All About The Ovens: Patsy's Tavern Turned Down Portnoy's Pizza Fest Invite — For Good Reason

Patsy's Tavern in Paterson may have turned down their invitation to Barstool Sports' One Bite Pizza Fest, but New Jersey was still well-represented as several others were in attendance.

Patsy's Tavern owners, Jill and Steve Barbarulo, with Dave Portnoy.
Photo Credit: *Patsy's Tavern Facebook*

Cecilia Levine

09/25/2023 2:54 p.m.

The One Bite Pizza Fest was held Saturday, Sept. 23 in Coney Island, and featured 35 pizzerias all highly-rated by Barstool CEO Dave Portnoy.

Patsy's Tavern owner Steve Barbarulo said his shop was invited to the pizza fest, but Barstool was providing the ovens for all the attending pizzerias and couldn't get them the same 90-year-old oven they've had in the shop since Barbarulo was a kid.

And the oven is what makes Patsy's pizza what it is. So, Patsy's let Portnoy and his team know he wouldn't be able to make it.

"I wasn’t comfortable knowing we wouldn’t be able to put the same product out," Barbarulo said on a call with Daily Voice Tuesday, Sept. 26.

"We weren't bailing on anyone. In our best interest, we couldn't go if our pie wouldn't come out right."

Still, the Garden State was well-represented at Portnoy's pizza fest.

The following local pizzerias attended:

Angeloni's, Caldwell
Artichoke Basille's, Hoboken & Jersey City
The Brook Tap House, West Caldwell

Calabria, Livingston
Coniglio's, Morristown
Federici's, Freehold

Nellie's Place, Waldwick

Santillo's, Elizabeth

Patsy's Tavern in Paterson bailed on the One Bite Pizza Fest. Click here for a full list of pizzerias at the event.

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