and there’s that little end that has no sauce on it – that little folded piece of crust, no sauce left, no garlic, no cheese, no basil, it’s just a piece of crust – I like to think that you’re still going to eat it because it still has flavor, it still tastes really good and that’s from the sourdough,” Mercuro said.
Beyond that, Rosie’s’ pies are all cooked well-done, providing added flavor from a delicate char. Fresh garlic, mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil also contribute to the perfected formula, which the small menu – boasting a square or round pie with a section of toppings, meatballs and a house salad – speaks to.
“At the end of the day, we don’t have a four-page menu. We’re not trying to do too many things. We’re just trying to make a really good pizza,” Mercuro said.
The brand-new larger space and second pizza oven will allow Mercuro to increase the pie output while still giving customers a “behind-the-scenes” view of the process.
“We’re doubling our capacity basically, which is great,” he said. “It was nice to be able to lay the kitchen out as we wanted it, as we think it’s going to be most efficient. We like to be very visible. There’s a lot of glass. People should still be able to see the pies being made, see the pies going in and out of the oven. We’re pretty transparent here in what we do and how we do it and, as an owner, I really stand behind my product.”
Before opening his first location nearly eight years ago, Mercuro, a Point Pleasant Beach native, always wanted to run a pizzeria in his hometown. After the business opened, it quickly became a local jewel. Its popularity continued to soar during the COVID-19 pandemic, which challenged a small staff working limited hours to cater to the demand.
In addition to the surge in customers each summer, Rosie’s’ popularity grew following a visit from Barstool Sports founder, celebrity and famous pizza reviewer Dave Portnoy, who rated the restaurant an 8.5 out of 10, placing it near the top of his list of over 1,000 pizza joints across the country.
For many, getting a pie at Rosie’s’ Point Pleasant location was a challenge due to the high demand. According to Mercuro, the exclusivity of a Rosie’s pie is kind of an urban legend. Now purchasing a pie will be easier with the new location’s increased output and a new phone system.
Despite the demand and allure of Rosie’s Pizza, at the end of the day, Mercuro’s main focus is serving top-quality pies for all.
“When you say Rosie’s, I want people to think of the pizza. I don’t want them to think of me, or the T-shirt or the logo. I want them to think of the pizza and how good the pizza is and how consistently good it is,” Mercuro said. “We’re really a product-driven business.”
The article originally appeared in the January 2 – 8, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
