New Jersey Pizza Joint Serves Lasagna So Perfect, It’s Already A Legend
I was just chasing down a quick slice in North Bergen, New Jersey, when I stumbled into Trattoria La Sorrentina—and discovered something far greater than pizza.
This cozy, family-run spot on Bergenline Avenue has become a local legend, not for its pies (though those are excellent too), but for a lasagna so good it draws lines out the door.
What began as a neighborhood favorite has turned into a statewide obsession—and now I’m here to tell you why this pasta perfection deserves every bit of hype.
The Lasagna That Put La Sorrentina On The Map
Holy meatballs! The first time I tasted La Sorrentina’s signature lasagna, I actually closed my eyes and forgot I was sitting in a pizza joint. The secret lies in their 24-hour simmer sauce – a rich, garlicky concoction that clings lovingly to each pasta sheet.
Owner Maria Calabrese laughed when I asked about the recipe. “Some things stay in the family,” she winked, sliding another portion my way. The pasta sheets are made fresh daily, rolled to that perfect not-too-thick, not-too-thin sweet spot.
What really sets this dish apart is the unexpected hint of nutmeg in the ricotta layer – a trick Maria’s grandmother brought from Sorrento in 1947. Between the six perfectly balanced layers, you’ll find three different cheeses and a meat sauce that would make any nonna proud.
A Family Recipe Passed Down For Generations
“You can’t rush perfection,” Tony Calabrese told me as he stirred the enormous pot of sauce that forms the heart of their legendary lasagna. This recipe isn’t some newfangled fusion creation – it’s traveled through four generations of Calabrese family hands, originating in a tiny kitchen in southern Italy before making its way to Jersey shores.
The family guards certain elements of the recipe like Fort Knox. I spotted dried herbs hanging in the kitchen that Tony refused to name when I pointed to them. “Family secret,” he grinned.
Grandma Rosa still visits every Sunday to taste-test the sauce and give her approval. At 92, she has the final say on whether the lasagna meets the family standard. “She’s rejected batches over a pinch of salt,” Tony confessed with equal parts frustration and pride.
Why Locals Call This Lasagna A Legend
Fridays at La Sorrentina require strategy – show up at 4:30 or risk missing out entirely. I’ve witnessed grown adults nearly weep when told the last lasagna portion was claimed. “I drove from Philly for this!” a man exclaimed last month, prompting Maria to sneak him a half-portion from the family’s dinner.
Local food critic Samantha Wells famously gave it her first-ever perfect score. “It tastes like someone’s love language translated into food,” she wrote, causing a reservation tsunami that crashed the restaurant’s phone line.
The most telling evidence of its legendary status? Competing restaurant owners regularly show up to analyze what makes this lasagna special. One confessed to me, “We’re not even trying to copy it anymore – we just want to understand how something so simple can taste so transcendent.”
From Pizza Joint To Pasta Icon
La Sorrentina wasn’t born a pasta paradise. When I first visited back in 2018, the place was a straightforward pizza-by-the-slice operation struggling to stand out in pizza-saturated Jersey. The lasagna? Just a Thursday special that Mama Calabrese made because she was bored.
Everything changed when food influencer @JerseyFoodie posted about the “life-changing lasagna hiding in a mediocre pizza shop.” The backhanded compliment sparked a revolution. Within months, pizza became the sidekick to their pasta superstar.
The transformation required gutting half the kitchen to accommodate proper pasta production. Now the pizza ovens share space with dedicated pasta stations, and the menu proudly features the lasagna in bold red letters at the top. Tony jokes, “We’re a lasagna restaurant that happens to make pretty good pizza on the side.”
Classic Italian Flavors With A Jersey Twist
Jersey tomatoes make all the difference! While most of the recipe follows strict Italian tradition, the Calabrese family isn’t afraid to embrace their Garden State home. Summer brings their special “Jersey Fresh” version featuring locally grown tomatoes and herbs from their rooftop garden.
“My grandmother would probably roll in her grave,” Maria laughed, “but we add a splash of local drink from Unionville Vineyards that gives the sauce a depth you can’t get in Italy.” The cheese blend includes standard mozzarella and ricotta, but the secret weapon is a smoked provolone from a small Hoboken dairy.
The family even hosts an annual lasagna competition where customers suggest new variations. Last year’s winner – a seafood-infused version with Jersey shore crab – has earned a permanent spot on their weekend specials menu. This perfect marriage of old-world technique and local pride creates something uniquely delicious.