–PHL17: Weekend Philler –By Tony Romeo –June 26, 2025
Santucci’s Cherry Hill Brings a Beloved Philly Classic to South Jersey—with a Family Feel
Cherry Hill just got a little more Philly flavor, thanks to the opening of a new Santucci’s franchise run by longtime friends and IASTE Local 8 union brothers, Steve Bombaro and John John Dingler. The duo, who’ve worked together for over 11 years, were looking for a new venture and instantly knew they’d found something special when they met the original Santucci’s owners.
“We fell in love with their product, their family, their nostalgia,” said Steve. “Their food is amazing. I’ve been eating it forever and I loved it. I love the sauce on top, the cheese on the bottom.”
Founded in 1959 on Oak Street in Philadelphia, Santucci’s is famous for its square pies with cheese underneath the sauce. Cherry Hill marks one of the brand’s latest expansions into New Jersey, and Steve and John made sure they did it right.
“When we found out they were going to come to New Jersey for franchises, we sat down and told them the different locations we were considering. Cherry Hill was perfect,” said John.
The new restaurant features a spacious layout, complete with a private dining room for parties and business events, an outdoor patio, and a large kitchen. But it’s not just about the space—it’s the menu that keeps people coming back.
The Cherry Hill location offers all the Santucci staples, from the signature square pies to strombolis, cheesesteaks, and a standout short rib gravy fries dish. “Not a lot of places have short ribs on the menu,” said Steve. “Ours are fresh—and everything is made to order.”
That attention to quality extends to every part of the operation. “We hand-bread our chicken cutlets and tenders from fresh chicken breast. No frozen shortcuts here,” said John. “Even our wings are twice-cooked—baked first, then fried—for that perfect crisp.”
“We trained for six months at other locations,” Steve noted. “We wanted to make sure everything—recipes, prep, even the vibe—matched the original.”vTheir motto says it all: “Hip to be square.” And with food this good, South Jersey is ready to embrace it.
John is a Philly native and Steve is from Berlin, NJ, two towns over from Cherry Hill. When I met John it was like I knew him my whole life and Steve, I actually have. Steve and I go way back and he has always been a “success machine.” When we met as kids, he was an All State athlete, youth coach and probably had his first business by the time he was 20. These are two guys it’s just really easy to root for. When this spot aired on Weekend Philler we had a little watch party and did just that…
For locals craving a taste of Philly tradition—or newcomers curious about what makes a square pie so special—at Santucci’s Cherry Hill, here is some useful info. Swing by, grab a signature square pie, see why it’s hip to be square in South Jersey and tell ’em Weekend Philler sent ya!
My favorite part of my first trip to Santucci’s Cherry Hill was of course, the BLOOPERS! haha. But I have been back a dozen times since and have many more recommendations.
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📋 Menu: View the full Cherry Hill menu here
