Ask anyone in Barnegat where to get the best pizza in Ocean County, and you’ll likely hear the same answer: Naples Pizza. It’s not just a local opinion—it’s an official one. In 2023, Naples Pizza was named the Community’s Choice Winner for Best Pizza in Ocean County, a recognition voted on entirely by the residents and community members the restaurant has proudly served for decades.
For a family-owned pizzeria that has been crafting authentic Italian food since 1984, this kind of award carries real weight. It’s not a critic’s score or an industry panel decision. It’s our community saying, loudly and clearly, that Naples Pizza is their go-to. When you understand the history, ingredients, and heart behind every pie that comes out of our Barnegat kitchen, it’s easy to see why.
What Is the Ocean County Community’s Choice Award?
The Ocean County Community’s Choice Award recognizes local businesses that have earned the trust, loyalty, and enthusiasm of the people who live there. Residents vote for their favorites across a range of categories, and the businesses that rise to the top are the ones that have consistently delivered on quality, service, and reputation.
Winning in the Best Pizza category is particularly meaningful. Pizza is personal. People have strong opinions about their crust, their sauce, their cheese ratios—and the place they grew up going to. For Naples Pizza to earn the title of Ocean County pizza winner, we had to stand out across an entire county full of options. That takes more than a good slice on a good day. It takes consistency, passion, and a genuine connection to our community.
40 Years of Authentic Italian Cooking
Naples Pizza didn’t become a Barnegat institution overnight. Owner Andrea Esposito has been behind the operation since 1984, bringing authentic Italian recipes and a deep commitment to hospitality that has shaped the restaurant’s identity for four decades.
What started as a local favorite grew into something bigger: a gathering place where generations of families return week after week. The kind of restaurant where kids grow up eating pizza, then bring their own kids years later. As longtime customer Nick D. put it, “Absolutely amazing food, the grandma pie is incredible. My wife and I order from here multiple times a week, every week, I am always impressed, everything including the service is outstanding!”
That loyalty is the clearest signal of what this Barnegat pizza award really represents.
Why Locals Voted Naples Pizza the Best in Barnegat
There are plenty of pizza spots across Ocean County. So what earned Naples Pizza its title as award-winning pizza in Barnegat? A few things stand out.
Authentic Italian Recipes, Made with Care
Every pizza at Naples starts with a foundation built on tradition. The dough, the tomato sauce and the cheeses are each elements that reflect the authentic Italian cooking that Andrea Esposito has refined over 40 years. Customers consistently describe the experience as tasting like the classic neighborhood pizzerias they grew up with. Fresh, flavorful, and made the right way.
That consistency is hard to fake. It comes from using good recipes, sticking to them, and caring about the result every single time.
Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients
Great pizza lives or dies on its ingredients. Naples Pizza prioritizes fresh toppings, premium cheeses, and a sauce that hits the right balance of richness and brightness. Nothing about the menu feels rushed or cut-corner. Customers notice, and that attention to quality is one of the central reasons the community cast their votes for Naples in 2023.
Reliable Spot for Families and Takeout
Part of what makes a neighborhood pizzeria great is that you can count on it. Naples Pizza has built exactly that kind of reputation. Whether it’s a sit-down family dinner or a quick takeout order on a busy weeknight, the quality stays the same. The service stays friendly and the food arrives hot.
That reliability, built over decades of consistent service, earned Naples Pizza the kind of repeat customers who don’t just come back—they vote.
Genuine Part of the Barnegat Community
Our restaurant has built relationships well beyond our dining room. Naples has supported local schools, organizations, and fundraisers throughout Ocean County, including hosting events for nonprofit groups like Hearts of Mercy. Being a true community partner, not just a business, is part of what makes the Community’s Choice recognition so fitting.
Winning a community vote means something different than any other kind of award. It reflects our real relationships with real people; our neighbors, families, and regulars who make up the fabric of Barnegat and the surrounding towns.
What Customers Are Saying
Our online reviews tell the same story as the award. With over 360 reviews and a 4.49-star rating, the feedback is consistent: quality food, friendly staff, and a place that feels like home.
“Best pizza in town! All of the workers are so nice and helpful. They are consistently great with food quality and customer service. 10/10.” — Sherbertski, Google Review
“I drove an hour for this plain pie. Sometimes it’s the simple slice that is really nostalgic and perfect.” — Diana Forrest, Google Review
A customer who drives an hour for a plain slice says everything about what we at Naples Pizza have built.
Award-Winning Pizza in Barnegat | Community’s Choice Winner
The 2023 Community’s Choice Award for Best Pizza in Ocean County is a testament to what Naples Pizza has been doing right for 40 years: cooking authentic Italian food, welcoming every customer like a regular, and staying rooted in the community that has supported us from the beginning.
Ready to taste the difference? Stop by Naples Pizza at 550 N Main St, Suite D, Barnegat, NJ, or place your order online. Dine in or take out; however you prefer to enjoy award-winning pizza in Barnegat, Naples Pizza is ready to serve you.
