Pizzeria Cusumano is opening the doors of its beautifully built-out shop at 872 Haddon Avenue in Collingswood this Saturday, November 14th (12pm-8pm), bringing delicious artisan pizzas and a few surprise specialties, including salads and cookies!
I was invited Wednesday night to the Pizzeria Cusumano friends and family event, where I got to meet owner Sal Cusumano, his wife Stefania, his mother and father, and seemingly the entire Cusumano clan!
It was a fun evening with an awesome family, and I can’t say enough about how friendly and welcoming everyone was.
But of course, the pizza-loving public wants to know one thing: How does the pizza taste?
Guys, I tried a variety of flavors, from classic pepperoni to some deliciously adventurous specialty pies including staff favorite “Fig & Bacon” and everything was amazingly delicious!
There’s a wonderful crunch with every bite of the thin, crispy crust, and the flavors have that perfect little extra something, from the dough to the cheese, sauce and toppings.
Even the pepperoni stood out, delivering all the delicious flavors you want from a pepperoni pizza without being overpowering.
And after talking with Sal, it all makes perfect sense.
Sal Cusumano: The Pizza Scientist
A big part of the reason it’s taken Sal so long to open his Collingswood pizzeria is that, well, he’s basically a pizza scientist!
For years, he’s been working to develop what he considers the perfect recipes and preparation techniques for every aspect of his pizzas and other menu items.
And even when he’s using an ingredient that isn’t made in-house, such as the pepperoni, Sal puts an incredible amount of effort into finding exactly the right product.
He told me it took him two months of trying dozens of pepperoni varieties before he found the one that was absolutely perfect for his pizzas.
His research has included multiple trips to New York and Italy, where he’s continued refining his techniques and searching for the best ingredients.
One interesting example is the extra virgin olive oil used to finish all of his pizzas.
Sal discovered a Sicilian olive oil called Born To Be EVO, produced by Baglio Ingardia.
He liked it so much that he worked through his cousin’s company, Delisi Imports, which had primarily focused on wines, to take over the area’s distributorship so the olive oil would be available for Pizzeria Cusumano.
That’s some serious dedication to getting the ingredients just right!
And the dough? That’s a science all its own.
Even though the menu is relatively simple, Sal takes the time at the bottom to explain that the dough uses a sourdough starter and a 24-hour starter, along with a 24-to-72-hour fermentation process.
It’s not just about having a great recipe. The techniques, preparation and patience all contribute to creating that wonderfully thin, crispy crust with a delicious crunch in every bite.
While Sal has been developing his Collingswood concept, the Cusumano family has also been operating three other pizzerias under the My Angelo’s Pizza name located in West Berlin, Riverside and Voorhees.
Back in May 2024, I covered their West Berlin location, which was an entirely new building developed to relocate the business from a nearby Berlin shopping center.
So clearly, Sal and the family have had plenty going on while the Collingswood project was coming together!
Pizzeria Cusumano – A Beautiful New Haddon Avenue Shop
Pizzeria Cusumano is located at 872 Haddon Avenue, between Stiles and Bilson Avenues, literally at the front of the parking lot for the PATCO Collingswood Station.
It’s a great location for commuters returning home from Philadelphia, who can get off the train, grab their car and pick up a pizza for dinner!
The location places Cusumano within Collingswood’s popular Haddon Avenue business district, just a short distance east of restaurants such as Hearthside and Villa Barone.
The pizzeria occupies the left end unit of a small row of storefronts. Previously an optician’s office, the space has been completely transformed.
Sal also did something really sweet for the neighborhood.
For decades, a large mural featuring eyeglasses had been painted high on the exterior end wall of the building, reflecting its longtime use as an optical business.
Over the years, that mural had faded significantly.
Rather than simply painting over it, Sal hired an artist to bring back the familiar eyeglasses mural, this time incorporating Pizzeria Cusumano branding.
It’s a nice little connection between the building’s history and its new life as a pizzeria.
Inside, the space is beautifully finished, with large front windows, attractive signage and a bright red exterior awning.
An exposed brick wall along the left side provides a nice contrast to the white subway-style tile used throughout the remainder of the restaurant.
The kitchen is completely open to customers, with employees preparing pizzas right in front of you. New equipment includes a large three-deck pizza oven.
It’s primarily a takeout-focused restaurant, particularly for whole pies. The only “seating” is a counter along the brick sidewall suitable for a few customers to wait or eat a slice from their pie.
