Restaurant Profile: Slice of the Old Country, DeNunzio’s is Starting its 20th Year and its Dough Show is Always a Hit
Chef Michael DeNunzio
Papa D and Mama D, Bob and Barbara DeNunzio
Whether you’re looking to grab a slice of pizza fresh out of the oven, a sizzling Philly cheesesteak or your taste buds are looking for Italian cuisine with pasta and homemade sauce, DeNunzio’s has been a staple in Sea Isle City serving customers since opening its doors on July 2, 2004.
This family-run establishment has been voted best boardwalk cheese pizza in New Jersey the past two years, has won two national titles for best nontraditional pizza in America, won two local chowder championships … and you may have even seen it featured on “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”
The DeNunzio family (from left): Emily, Roy, Mama D, Papa D, Michael, Bri,
Jennifer, Allysa, Ethan, Loralei, Rob.
“We’re a family-run business, it’s all hands on deck,” says Jennifer DeNunzio. “From the parents down to the grandkids. We spend a lot of time together!”
Built by family with your family in mind, DeNunzio’s Brick Oven Pizza and Grille is run by the entire DeNunzio crew. Brother and sister duo, Michael and Jennifer oversee the operation along with Mike’s wife Bri, Jenn’s husband Roy, their children (Mike’s nieces Loralei, Emily, and Allysa) and nephew (Ethan), Mom (Mama D) and Dad (Papa D). Plus, a team of dedicated staff members who have become like family.
While the restaurant was started by Bob and Barbara DeNunzio, Jennifer also credits her grandparents for instilling a love of cooking in her mom, and the big family dinners that led her parents to make the decision to open a restaurant.
“Our grandparents came from Pietrelcina, Italy, and settled on Long Island, N.Y.,” she says. “The family has always been close and, of course food and family went hand in hand. It started with the old family always having huge dinners and breaking bread for hours on end.
“Everything was done at the dinner table over a meal with a nice glass of vino. That is how we were all raised, every birthday, every holiday, every celebration, typically consisting of a very long meal and the family all coming together. We would tell anyone who was visiting with the family and joining us for a meal, ‘Brace yourself, the manigot is only the appetizer!’”
Located on the Promenade, DeNunzio’s offers a Tuscan-style dining room overlooking the beach. Families with kids and spectators will enjoy interactive dough-tossing lessons, where the team will put on a show for everyone in the dining room. Warning: Sometimes dough ends up on people’s heads … and the whole country gets to see it on “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”
In addition to dinner and the dough show, customers have come to love Mama D’s old-school Italian classics made fresh daily such as the chicken parmigiana or the linguini and clams. Rib eye cheesesteaks, salads, and burgers fill out the menu along with gluten-free, vegan, and keto options. Be sure to save room for dessert, too! Mama D prides herself on acquiring the best gelato in town in addition to cannolis and mega chocolate chunk cookies. Beach delivery is also available.
Says Michael DeNunzio: “Our team is full of soul. Our culture is strong. Our customers are so important to us; they become friends and family after coming back year after year. We love what we do and are passionate about creating the best.”
DeNunzio’s is open daily Sunday to Thursday from 11am-9pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am-10pm. Customers can order online at seaislepizza.com, call to place an order at 609-263-2600, or dine in and be welcomed as part of the family.
Michael and Jennifer collecting seashells on the beach in Sea Isle City in the 1980s.
DeNunzio’s clams and linguini.
A group shot of the DeNunzio’s staff.
