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Al Santillos Brick Oven Pizza in Elizabeth, the more than 100-year-old pizzeria on S. Broad Street, went up in flames at approximately 9:40 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, city spokeswoman Ruby Contreras said.
The blaze was spotted by a passerby and a rear neighbor, said Contreras, noting Santillo's is closed and the owner of the building has been relocated.
Less than an hour after the fire broke out, Barstool Sports CEO Portnoy vowed to support Santillo's, a pizzeria that he visited years ago for a One-Bite review.
"I'm aware that Al Santillos Brick Oven Pizza had a fire this morning," Portnoy said on Facebook. "Al is okay thank god. Obviously Barstool will be there for whatever Al needs."
In his One-Bite review, Portnoy gave the Santillo's pizza a "solid" 8.3, but if he had to score it on owner Al Santillo alone, he'd give it a 9.9, he said.
Santillo's was founded in 1918 by Lou Santillo, who delivered bread in a horse and buggy, the restaurant's website says. Lou's son, Alfred, helped him in the shop and added pizza to the menu in 1944. Alfred's son, Al, and his wife, Lorraine, operate the pizzeria today.
Last year, Vince Vaughn and Drea de Matteo were among Hollywood stars getting a taste of Santillo's pizza while filming independent movie "Nonna" in town.
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