Growing up in South Jersey, Lorenzo LaScala learned early on that his father was an important figure in the local dining scene as the owner/operator of several renowned Italian eateries. To Lorenzo, however, Rob LaScala was much more than just a well-known restaurateur—he was his dad, his mentor and his best friend, and the two were basically inseparable.
Rob coached his son in basketball, regularly took him to Phillies and Sixers games and on trips to Disney World, but Lorenzo was just as excited to follow his dad to work. And although Rob never pushed Lorenzo to take up the family business, it eventually happened organically to the surprise of no one who knows them well.
Lorenzo Pizza & Steaks, with locations in Marlton and Long Beach Island, is a joint venture between the pair and carries on the tradition of the LaScala Restaurant Group, which includes 11 LASCALA’S FIRE destinations.
“I remember my dad would always take me to places he owned when I was little and put me behind the counter,” Lorenzo says. “I would mess around with the dough and stock the bags of chips, just to feel like a part of it while I was there. I really loved it, and growing up I kind of always knew this is what I wanted to do. I tried to branch out and try different things, but I always came back to pizza because this is what I love. This new restaurant that my dad and I opened has brought together all the things that I’ve learned, and it’s been great so far.”
Lorenzo started out as a busboy in his dad’s pizza shops as a teenager and eventually moved up to the kitchen, where he developed an interest in experimenting with different ingredients and with making pies specifically. His goal in opening his own restaurant was to stand out from the many other pizzerias that dot the local landscape.
“With our pizza, it’s a four-day fermentation process,” he says. “All of the flour is imported from Italy and there’s no bleach or bromine. Preparing the dough is a complicated process, and with that process, you really get a light, airy crust, and a big crunch that I don’t feel you can get anywhere else around here. Our cheesesteaks are top-notch too, and I also feel like they’re the best around. We use ribeye, Cooper sharp and a fresh, seeded roll, and there’s a lot of focus on quality. All of the ingredients we use are the best and we just hope that everyone enjoys it.”
The quality of the ingredients and the patience the staff displays in making sure everything comes out of the kitchen the right way ensures consistency and excellence. Lorenzo also likes to think outside the box—his most popular pizza is the Honey Pie, a classic pepperoni topped with Pecorino Romano, basil and hot honey, and the top-selling sandwich is one he came up with on a whim and named after Philadelphia Eagles star Cooper DeJean.
“It’s called the DeJawn, and I came up with it last December, when the Eagles were getting on that Super Bowl run,” he says. “It’s chicken cutlet, vodka sauce, burrata and hot honey. People crave that sandwich and they come in and ask for it all the time.”
The elevated sandwich list is also heavy on variety.
“We have all the traditional sandwiches too, like Chicken Parm, Meatball Parm and wraps,” Lorenzo says. “We try to do a variety, so people have something to choose from, with gluten-free options as well. The meatballs are the same recipe they use at LASCALA’S FIRE. My dad let me take them, thankfully, because they’re so good. They’re homemade every day, and our mozzarella wedges are made in house as well. Most of the recipes are from our family’s restaurants, and others we came up with as we went along. I love to get in the kitchen and put things together. It’s the best feeling when you get something that works, like the DeJawn.”
The LBI location, which opened this summer, has been a big hit, and Lorenzo has his eye on future restaurants as well. For now, he continues to embrace his father’s legacy as well as the famous voice of the LASCALA’S FIRE brand: “LET’S EAT!”
“To me, that means come in, feel like you’re at home and enjoy yourselves,” Lorenzo says. “I wanted a place where people could bring their family. Maybe they’re stopping in after the kids’ baseball game, and the parents can bring a bottle of wine if they want. They can order pizza and enjoy their meal in a clean, modern, and welcoming environment.
“I grew up in Marlton and went to Cherokee, so it’s nice seeing familiar faces who are coming back again and again. It’s great to rekindle those relationships and to start new ones with people who are new to the town. I’m just proud to be part of the community.”
LORENZO PIZZA & STEAKS
Marlton: (856) 773-2222
Beach Haven: (609) 342-0255
LorenzoPizza.com
