Restaurant in Westmont, United States
Coal-fired, ranked, worth the detour.
Ranked #28 on the 50 Top Pizza USA 2025 list, Bricco Coal Fired Pizza in Westmont delivers Old World, New York-style pies from a 1,000-degree coal-fired oven with long-proofed dough and Adriatic tomatoes. Easy to book and suited to solo diners, groups, and serious pizza enthusiasts alike, it is the most credentialed pizza destination in South Jersey.
If you are looking for a focused, no-fuss pizza destination in South Jersey that punches well above its neighbourhood footprint, Bricco Coal Fired Pizza on Haddon Avenue is the right call. Ranked #28 on the 50 Leading Pizza USA 2025 list, it has the credential to back up the reputation. Book it for a casual weeknight dinner when you want serious pizza technique without a formal dining commitment, or bring a group on the weekend when coal-fired pies are exactly the occasion. Booking is easy, which makes it a dependable pick compared to the long waits at destination pizza spots in Philadelphia proper.
The draw here is the oven: a coal-fired unit that reaches 1,000 degrees, producing the kind of thin, char-spotted crust that defines Old World, New York-style pizza. The dough is long-proofed, which gives the crust a depth of flavour and chew that a same-day dough simply cannot replicate. Adriatic tomatoes on the sauce reinforce the approach: this is a kitchen that thinks about sourcing at the ingredient level, not just the technique level. Visually, the pies arrive with leopard-spotted char on the cornicione, a clear signal of what the oven is doing. If you have eaten at coal-fired pizza spots in New York, you will recognise the style immediately. If you have not, Bricco is a strong introduction to why coal-fired baking produces a materially different result than wood-fired or deck-oven alternatives.
The leading time to come is a weekday evening, when the room is more relaxed and you can take your time without the weekend rush. If you are driving from Philadelphia or Camden, Haddon Township is a short trip west, and street parking on Haddon Avenue is generally available on weeknights. On weekends, arrive early to avoid a wait, as the ranking on 50 Leading Pizza USA 2025 has brought Bricco more visibility beyond its immediate neighbourhood.
For solo diners or pairs who want to engage more directly with the operation, ask about counter or bar seating when you arrive. Watching a coal-fired oven work at close range is genuinely informative for anyone interested in pizza technique: the heat differential, the speed of the bake, and the way the crust bubbles and chars in real time are all easier to observe from a closer vantage point. Counter seating at a pizza-focused room also tends to move at a better pace than table service, which suits a solo diner who wants a single pie and a drink without the formality of a full table turn. For a food enthusiast visiting specifically to understand what makes the 50 Leading Pizza ranking credible, counter or bar seating is the better call over a corner table.
Bricco works leading as a destination in its own right rather than a stop on a larger dining itinerary. It is the kind of place that rewards a deliberate visit: come hungry, order more than you think you need, and pay attention to the crust. If you are building a South Jersey dining trip, pair it with a look at our full Westmont restaurants guide to see what else the area offers. For context on where to stay nearby, our Westmont hotels guide covers the options, and our Westmont bars guide can point you toward a pre- or post-dinner drink. If you are interested in what else the region offers beyond dining, our Westmont experiences guide and wineries guide are worth a look.
For travellers who have been working through the 50 Leading Pizza USA list, Bricco at #28 sits in a tier of regional institutions that deliver consistent technique without the hype premium of a New York City address. Compared to flying into Manhattan for a coal-fired slice at a higher price point, Bricco offers the same foundational approach at a South Jersey neighbourhood cost structure. That gap is meaningful if pizza quality is your primary objective rather than the social experience of a famous room.
Yes, if coal-fired, Old World-style pizza is what you are after in the South Jersey area. The 50 Leading Pizza USA 2025 ranking at #28 is a verifiable quality signal, and the coal-fired technique at 1,000 degrees is not something every regional pizza spot can credibly claim. Booking is direct, the occasion flexibility is high (solo, date, group, family all work), and the price point is expected to be in the casual dining range consistent with the neighbourhood and format. If you are in Philadelphia and debating whether the cross-river trip is worth it, the national ranking answers that question clearly enough.
