The Hot Slice

188. What happens after an 8.9 review score?


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Gabriella Ottaiano said receiving an 8.9 score from Dave Portnoy’s One Bite at Barstool was life-changing for Calabria Restaurant & Pizzeria in Livingston, New Jersey.

It was just what the pizzeria needed in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Since the review, Calabria’s has seen remarkable growth, a streamline operation and a marketing focus capitalizing on the review.

The pizza that received the score was the Calabria’s Crunchy Thin. After the review, people seeking the high-scoring pizza confused other Calabrias with the Livingston restaurant so Gabriella had the pizza trademarked. Listen to the process she went through to trademark their signature pizza.

She also made several changes in the kitchen to help accommodate the increase in volume and maintain food quality. Check out how she did it.

Calabria’s added nationwide shipping. See how they were able to incorporate the frozen line in the kitchen flow.

Calabria’s also participated in the inaugural One Bite Pizza Festival. Found out how the experience went.

For 40 years, Calabria’s has been family and Gabriella is part of the second generation to run the business.

Learn more about Calabria’s at https://calabrianj.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/calabriarestaurant/

Watch Calabria’s One Bite Review: https://youtu.be/-HsElQR9drU?si=1E549VNOjICLIou

Read Pizza Today’s article, Pizza Festivals: Getting Involved with a Pizza Fest -- https://pizzatoday.com/topics/brand-marketing/pizza-festivals-getting-involved-with-a-pizza-fest/

Other Show Notes:

35 Pizzerias to Watch in 2024

We received hundreds of outstanding submissions for our Pizzerias to Watch feature and have painstakingly whittled them down to this list of 35.

https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/35-pizzerias-to-watch-in-2024/

Pizza Expo 2024 Registration is Open

Pizza Expo turns 40 in March. Register now to attend the industry’s premier event!

https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/pizza-expo-2024-registration-now-open/

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