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Oradell Pizzeria Owner Authentic As His Italian Recipes

ORADELL, N.J. — Most menu items at Oradell's Calabria Pizza are what owner Franco Vaccaro was raised on.

Calabria Pizza owner Franco Vaccaro, right, with his son, Gianfranco, 19.

Calabria Pizza owner Franco Vaccaro, right, with his son, Gianfranco, 19.

Photo Credit: Cecilia Levine
Calabria Pizza is located on Kinderkamack Road in Oradell.

Calabria Pizza is located on Kinderkamack Road in Oradell.

Photo Credit: Cecilia Levine
A Calabria creation.

A Calabria creation.

Photo Credit: Calabria Pizza

Take the chicken francese, gnocchi bolognese or stuffed shells — all recipes his parents brought with them after immigrating from Calabria, Italy to the U.S.

Check out the menu in Vaccaro's Kinderkamack Road shop and you'll see all of those, and more. He says they taste like home, which is why his restaurant is a perfect fit for a little town like Oradell.

"It's family oriented," said Vaccaro, of Cliffside Park, who opened his shop almost two years ago.

Vaccaro's first shop, though, was in Hoboken more than 20 years ago. He had to close it when he transitioned into an office job to support his budding family.

Now that Vaccaro's kids are old enough to help out, he's back in the restaurant business — and so are they.

It's become a family affair.

"Its a lot of work," Vaccaro said, "but it's fun."

It seems like his clients are happy to have Vaccaro back, too.

Rosemary Musano of Oradell tries to stop in at least twice a week, and not just for the food.

"The owners are very nice and accommodating to customers," she said in between bites of pizza.

"They threw a Halloween party for kids and reach out to the community," she said. 

Calabria Pizza is located at 239 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell.

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