The Bar Pie Has Zero Flop and the Gnocchi Are Little Pillows: Mezza Luna Is Having a Moment

For more than 20 years, Mezza Luna has been a fixture in Manalapan, serving Italian favorites in a setting that gives you options — whether you're stopping in on the casual side for a slice or settling into the dining room for a full Italian meal.

But right now, the pizza deserves the spotlight.

The New York-Style Plain

Their New York-style plain is definitely having a moment. The pie is cooked at a high temperature, creating a beautiful char that gives the crust a distinct flavor and texture. There's also a specific sauce created for this pizza, and the finishing touch happens tableside — extra-virgin olive oil, oregano, tons of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and torn fresh basil.

It's simple, but those finishing touches make a difference.

The Bar Pie: All About the Crisp

Then there's the bar pie — and this one is all about the crisp. Thin, seriously crispy and zero flop. Bar pie is having its own moment right now, and Mezza Luna's version is exactly the kind of pie you want when that crunch is the whole point.

Beyond the Pizza

While the pizzas were the obvious stars of my visit, there's plenty more coming out of this kitchen. The house-made ricotta gnocchi are basically little Italian pillows of comfort, and the Italian beef dip had tender, slow-cooked beef, provolone and a rich au jus that I'm still thinking about.

The menu also leans on fresh pasta, and the kitchen covers a lot of ground — from Grandma and Sicilian pies to chicken and veal entrees, seafood, and rolls and calzones.

Worth Knowing for Our Crowd

Mezza Luna has an early bird special menu, which is worth asking about if you like to eat on the earlier side — a full Italian dinner at a gentler price, before the evening rush. Call ahead for the days and times it runs.

Mezza Luna has the kind of menu that makes it easy to come in for a quick slice and just as easy to stay for dinner. The dining room is comfortable and unhurried — the kind of place where nobody is trying to turn your table.

If You Go

Mezza Luna Restaurant & Pizza
357 Route 9 South, Towne Pointe shopping center, Manalapan, NJ 07726
732-536-0207 · mezzalunaonline.com

Manalapan has had this neighborhood staple for more than two decades. Now, with the NY-style pie getting some well-deserved attention, it might be time for a few more people to find out what's been happening here.

Sources: Mezza Luna's own website and current dine-in and takeout menus (mezzalunaonline.com). Menu items, prices and early bird availability can change — call ahead to confirm. Photos by the author.

About Jennifer Nangano

Jennifer Nangano is the voice behind @foodaholicnj, one of New Jersey's biggest food and local-experience accounts. A longtime Central Jersey resident from Freehold, Jennifer covers the restaurants, openings, neighborhood spots and worth-the-drive experiences that people actually talk about.

Her approach is simple: real places, honest reactions, no snob math. If she is excited about something, you will know it.