Jersey Giant Pizza Jersey Giant Pizza owner Paul Serraino shows off one of the restaurant’s giant pizzas.[/caption]

Since Jersey Giant Pizza opened Feb. 16, 2014, owner Paul Serraino has been serving giant-sized pizzas to the community.

Serraino said his inspiration for the 18-, 20-, 22- and 24-inch pizzas came from spending his childhood summers at the New Jersey shore.

“We would walk down the boardwalk, and when we got to the end of the boardwalk, there was this place that made giant 24-inch pizzas, and you would buy their big, giant slices,” he said. “That’s where [the idea for] Jersey Giant came from.”

The process of creating the giant pizzas requires some deviation from traditional pizza-making methods, Serraino said.

“Fresh vegetables add a lot of liquid to the pizza, and when you have a large pizza stretched so thin—the pizzas fall apart in the oven,” he said. “Then I discovered that if you start the pizza off on a pizza screen, it helps stabilize the pizza during the first few minutes.”

With his giant pizza-making methods perfected, Serraino said he is ready to unveil his biggest creation yet—the 28-inch pie.

“The size is based on the size of our front door and oven,” he said. “It’s the biggest pizza our stone oven is capable of creating.”

Serraino said he thinks people like the giant pizzas because they make sense economically and are fun to eat.

“Price per bite, the big pizza is a very good value,” he said. “It’s very impressive to show up with a giant pizza. It definitely has the ‘wow’ factor.”

Jersey Giant also offers calzones, meatballs, pepperoni rolls, salads and sandwiches. Pizza by the slice is available at lunch.

Although Jersey Giant serves many  locals, Serraino said the majority of its customers are transplants from the East Coast, Chicago and Ohio looking for pizza that reminds them of home.

The Jersey-style pizza meets that need, though it differs slightly from true New York-style pizza, he said.

“In my opinion, Jersey pizza is not as burnt as New York pizza,” Serraino said. “Jersey pizza is a little more kid-friendly, a little softer, juicier, a little more golden. Jersey pizza is big, juicy slices. That’s the pizza we’re striving to make.”

Jersey Giant Pizza specialties


• The Da Meat Trio Pizza includes pepperoni, Italian sausage and meatballs. $19.95-$34.95

• Mama Millie’s Meatball Dinner Bowl features three large meatballs in sauce, organic salad and bread. $8.95

• The Pachanga Pizza includes Italian sausage, pepperoni, jalapenos and red onions. $19.95-$34.95

• Ona Rolls are fresh-baked pizza rolls stuffed with a choice of pepperoni and cheese or Italian sausage and cheese and served with a side of sauce. $6.95 (3 rolls), $8.95 (4 rolls)

• The To-NY sandwich includes Genoa salami, pepperoni, ham, provolone cheese, roasted red peppers, red onion, lettuce, tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar and oregano. $7.95 (regular), $10.95 (giant)