Bivio

Neapolitan Pizza Oven at Bivio. Image courtesy of Bivio

By Nicolette Maggio

Let’s be honest, for a long time the seriousness of a pizzeria could be gauged by a simple yes-or-no question: “How good was it?” “What would you compare it to _____” “Rate it on a scale of 1-10.” And if you are a pizza lover, it is a very serious question and one that must be taken seriously. 

Being a pizza lover myself and knowing that so many others are I decided to do my own research as to what makes a pizza “good” or “excellent” or “mediocre”. In researching, I learned that many acquire minuscule quantities of yeast; others abandon commercial yeast altogether in favor of the natural leavening in sourdough starters. There are slice joints that ferment their dough for a day, some that let it bubble away for two days, and a few that go in for three days. A new example of the breed, F&F Pizzeria that opened in Brooklyn recently with the help of a baker whose starter dough has traveled internationally and another baker who has decades of experience at the end of a pizza paddle. Among themselves, these new-school pizza makers speak of hydration levels, fermentation periods, and digestibility.

Bivio Pizza. Image courtesy of Bivio

Many of these slice masters are chasing an ideal version of the foldable, portable triangle sold across linoleum counters in all five boroughs, a search suffused with nostalgia for an era before processed cheese, sweetened sauce and wholesale dough. Others are celebrated for achievements in the square slice, a descendant of the Sicilian, with an airier, less doughy crust. So, what does all of this pizza mumbo jumbo even matter? Why am I talking about it in such detail? Who even cares, if it tastes good…. right? Well, in an era where health matters more than ever before I find it fitting to recommend one of my favorite Pizzerias in Montclair who cares about every ingredient and every detail right from the very start, Bivio.

Family-owned and operating and serving a variety of Neopolitan-style brick oven pizza, Bivio easily delivers in making your mouth water from the very start. Walking into Bivio and taking in the smell, ambiance, and authenticity of the place you may immediately feel like you have teleported to a small province in Italy. Their brick oven pies vary from red mariana pies, margherita pies, and white bianca pies. 

Three different types of pizza options. Image courtesy of Bivio

 Speaking of ingredients (which is why I put so much laser focus on it at the beginning of this love story), every ingredient is imported fresh or made fresh in-house. “It’s a yeast culture that we acquired from a bakery that has been making bread on the island of Ischia, which is the bay of Naples,” said owner Tomasso Colao. “it has been in our hands for 14 years.” When we take a moment to think about the care, attention, and love that goes into making the food we should seek after restaurants and establishments that take pride in not only something that tastes good but something that was prepared with the best of the best in mind. The bianca pizza, made with bufala mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, fresh basil, and sea salt is what I come back for time and time again. While Bivio is a rather simple and straightforward menu, you will never be disappointed. It is the type of place where “less is more” radiates, and you will leave wanting to come back for more.