I had a fun and memorable evening at Grindstone last week. My wife and I were joined by a good friend at this new upscale pizzeria in Williamstown. It’s located right on Main Street-a short walk from 13th Child Brewery. Perhaps next time I’ll bring a growler of one of their brews. This time I went with two terrific New Jersey wines. More about them later. First, let me share what makes this place so special.
Grindstone has only been open since November. However, they have already been receiving rave reviews. They were recently included in nj.com’s “The 25 new N.J. restaurants you need to try in 2020.” One look at the exterior or interior and you will ask yourself, “Is this a pizzeria?” It looks too upscale and unique. For instance there are some pharmacy antiques on display, thanks to a cool find from a loving restoration of the property. There are also antique chairs from a school and church pews which are both functional and nice touches for the unique ambience. The owner, Julian used to “flip” houses for a living before opening Grindstone. He is an interesting guy with an infectious enthusiasm about his business. He offered suggestions for those having difficulties making a selection and made sure everyone was enjoying their meal.
The only clue that pizza is the main food offered is their beautiful brick oven. No stainless steel ovens here. While pizza is the centerpiece for this restaurant, the “shareables” (sides) are awesome. Again, you won’t find these choices at any other pizzeria I know. For example, crispy Brussel sprouts with pork bellies and pickled onions. For the record, we asked them to hold the pork belly, but the sprouts were fabulous! We also chose the meat and cheese board. This consisted of Capicola, Sopressata, Prosciutto, goat cheese, Havarti, Bellavitano, housemade bread, honey and jam. I hasten to add that we scarfed down half of this app before I had a chance to snap a photo. I did capture the Brussel sprouts below, though it does not begin to do them justice.
There were numerous other tempting options for appetizers. Among these were pecorino and herb fries, risotto balls, and a risotto jar (layered honey, balsamic and ricotta served with warm house bread.
Next, it was time to choose our pizza. While all of the pies sounded wonderful, the specialty here is the Margherita Pie. We decided one would do the trick, as the appetizers were generous and filling. They make a wonderful thin crust pizza with fresh ingredients. It was excellent.
Living in South Jersey means most of our dining options include BYOB’s. Life is good. I brought Hawk Haven’s Pinot Grigio and White Horse Winery’s Cab Franc, while our friend brought Blue Cork White. Our server was kind enough to bring us extra glasses to allow sampling of the red and white. The Hawk Haven Pinot Grigio is a delicious version with just a hint of sweetness. I loved it with the brussel sprouts, while the Cab Franc paired exquisitely with the meat and cheese plate and the pizza. We shared all of the wines, though I preferred to sip the sweeter Blue Cork White as my dessert. It is an interesting and enjoyable blend of Traminette and Cayuga.
Speaking of desserts, though we were all too full to order one, they all sounded great. Next time I will have to try one of these: Gelato Flight, Warm Brownie, Chocolate Chip Pound Cake, Creme Brûlée, or Afagato (vanilla ice-cream with espresso).
You really should visit Grindstone soon. You’re gonna love it! The food, ambience and service are all exceptional and the prices are reasonable. But don’t plan on take-out. It is a destination restaurant.
Cheers!
Pick up my e-book, New Jersey Uncorked, for $10.99 at Apple’s iBook app. Be sure to use the coupon code March20.
Coming Attractions
- Shana’s Wild Fig & NJ Wine
- Unionville Vineyards Winter 2020
- What’s On Tap at Bellview Winery
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