A legend in Ocean City NJ and beyond, Manco & Manco Pizza has opened a location in the Phillies’ Citizens Bank Park for the 2022 season.
Sure, we aren’t the first to report this was coming… but what other media outlet was in the park on an amazing opening day to give their 12 inch plain cheese and pepperoni personal pizzas a try… and to share the experience with you?!
The new and colorful Manco & Manco pizza stand is located in the Ashburn Alley restaurant row behind the outfield, and located to the left of Campo’s Cheesesteaks.
I’ve been to more than a few Phillies’ Opening Day games, and this was literally the best of them all.
After a week of rain and a flooded yard at home, the sky on Friday turned into a beautiful sunny blue and the temps shot up well into the 60s!
And recently signed outfielder Kyle Schwarber started things off better than anyone could expect, with a first bat of the season home run!
Now let’s talk pizza! I’ll lead with, a Manco & Manco Pizza may be one of the better deals at the ballpark!
The new Manco & Manco Pizza is located somewhat below that giant white Liberty Bell.
Manco & Manco History
Manco & Manco Pizza traces their roots back to 1956 when Trenton’s Vincent Manco and Anthony Mack opened Mack and Manco’s on the Ocean City Boardwalk.
Back in 2011 the name changed to Manco & Manco, as the Mack family decided to focus on their Wildwood locations. Yes the “Mack” in Ocean City’s former Mack & Manco was Wildwood’s Mack’s Pizza family!
Today the same delicious Manco & Manco Pizza is served in 4 locations at the Jersey shore.. 3 in Ocean City and one in Somers Point.
And now a 5th location is open in Ashburn Alley at the Phillies’ Citizen Bank Park.
Well actually, we are hearing a second ballpark Manco & Manco location is in the works for Harry The K’s section!
Over the years their thin crust boardwalk pizza has developed a huge following of fans, and is widely known throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and further.
Manco & Manco Ballpark Pizza
For the fans in the stands Manco & Manco are selling a 12 inch personal sized pizza, offering plain cheese or pepperoni. They should call it “Loaded” pepperoni as the entire pizza was covered!
They are also offering a Gluten Free pizza! (which we didn’t try).
Each personal pizza is nicely boxed for easy and safe transport back to your seat, or if you are lucky enough like we were… there are bench style tables in the immediate area.
The logic for a 12-inch personal pizza is that if you took a full sized pizza back to your seat, there just wouldn’t be enough room to handle the box and pizza without bothering your neighbors in the stands.
Although if you are really fortunate to be in one of the Phillies’ suites… you can order a full size 18-inch pizza to be delivered by the suite staff.
The foundation of a Manco & Manco pizza is a thin and crispy crust.
A slice would definitely pass the “does the pizza slice stand out straight, or flop down” test that is a key criteria for Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy Pizza Reviews!
A signature aspect of a Manco & Manco pizza is the cheese is put right on top of the crust, and the pizza sauce is placed on top of the cheese.. in a swirling spiral pattern!
It makes for an attractive looking pizza, and if you are a fan of getting as much pizza sauce taste in each bite, as you would cheese… this method really makes the flavor “pop”.
I was at the game with 3 friends, and after I bought a round of beers earlier in the game, one of our buddies went down to wait in line… his turn to buy.
As one would expect on their first day of opening, the line was long and went on much longer than the provided roped waiting area.
Well actually, all of the Ashburn Alley eateries were very busy, but Manco & Manco was the busiest.
All that being said, the line moved very fast. Myself and the rest of our group caught up with our buddy Steve in line and waited with him… and yes there was steady and constant stream of people walking away with their pies.
I wish I had thought to look deeper into the kitchen area of the stand to see what their process was to move the pizzas out so fast!
Our initial order of one pie was quickly increased to 4 when we all decided to give it a try. Two plain cheese, and two pepperoni. With 4 guys in our group we took the “personal pizza” idea to heart.
Everything was going our way on Friday as we found a large table close by to sit at, right next to a television.
So let’s chat about my comment of “may be one of the better deals at the ballpark”
All three varieties of pizza are $13.99. Cheese, Pepperoni or Gluten-Free.
So that may sound like a lot for a personal pizza… but a 12-inch pizza is pretty good size. Maybe the equivalent of 2 and 1/2 slices?
And me and my buddies are also a pretty good size too, ha! And we found that we were completely full after eating. In fact, as I write this early Saturday morning… I am still full.
I think folks with a more petite appetite would be able to split one of these personal pizzas.
Plus the ingredients are fresh. And delicious.
We were so hungry by the time we got to our table to eat, that I missed getting a picture of the plain pizza! We just dove right in… one slice after another.
I spend most of my time at the beach in Wildwood but I am very familiar with Manco & Manco pizza… and I really enjoyed their ballpark version.
I think my tastes lean more now to the thinner crispy crust, and Manco & Manco have that on lock!
Slightly tangy sauce. Delicious and fresh cheese. mmmmmm
So my one friend who was eager to get in line is an Ocean City regular and he eats Manco & Manco pizza several times a year… he said the Phillies’ Ballpark version was as good as the Boardwalk version.
Minus the salty ocean air of course!
Links and Location
Manco & Manco Pizza Ballpark
Citizens Bank Park – Ashburn Alley
Philadelphia PA
Plus locations in Ocean City and Somers Point!
