Beloved NJ pizza shop rebuilding after fire

ELIZABETH, N.J. (PIX11) - Brick by brick, an icon of Elizabeth looks to rebuild.

"If the place was open now, I'd be in there making dough and firing up the oven, you know what I mean?" said Al Santillo, owner of Santillo's Brick Oven Pizza. "That's why I'm standing here like now, waiting to get in there."

There's nothing more Santillo wants to do than get back to making his famous brick oven pizza.

"When I open up, it's like a performance, that's mostly what it's like," said Santillo.

A fire over the weekend gutted his famed family business. While much of the inside of the kitchen is charred, the oven is largely intact.

"This oven was built over a hundred years ago," said Santillo. "It's a relic of the past. Can't be built today. It's the only true oven that you're ever going to see."

There are some things that they just don't make like they used to, especially that brick oven. Santillo believes because of how well that brick oven was made, it should be able to be saved.

Many have offered Santillo their support, including Barstool Sports owner and famed pizza reviewer Dave Portnoy, who originally visited Santillo's in 2019. He posted on X saying he was glad to hear Al was OK and offered his help. Santillo said he's been in touch with him via social media and looks forward to seeing everyone for another slice one day.

"They want to see me made whole and get back to doing what I was put here to do," said Santillo.