Federici’s South

Best pizza ever!!! Christmas Pie– Custom Pie made with mushrooms, green pepper and sliced fresh tomatoes on a thin crispy crust.

We went here for a late dinner based on the reviews on a weeknight. We had ordered the Buffalo Mozzarella which was fresh mozzarella on a bed of arugula and tomatoes with balsamic vinegar. The mozzarella was pretty nice and fresh along with the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. The one thing we didn’t like about this order was that the tomatoes were NOT ripe at all. It was hard. We also ordered a large pie with prosciutto and eggplant (Spat Federici). The pizza was salty because it was filled with prosciutto and the cheese hardened almost immediately after it cooled down. Our seat was a bit cold because of the a/​c above us. The place was empty on our side but they had a party next door. We were hoping that we would like this place because it felt homey and in a strip mall. How often do you get an Italian restaurant in a strip mall in NJ? I’ve only experienced that out of NJ and was happy to find that there was one in NJ. Service was ok but we hardly saw the waitress even though we were practically the only diners in that room. I would give it 3 stars but on Unilocal it mean A-​ok! So, I decided to give it 2 stars because I’ve experienced better.

What a great clean restaurant! Thin crust pizza and a nice little atmosphere. Clean clean clean. Not even dust on the fans!

Thin crust pies, baked ziti, desserts and salad always amazing. Friendly and efficient servers. Ooh I almost forgot the hot and fresh Italian bread that comes with your salad. Delicious!

it’s NJ Italian at its best. Plain, no frills but just plain good. I have had a lot of pizzas in my life, this one is probably the best.

We’re regulars here, and all I have to say is that for more than 15 years, we have never left dissapointed in the food, service, etc… Best pizza I’ve ever eaten. Prices= Phenomenal.

Growing up in Freehold, I know and love Fed’s thin crust pizza. Now living in Toms River we stopped into Federici’s South for some pies. Although they look like the original Fed’s, the taste was just not the same. It is still a good thin crust pizza but does not equal the pizza from Freehold. The service was very nice and we will go back for other dishes, but when we are in a Fed’s pie mood, we will be driving the extra 20 minutes to Freehold.

Federici’s pizza is the thin, matzo type that goes against most of the pizza you can get in Central Jersey or at the Shore. It is made with fresh ingredients and is always packed with the flavors of tomato, garlic, and high quality cheese.
When I go there I usually stick with an individual specialty pizza like Spat’s favorite: olives, chunks of garlic, and prosciutto. If I’m not doing pizza I like any of the Alfredo dishes. Easily the best sauce you can get around here.
Oddly enough, their chicken fingers are awesome too.

We ordered takeout pizza from here a number of times and it was quite nice. We then decided to go for dinner. Let me say that our experience was, well, less than perfect.
Our son is special needs. One of his special needs is that he needs to bring his own drink due to dietary restrictions. As we sat down the waitress said «you can’t be bringing your own drinks in here.» So, I got up to take her aside and explain about my son’s special needs, because I did not want to embarass him (he is also very sensitive and rightly so.) Basically the waitress backed off, (and sort of apologized, but sort of didn’t), but had she not we would have skadoodled right then and there. We then proceeded to order a large pizza, garlic bread, a garden salad and my wife ordered a pasta dish with vegetables. As she was looking for vegan fare she asked for «no cheese, no meat, no cream, just pasta and vegetables.» Sounds pretty simple, right? My wife’s salad came out and it was awful. The greens were old, and the tomatoes tasted bad. We sent it back and they brought out a new one which was slightly better. My wife’s pasta came out and it was terrible. The vegetables were cooked beyond recognition. The pasta was way overcooked and had not been drained. So what they did was put the vegetables and the pasta in a pot, cook it all, half drain it and serve it. The pizza and garlic bread were good, which is why its a 2 star review. Another issue was the smell. The place smells like rat poison. Seriously. When I rung out, the manager was kind enough to ask me about my meal and I was very clear about what occured. She credited back the cost of my wife’s entrée and apologized. We have not since returned, but when we are in the mood for thin crust we may. NOTE: They do have a «newer» dining section. Some people are seated there and others are seated in the older section. I noticed that favorites of the owners (who they were socializing with) appeared to be in the new section. This may be meaningless, maybe not however I did notice it. Regardless renovations are NOT the only thing Federici’s south needs.

