Dave Portnoy plans to provide assistance to his beloved New Jersey pizzeria after the fire

Sports and entertainment

by Bridget Riley And Religion to the Samene

A beloved pizzeria in Elizabeth, New Jersey caught fire on Saturday morning, and Dave Portnoy wants to intervene.

The Barstool Sports founder took to social media to support Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza on South Broad Street, saying he “will be there.”

“I know the Santillos had a fire this morning.” Portnoy wrote on X It showed a photo of the fire with two fire engines visible in the street. “Al is fine, thank God. Obviously Barstool will be there for whatever Al needs.”

“The fire was reported by (a) passerby and rear neighbor at 9:39 a.m.,” Elizabeth City Public Information Officer Robbie Contreras told The Post.

“It is currently under control, but it has caused significant damage to the building,” Contreras added. “The owner has been relocated and the business has closed.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

See more

I know the Santillos had a fire this morning. Al is fine, thank God. It’s clear that Barstool will be there to meet any of Al’s needs. pic.twitter.com/5OLrYVZxrU

– Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) January 6, 2024

When visiting the store for one of their popular “One Bite” pizza reviews in 2019, Portnoy rated the three-generation business an 8.3.

The shop features heirloom recipes made in a 100-year-old brick oven to cook pizza to perfection.

“If you like pizza then you need to watch this review. If I could re-record, which you can’t, I would give it a 9.8 based on the experience and love that goes into the pizza.” Portnoy was published 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, Lauren, own and operate the pizzeria, according to the company’s website.

Santillo’s was one of more than 35 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 the debut of Portnoy’s “One Bite Live.”