Beloved Hoboken Pizzeria Owner ‘Benny Tudino’ Passes Away at 78

As we reported on social media yesterday, the owner of Hoboken staple Benny Tudino’s has passed away. He was 78.

Born in Albania, Bari Drishti moved to New York and found work at Mamma Leone’s in Manhattan. He took over “Tudino’s” pizzeria at 622 Washington Street in 1968. From there, a Hoboken institution took root.

Writer Jack Silbert sat down with ‘Benny’ back in 2013, writing a fantastic piece for The Hudson Reporter, which highlighted the pizzeria’s 45th anniversary.

The food at Benny Tudino’s is as celebrated as the owner himself. Known for massive slices, the pizzeria has been cited as “The Best in NJ,” serving the likes of Frank Sinatra, Joe Biden, and thousands upon thousands of Hobokenites and visitors alike.

Memorial booth set up at Benny Tudino’s

Vice President Joe Biden grabs a slice from Benny Tudino’s after touring Hoboken in the wake of Superstorm Sandy (NJ.com/Star-Ledger photo—2012).