Manager Alexis told me they eventually plan to offer pizza by the slice, but for now the focus will be on whole pies.
Wednesday evening was a busy one, with friends and family filling the shop, but I think I was still able to capture plenty of photos to give readers a good look at the beautiful new space.
The Menu: Red Pies, Square Pies, White Pies and More
The menu at Pizzeria Cusumano is intentionally focused, featuring a selection of red pies, square pies, white pies and a few specialty items.
But within those categories, Sal has developed some really interesting combinations.
The red pies start with a classic cheese pizza featuring tomato sauce, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, basil and extra virgin olive oil, priced at $23.
From there, things get a little more adventurous.
One of the signature offerings is appropriately called The PATCO, clearly a nod to the restaurant’s location directly in front of the PATCO parking lot.
This pizza features tomato sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, cup-and-char pepperoni, Mike’s Hot Honey, Pecorino Romano, basil and EVOO.
I had a chance to try several pizzas Wednesday night, including the pepperoni, and I was really impressed with how the flavors complemented one another.
Another interesting offering is the Vodka Rigatoni pizza, featuring vodka sauce and that delicious cup-and-char pepperoni. I didn’t get a chance to try that one, but I think when I return, it’s going to be my next choice!
Cusumano will also offer three square pizzas, including a Grandma-style pie.
During my visit, I was happy to see Neil from A View From Evesham was also there.
He was talking with Sal about a family member who doesn’t eat dairy, and Sal immediately pointed out their square tomato pie. That pizza features tomato pie sauce, oregano, Pecorino Romano, basil and EVOO.
Of course, for anyone avoiding cheese entirely, it’s worth mentioning that Pecorino Romano is itself a cheese, so customers can ask about having it omitted.
Fig Jam and Bacon White Pizza – A Favorite!
One of the pizzas that seemed to have everyone excited, including several employees, was the Fig Jam and Bacon White Pie.
This beautiful pizza combines four different cheeses, bacon, custom-made fig jam, basil and extra virgin olive oil.
And guys, it’s as delicious as it is beautiful!
It’s definitely one of those combinations that might sound a little unusual at first, but once you taste it, you understand why people are so excited about it.
The balance of sweet fig jam, savory bacon and cheese makes for a really enjoyable pizza.
Don’t Overlook the Kale Caesar Salad and Cookies!
While pizza is clearly the star of the show, Cusumano also offers a few additional items that deserve attention.
One is an incredible Kale Caesar Salad.
I had a chance to try it Wednesday night, and it was absolutely delicious.
The Caesar dressing, which Sal and his team make themselves, had all the wonderful flavor you’d expect from a Caesar dressing, but without being overpowering.
It’s another example of the care going into even the smaller details of the menu.
And here’s a fun little addition: cookies!
The menu features a Brown Butter Double Chocolate Chip Cookie, and if I’m remembering correctly from our conversation, they expect to have a second cookie variety available for opening day.
As I was taking photos of the team preparing pizzas and other items, Sal had nothing but wonderful things to say about his employees.
He explained how they’ve really embraced his recipes and preparation techniques, and how proud he is of the work they’re doing.
He said the team is absolutely crushing it and doing an amazing job representing the Pizzeria Cusumano name.
It was nice to see that level of excitement and appreciation for the staff, particularly as they prepare for what will likely be a very busy opening weekend.
Pizzeria Cusumano – Opening November 14th
After years of planning, recipe development and construction, Pizzeria Cusumano will officially open to the public on Saturday, November 14th.
As of Thursday morning, their website was not yet active, although one is expected soon. You can also find the pizzeria on Instagram.
I don’t have confirmation of any delivery services being offered at opening, so for now I’d plan on picking up your order directly from the Haddon Avenue shop.
It’s been a long road to opening day, but after spending Wednesday evening with Sal, Stefania, the family and their team, and most importantly getting to taste the pizzas, I can understand why they’ve put so much time and effort into getting everything just right.
Collingswood already has an incredible food scene, and Pizzeria Cusumano looks ready to become another delicious reason to visit Haddon Avenue.
Congratulations to Sal, Stefania and the entire Cusumano family on the opening!
Links And Location
Pizzeria Cusumano – Opens Saturday Nov 14, 2026
872 A Haddon Ave
Collingswood NJ
The announced hours are:
- Monday: 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday and Thursday: 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Friday, Saturday: Noon – 8 p.m.
- Sunday: Noon – 7 p.m.
