Zachary’s

A packed parking lot at Zachary’s by the Monmouth Racetrack on a recent Friday night meant a full lobby when we walked into this popular pizzeria, serving West Long Branch for two decades. But we didn’t spend more than 15 minutes staring at the giant taxidermy sport fish in the lobby before we were seated.

The joint is split into a sports bar on the left and a more family-style dining room on the right, featuring a large stone fireplace with indoor/outdoor capability. I thought how nice it might be to sit out on their outdoor patio on a crisp fall night with a blazing fire behind me. 

But it was Friday—pizza night—and the bustling bar scene is what we wanted. Copious taxidermy animals fight for wall space with an array of televisions covering multiple sports franchises simultaneously, just as customers fight for precious booths or begrudgingly accept hi-tops. Alas, it was not meant to be. 

We were seated in the much less boisterous dining room and ordered a Kona Big Wave and Birdsmouth Lager from a Craft Beer menu that included New Belgium Voodoo Ranger, Asbury Park Blonde, Sam Adams Summer, Fiddlehead IPA, and Peroni. All the usual suspects are also available in bottles.

We perused the food menu, and I was surprised to see so many choices. Of course, there were the many varieties of pizza: Classic; a Special with sausage, peppers, and onions; Meatball; Cajun Chicken; Buffalo Chicken; Eggplant Parmigiana; Chicken Parm; Hot Honey, and the God Father, with prosciutto, eggplant, roasted peppers, and spinach. (No, I don’t know why that’s two words rather than just “the Godfather.”) You can also create your own mix, at $3 a topping, with 15 choices available to mix and match.

But the menu also offers apps, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, and entrees. In addition, the specials menu featured shrimp cocktails, fried zucchini, Verde clams, stuffed mushrooms, T-Bone Florentine, white chicken chili, and a fig salad with prosciutto, walnuts, and burrata. Entrée specials included Autumn Pork Chips grilled with apples, or Stuffed Pork Loin, plus Veal Saltimbocca, and Chicken Gianna, rolled with prosciutto and provolone. Seafood options included Salmon Bianca, Grouper Rapini, and Blackened Shrimp Alfredo. With something for everyone—including a Kids’ Menu—Zachary’s is perfect for the family. 

This could also be a great spot for lunch, with many soups and sandwich options including a cheese steak, meatball parm, tuna salad, Arizona chicken, a French dip, an open-faced Reuben, an open-faced Baked Russian, chicken salad, chicken Italiano, and a classic club sandwich. All are served with fries or a salad, for about $17.

From a salads menu offering a wedge, house, antipasti, Cajun Kicker, Mediterranean, and Caesar salads, we ordered the Mediterranean Salad, with romaine, olives, capers, onion, tomato, green peppers, bacon, and Pecorino Romano. Then we chose two pies: the Classic, with mozzarella and tomato sauce; and the Hot Honey with pepperoni. We debated trying the Meatball Pizza, but we decided to save it for our next visit. 

The salad arrived in a jiffy accompanied by chilled glass salad plates that took me back to Mom’s house circa 1987. The Mediterranean salad had mixed greens and not romaine as indicated on the menu, but we didn’t mind the upgrade. With a red wine vinaigrette on the side, it was a nice light starter. It featured real crumbled bacon and real chopped veggies, just like mom would do.

The pizzas took quite a bit longer to arrive; after 20 minutes I wondered if our waiter Roman had forgotten about us. With every table in the spot now full, it was no surprise. Then all at once, the two pies were served on shiny silver towers.

The pizzas were sweet and hot, with a cracker-thin crust. Yet unlike many thin crust pizzerias, Zachary’s pies were not dry. Instead, the dough seemed as though it was baked in a buttery pan. The result was a light and sweet flatbread-style dough, very good for what it was—but certainly not a crust that would pass a pizza purists taste test. A Vic’s Pizza enthusiast would cry apostasy for sure.

The Hot Honey Pie had tiny, curled discs of pepperoni, which proved an ideal platter for honey retention. Every bite was pointedly delicious. Their classic pie was just plain but also just fine, especially with a toss of crushed red pepper flakes and garlic.

It seemed like nearly everything on the menu was about $21 and that was fine with us. The bill was $70 for two pies, two beers, and a salad. Not too bad for a Friday out.

We ate all we could but had a pies worth of slices for Saturday lunch. I’m still not sure exactly who this Zachary is, but I’m not mad about his crispy, flaky pies that are somehow neither greasy nor dry. You go girl! Less taxidermy would be good—I was especially freaked out over that stuffed momma and baby bear in the lobby. But we’ll be back! At least for takeout. 

Zachary’s Pizza
71 Oceanport Avenue
West Long Branch, NJ 07764
732-229-0286
zacharys-nj.com
Open daily from 12-10 p.m.

Save a Few Clams

Weekday night specials include half-price pizzas on Monday, All you can eat BBQ ribs for $17 on Tuesdays, and Wednesday $10 Burger Nights (dine-in only).

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