We love Federici’s South for great pizza and Italian food as well as their tremendous service. Each of the servers is friendly and helpful.
Fed’s pizza is thin crust style, which is crispy and light. It is served piping hot, from the oven. As a result, the cheese on the first slice drips with flavor. Toppings are fresh.
All of the italian entrees are served in large portions, with the freshest ingredients. I love the slightly sweet flavor of the marinara sauce, which has chunks of tomato.
My favorite is veal parm (I can’t spell the «ashian» part of the word). The veal is thin and juicy, with a crispy coating.

Great né clam chowder
Good service
Love the food
Sal

This is one of a few Federici family restaurants in the area. I haven’t visited all, so cannot comment on whether they are all comparable.
Federici’s South is situated in a strip mall and is popular with local families. Décor looks to date from the mid-​eighties and service is good. Pizzas are very thin crust with a sweet, tomato sauce. Too sweet for me, but ample points awarded for using fresh mushrooms instead of canned. As someone else has mentioned, the fried ravioli appetizer is addictive, but most of the menu items, including the much-​loved house dressing, have an oddly sweet note that is just not to my taste.

I’ll start by saying that I detest Federici’s pizza, whether from this location or in Freehold. People have been foisting it on me my entire life, and I think it tastes like Cheez-​Its, which is not a good thing. Apparently, Federici’s, it’s me, not you, so don’t feel bad, not that you were going to. Decades of unimpeded success should be more than sufficient to wash away the stain of my disapproval.
However, the rest of the menu is incredible. Federici’s is able to do the simplest of things so perfectly, you’re sort of ruined by them, in that they will never live up to your expectations anywhere else. Point in fact: the house dressing. It is a house-​made Creamy Italian, and just thinking about it is making my mouth water. It has a hint of sweetness and a buttermilk texture that is like none other I have ever had. It should be bottled and sold in supermarkets. I would eat it on pancakes. Or ice cream. Or a bowl of twigs. And I don’t even like Creamy Italian dressing, as a rule.
Another example would be their Penne alla Vodka, pretty standard fare at any Italian restaurant, but here is marked by a depth of flavor I have certainly never experienced from a chafing dish at a buffet table. The pasta is always cooked to perfection, and there is more than a hint of hot pepper that truly enhances this simple preparation. It is truly excellent.
Make sure to try the Fried Ravioli as well, which are served in a Marinara sauce that is verging on a Fra Diavolo, making them quite memorable, a tough trick for Fried Ravioli to pull off.
And if you like thin crust pizza, I suppose you will want to give it a shot. There are tens of thousands of people who would slap me for saying out loud what I wrote earlier, and there is really no way they can all be wrong.

Anyone who knows Freehold knows Fed’s — it’s been there for years…
This particular location is the second of the Federicis’ pizza joints. The original is still on Main Street in Freehold (
) and the other is on Route 33, Frankie Fed’s. (
… :)
While the menu here is the same as Federici’s and the pizza is made the same way, for some reason, it tastes slightly different. Local lore has it that the associated flavor is a result of the «old oven» in the original location, but the original location now has new ones and the flavor remains so… you get my point.
For those of you unfamiliar with Federici’s pizza, it is of the Pete & Elda’s ilk: cracker thin with bubbles here and there which allow you to see inside the crust if you look from the side.
The restaurant isn’t anything fancy — like the original Fed’s, it’s all wood panelling and wodden chairs.
Enjoy!