Like many of the Jersey Shore boardwalk pizzerias, Prep's Pizza & Dairy Bar is a family affair. Opened in 1965 by Joseph and Catherine Reuben, the pizzeria, whose mascot is a pizza-twirling, cone-toting dinosaur, is run by the couple's grandchildren now.
True to most boardwalk-style pizza, the pies are sauced in a swirl pattern (though, no, it's not really apparent on the slice pictured above).
I wanted to love Prep's, since I found it referenced online as a sort of unsung hero of Ocean City boardwalk pizza, but I much preferred the Manco & Manco slice I tried just minutes before and steps away. Don't get me wrong, Prep's is solid, but, to me, it didn't really summon me to scarf a second slice the way I wanted to at Manco.
The crust is crisp on the bottom though a little more tender at the edge than at boardwalk competitor Manco & Manco. The sauce leaves a little to be desired. It's not as tangy as Manco's. The cheese is abundant though not overdone. It's a good, creamy mozzarella—no white cheddar mixed in (like at Manco), which may come as a relief to folks who don't like that sort of thing—or a disappointment to those who do.
Prep's Pizzeria & Dairy Bar
1004 Boardwalk, Ocean City NJ 08226 (near East 10th Street; map)
609-398-0636; prepspizzeria.com
About the author: Adam Kuban is the founder of Slice. You can follow him as @akuban on Twitter.