North of Boston Media Group set out to find our reader’s favorite pizza to eat at the beach.
While beach pizza is known for its thin crust and square shape, the pizza that came out on top of our contest is actually not beach pizza, but rather bakery-style pizza served at the beach.
Tripoli Pizza, at Salisbury and Seabrook beach, overwhelmingly took the top honor with 82% of the vote over Cristy’s Pizza, at Salisbury and Hampton Beach. People of all ages participated, from 27 to 95.
Fourth generation Tripoli family members and Tripoli owners Matt and Andrew Zappala said their signature sweet sauce evolved over time since it was first created in the Lawrence bakery in 1944 by their grandfather, Angelo Zappala, and then opened in Salisbury the following year.
“Our community was the heart and soul of the beginning of pizza here,” Andrew Zappala said.
Andrew Zappala credited Rosario Macarone, who was hired earlier on as manager of the Salisbury spot, for setting up the foundation for the pizza’s legacy with the Zappala family. They set a standard of what was expected and made Tripoli Pizza a nurturing environment to teach its workers and treat them like family when making the pizza that continues today.
What makes a Tripoli’s pizza slice is the crunch from the thin crust coupled with its sweet tomato sauce sprinkled with its cheese blend. An extra slice of provolone thrown on the top has been a staple for customers.
It’s pizza made the old-fashion way, with fresh dough mixed and rolled throughout the day and sauce prepared daily.
Matt Zappala said teamwork, a standard of consistency and the pizza’s simple, but quality taste and ingredients have built a loyal following with people flocking to five locations to grab a slice, or usually a box of eight.
The brothers have witnessed firsthand what their family’s pizza has meant to people. Customers come up to them and tell them about fond memories of eating their pizza with their own families, especially ordering from the Salisbury window front in the heart of the beach.
Andrew Zappala said it’s fulfilling to hear all the stories, including people moving away and Tripoli Pizza becoming an important stop back whenever they return to New England.
“It’s a treasure every day to do business, share traditions and have our customers do the same with us,” Andrew Zappala said. “People can go anywhere but still come to us. We don’t take that for granted.”