What’s up, Pizza Peeps? Welcome back to another trip around New Jersey’s pizza scene with your tour guide, a pizza enthusiast, not a journalist, The Pizza Hulk.
Today we’re talking sourdough. And if I’m being honest, a few years ago I couldn’t have told you much about it. Then the pandemic hit, and suddenly everyone in New Jersey became a baker. Fast forward to now, and sourdough isn’t just for bread anymore; it’s one of the most exciting things happening in pizza.
This isn’t just a trend, either. More pizzerias are leaning into naturally fermented dough because it delivers deeper flavor, better texture, and, for many people, cleaner ingredients and improved digestibility.
So, rather than pretend I’m the expert, I did what I do best: I went straight to the people who make it every day. I reached out to some of my favorite spots across New Jersey and asked one simple question:
Why Sourdough?
Let’s start with a spot that’s been stacking wins and doing it all with sourdough from day one.
Bucky’s Pizza
465 Main St, Chatham
In less than 18 months, Bucky’s has quickly built an impressive list of accolades, including 2026 Pizza Hulk Pizza Madness Champion, 2026 NJ Pizza Bowl Champion, and 2025 NJ Monthly Critics’ Choice for Best Pizza in New Jersey.
At Bucky’s, the focus is on naturally leavened sourdough pizza, spanning both New York-style and Detroit-style pies. The goal is to offer something for everyone, from a classic slice to a crispy, caramelized square, all built on the same sourdough foundation.
Why sourdough?
From day one, the goal was simple: make the best possible pizza using clean, whole ingredients. Sourdough naturally aligns with that philosophy. Flour already contains wild yeast, so instead of adding commercial yeast or unnecessary additives, we let time, fermentation, and technique do the work.
Sourdough offers several advantages:
• More complex flavor developed through natural fermentation
• Better texture and structure in the finished dough
• Improved digestibility, which many guests appreciate
• A craft-driven process that demands precision and consistency
There’s a perception that sourdough is unpredictable or inconsistent, but in reality, it requires a deeper understanding of the process. That discipline ultimately leads to greater consistency and a better product.
For us, the decision was clear from the beginning. If we were going to do this, we were going to do it the right way. It was always going to be sourdough.
Now let’s switch gears a bit, because sourdough doesn’t just live in one lane. Teglia is taking a more old-school, technique-driven approach and stretching it across the entire menu.
Teglia Pizza Bar
438 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
At Teglia Pizza Bar, nothing is rushed, and nothing is outsourced.
The process begins with a living sourdough, built from a decades-old mother dough and guided through a four-day fermentation before being baked on the fifth day. This extended timeline is central to Teglia’s identity, producing a crust that is crisp, airy, and finished with a signature chew.
That same commitment carries through every part of the menu. Teglia uses unbleached, non-bromated, non-GMO flour to allow fermentation to fully develop natural flavor. The Roman pizza in teglia style supports longer fermentation, higher hydration, and a more structured final product.
Mozzarella, ricotta, and stracciatella are made in-house. Sauces and dressings are crafted daily. Even the sandwich program reflects the same philosophy, built on house-made Filone bread using the same long-fermented dough.
It’s a fully integrated, from-scratch kitchen where time, technique, and ingredient integrity drive every decision. The difference isn’t just in how it tastes, it’s in how it’s made.
Next up is a story I love, because this is what pizza is all about. Learning, grinding, and turning something small into something real.
Grumpy’s Sourdough Pizza Co.
522 Saddle River Rd, Saddle Brook
Grumpy’s began as a husband-and-wife operation with no employees, just family helping wherever they could. What started as a small venture has grown into a full team effort rooted in passion and craft.
Why sourdough?
For Grumpy’s, the story is personal. Before opening the pizzeria, the founder had only been making pizza for about a year. When he met his wife, he was working strictly in kitchens, not pizza, but he knew how much she loved it. So he started staying after work to practice on the wood-fired oven, bringing home a pie every night, whether it was good or not.
Like most people starting out, it didn’t click right away.
That changed when his wife gave him the book Flour Water Salt Yeast, which opened the door to understanding fermentation, dough, and the science behind it all. That moment became the turning point.
From there, it became less about just making pizza and more about making it the right way. As a chef, his mindset has always been to feed people the same way he feeds his own family, with the best ingredients possible. Once he got deeper into sourdough and started working with unbleached, unbromated flours, it became clear there wasn’t a better path forward.
Grumpy’s didn’t start as a sourdough pizzeria. It took about a year before he felt confident enough to fully commit and rebrand. Since then, sourdough has become the foundation of the entire operation and something the team takes real pride in.
It’s been an evolving journey, built on learning, consistency, and a genuine love for the craft, and along the way, it’s connected them with a strong community of pizza makers who are all pushing each other forward.
PaciDough’s Pizza Joint
312 Atlantic City Blvd, Toms River
PaciDough’s began as a pop-up before opening its brick-and-mortar location in spring 2024. From the start, the goal was to break away from the traditional New Jersey pizzeria model and focus on something more intentional.
In a short time, they’ve earned multiple “Best Pizza in the State” awards and media recognition across News 12, PIX 11, NJ 101.5, and more.
Why sourdough?
To be honest, our family had a previous pizzeria that was very cookie-cutter. As time went on, we wanted to find a way to improve and bring more natural, real ingredients to our customers.
I’m also someone who likes to challenge myself. Once I learned the craft of sourdough, I couldn’t go back. I just couldn’t bring myself to take the easier route.
And to wrap it up, here’s a place that built its entire identity around sourdough and hasn’t looked back.
Uncle Al’s Sourdough Pizza
19 NJ-5, Edgewater
Uncle Al’s is built around a single idea: doing things the right way. Everything revolves around sourdough, from the pizza dough to even the breadcrumbs.
Since opening, the community’s response has been strong, with a focus on elevating pizza while staying grounded in traditional techniques and real ingredients.
Why sourdough?
Sourdough isn’t just a trend for us; it’s the foundation of everything we do. It creates a lighter, more digestible product with a deeper, more complex flavor that you just don’t get from commercial yeast.
The fermentation process takes time, discipline, and consistency, but the result speaks for itself. We wanted to bring something different to the pizza scene, something that stands out not just in taste, but in how it makes you feel after eating it.
And That’s a Wrap
At the end of the day, sourdough isn’t replacing anything; it’s just adding another layer to what makes New Jersey pizza so great. There’s room for everything here, from your classic slice to these long-fermented, craft-driven pies. That’s what makes this scene so strong. So if you haven’t tried sourdough yet, it’s definitely worth checking out. Just another reason Jersey stays the best pizza state in the country.
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