For broader context on acclaimed American dining, Pearl also covers Le Bernardin in New York City, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Smyth in Chicago, Providence in Los Angeles, Addison in San Diego, Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, The French Laundry in Napa, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, The Inn at Little Washington, Emeril's in New Orleans, Atomix in New York City, and Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico.
The pizza here is made in an Old World, New York style with a long-proofed dough baked in a 1,000-degree coal-fired oven. The crust will have visible char; that is intentional and desirable, not a flaw. Ranked #28 on the 50 Leading Pizza USA 2025 list, Bricco carries a nationally recognised credential, so expectations should be calibrated to a serious pizza operation rather than a casual neighbourhood chain. Arrive with an appetite and order at least one full pie per person.
Bar or counter seating availability is not confirmed in available data, so call ahead to check options. If counter seating is available, it is the recommended choice for solo diners and food enthusiasts who want a closer view of the coal-fired oven in operation. Counter seats at pizza-focused spots typically turn faster, which suits a solo visit better than a large table allocation.
Yes. A coal-fired pizza operation is well suited to solo dining: a single pie is a complete meal, the format is casual, and there is no implicit pressure to order across multiple courses. If counter or bar seating is available, take it. For a solo food enthusiast working through notable pizza spots on the East Coast, Bricco's 50 Leading Pizza USA 2025 ranking makes it a worthwhile deliberate stop rather than a fallback option.
Bricco is the most nationally recognised pizza destination in the Westmont and Haddon Township area based on available rankings data. For broader South Jersey dining alternatives across cuisines, our Westmont restaurants guide covers the current options. If you are willing to cross into Philadelphia, the city has a wider range of pizza styles, but for coal-fired specifically, Bricco's #28 national ranking is difficult to match locally without a longer drive.
It depends on what the occasion calls for. Bricco is the right choice if the celebration is food-focused and the group appreciates craft pizza rather than a formal multi-course format. The 50 Leading Pizza USA 2025 ranking gives it enough cachet to frame as a deliberate destination rather than a casual dinner. For a birthday or anniversary where a serious tasting menu matters more than pizza, look at options in Philadelphia or consult our Westmont restaurants guide for alternatives. For a pizza-centric celebration with a group, Bricco is a strong answer.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricco Coal Fired Pizza | Bricco Coal Fired Pizza serves Old World, New York-style pizza with a thin, char-spotted crust, baked in a 1,000-degree coal-fired oven. The dough is long-proofed and topped with ingredients like Adriatic tomatoes. Ranked #28 on the 50 Top Pizza USA 2025 list, it is a celebrated South Jersey institution. | Easy | — | |
| Le Bernardin | French, Seafood | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Lazy Bear | Progressive American, Contemporary | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Atomix | Modern Korean, Korean | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Atelier Crenn | Modern French, Contemporary | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Benu | French - Chinese, Asian | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Westmont for this tier.
Go in knowing this is a pizza-focused operation built around a coal-fired oven that reaches 1,000 degrees, producing thin, char-spotted crusts in the Old World, New York style. The #28 ranking on 50 Top Pizza USA 2025 is the credible shorthand for quality here. Order a classic pie and let the crust do the talking rather than overloading on toppings.
Bar or counter seating is available at Bricco — ask when you arrive rather than assuming a table is the only option. It is a practical choice for solo diners or pairs who want a faster, lower-pressure visit and a closer view of how a coal-fired kitchen operates.
Yes. Counter or bar seating makes solo visits comfortable, and a single pizza is a complete meal here rather than a shared-plates situation that benefits from a larger group. The #28 50 Top Pizza USA 2025 ranking means the food quality holds regardless of party size.
If you want coal-fired pizza with a verified national ranking, Bricco at 128 Haddon Ave is the reference point for the South Jersey area. For Philadelphia-side alternatives, the city's wood-fired and coal-fired pizza scene offers options across the river, though none currently hold a higher 50 Top Pizza USA position in this immediate region.
It works well for a casual celebration where great pizza is the point — a birthday dinner with friends, for example. It is not a tasting-menu or fine-dining format, so if the occasion calls for tableside service and a lengthy multi-course structure, look elsewhere. For a relaxed, food-first night anchored by a nationally ranked pizza, it delivers.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
