Pizza and Italian food will always be some of the most sought out dining options for college students! It is clear that dining hall pizza and pasta does not always satisfy student’s cravings for such foods. However, at Monmouth University the student body is luckily surrounded by some excellent local establishments. One common struggle when looking for the perfect slice is deciding between Gianni’s Pizzeria in Oakhurst and Scala’s Pizzeria located on Brighton Ave in West End. Both locations have been local hotspots when it comes to quality pizza and Italian dining options! Monmouth University professor Harmon stated “both local businesses are worth checking out.”
Gianni’s Pizzeria is located at 56 Monmouth Rd in Oakhurst, NJ. The local shop offers a wide arrangement of specialty pizzas, sandwiches, and other tasty options served fresh daily. Gianni’s Pizzeria was established in 1992 and currently has a total of five locations within New Jersey including Red Bank, Little Silver, Colts Neck, and Neptune that are open seven days a week. The pizzeria has a very large menu which gives customers tons of appetizing choices which is never a bad thing! When asking sophomore business student Max Goldberg his opinion on Gianni’s menu options he stated, “Gianni’s grandma style pizza is delicious and their chicken vodka wraps are out of this world. If you haven’t been to Gianni’s yet, you should, and then go back every day it’s that good.” Gianni’s has tons of sandwich options from hot subs to Italian subs using the finest Boars head meats and cheeses.
Scala’s Pizzeria is located at 88 Brighton Ave. West End, NJ. The popular pizzeria is located on the same street as other Monmouth University favorite eateries, such as Bagel Guys Deli, and Surf Taco. Scala’s offers a huge assortment of various pizzas with fantastic toppings options, along with great pasta dishes and salads. When Monmouth University students gave their take on Scala’s Pizzeria, sophomore business major Christopher Carreira had the following to say about the establishment, “I have been going to Scala’s for many years, since me and my family have lived in the area my entire life. I personally love the food available, their truly isn’t one bad choice on the menu. All of the food is fresh and prepared with customer satisfaction in mind. I have also known the owner for many years and he is an extremely nice man and business owner who values Monmouth student support.” Taylor Carson, senior business student, also shared why she prefers Scala’s Pizzeria “I personally love Scala’s so much! I am truly obsessed with their penne vodka pasta dish, it is absolutely incredible each time I get it.”
Overall both establishments are extremely popular dining options in the local area and offer fantastic pizzas and Italian food choices to Monmouth University students. It is definitely interesting to see what location Monmouth University students prefer, however after surveying handfuls of students the results are extremely mixed and even for both restaurants.
With that said Monmouth students seem to swear by both pizzerias and one should definitely take the time to give each location a chance. It is great seeing two local establishments have such great customer loyalty and positive reviews by their overall clientele and audience as a whole! Next time you are in the mood for a quality pizza pie, sandwich or fresh salad ask yourself the hard decision of Gianni’s or Scala’s?
