When one door closes, another opens. The Hoboken Girl has learned that ‘The Pizza Shop’ and ‘Flour’ are the official new eateries taking over the Delfino’s space. The owners hope to bring their own flair with a new team and a new menu. Read on to learn what’s to come at The Pizza Shop and Flour in Hoboken.
Delfino’s (Sadly) Shuts Down
^ Reader Corie snapped a pic
Delfino’s had been the long-standing restaurant at 500 Jefferson Street since 1987. In July 2021, the pizzeria that’s become a staple in the neighborhood shut down after 34 years in business. Owned by Frank Biancamano and Delfino Biancamano, the reason why Delfino’s closed shop was because the owners were ready to retire.
The old-school restaurant had built a long list of loyal fans who enjoyed Delfino’s homemade pizza and classic Italian dishes. Many Hobokenites were saddened to hear the news about its closing, including the new owners of 500 Jefferson Street, Ray Falco and Justin Avila.
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“This was [my] local pizzeria growing up and upon hearing the news that Delfino’s was closing, it really hit home,” Ray, who was born and raised one block from the location, tells Hoboken Girl. “I spent a lot of time in these walls and created a lot of fond memories here. My grandpa was the fire captain of the Hoboken Fire Department and he had been coming here since Delfino’s opened.”
^ Inside Delfino’s Before Shutting Down
Upon hearing about Delfino’s closing (through The Hoboken Girl, of course), the new owners reached out to Frank and Delfino and a Realtor to get the ball rolling in occupying the space.
“We understand the impact Delfino’s had within the neighborhood and are honored and grateful to have the opportunity to be opening a restaurant in such a historic location,” Ray and Justin tell HG. “Our families are both from the same little village in Italy and it’s been our dream to open a restaurant together.”
All About The Pizza Shop + Flour
The new, first-time restaurant owners share exclusively with The Hoboken Girl that there will be two new spaces taking over Delfino’s: The Pizza Shop and Flour. The Pizza Shop will be the area for deliveries and for customers to pick up food for takeout – which is now available.
Flour will encompass the dining room area that will be an intimate setting, have an open kitchen, and will be BYOB. This part of the restaurant is still underway.
Ray and Justin, both of whom have experience working in the restaurant industry in Hoboken, are in the process of transitioning the space and are working with “independent and local farmers, wheat growers, flour millers, and mushroom foragers.” The pals are also consulting with renowned chef Elliot Malsky, whose resume includes working for pasta guru Michael White and celebrity hotspot Carbone in NYC.
“By building these relationships we are able to have access to the freshest ingredients possible and help support as many local establishments as we can,” the long-time friends tell us. “For our pizzas, we are using organic freshly milled flour from upstate New York, Jersey Girl cheeses, and organically grown tomatoes from California. Our whole concept starts with one simple idea — sourcing the best ingredients we can get our hands on and not screwing them up.”
(Photo credit: The Pizza Shop)
The menu, we’re told, will be constantly evolving and will depend on using ingredients that are in season and available at the time. So far, the new American menu includes pasta dishes, classic pizza, square, calzone, and specialty pizza like an all-white pie, Hawaiian pie, and a very special one that pays tribute to Delfino’s called “Delfino,” made with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, fennel sausage, chili oil, and onions.
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“[Frank and Delfino] created something special in this neighborhood and we couldn’t be more excited to create new memories and experiences here,” the owners share.
The pizza shop is now available for pickup and takeout orders. We will keep you updated on when Flour, the bakery within, is ready to debut to the public.
Be sure to follow The Pizza Shop and Flour on Instagram to keep up to date with the latest news surrounding the restaurants’ opening.
