One of the most recognizable names in pizza made a surprise stop in Morris County this week. Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports and the internet’s most-watched pizza reviewer, dropped by Famiglia Pizzeria Modern Italian Kitchen in Parsippany on Wednesday, June 10.
Famiglia is one of the area’s newest spots, having opened in the Troy Hills shopping center at 1125 Route 46 back in October 2025. Owner Jonathan Rodriguez shared the moment on the restaurant’s Instagram, calling it “a day we won’t forget” and thanking Portnoy for stopping by.
Portnoy spent about half an hour at the restaurant, touring the kitchen and sampling the menu. Along with the pizza, he tried the zeppoles, the pillowy fried dough that has quickly become a Famiglia favorite. Rodriguez believes a recent Instagram post that went viral may have put the shop on Portnoy’s radar.
The visit is already paying off. In a follow-up post, the team said the “Dave Portnoy effect” is real, noting they have been slammed with new customers since the stop.
Famiglia Pizzeria is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. You can find the full menu and place an order at famigliapizzeriamodernitaliankitchen.com, or stop in to try the bar pie that caught a pizza critic’s eye.
