New Jersey is serious about food. From one end of the state to the other, you can sample foods from all over the world, but these cuisines live in the shadow of the foods local New Jerseyians grew up with. Whether it be classic diner dishes, bagels, or Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches, everyone has their favorite place to go. New Jersey also has a ferocious love for the pizza slice. Every town has its local pizzerias, and every pizzeria has its own unique dough recipe, personality, and style of pizza making. The new Corner Slice Pizzeria, located at 419 Boyden Avenue in Maplewood, is quickly becoming a local favorite because of its love of community and commitment to only the best ingredients. Read more about Corner Slice, its owner Mike Bergemann, and the journey that landed him in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Corner Slice’s Origin Story

Corner Slice, located at 419 Boyden Avenue, Maplewood, is owned by Mike Bergemann and his partner, David Poran. Mike’s path to pizza making is not a straight line, but it is enjoyable and inspiring.

Mike is originally from Mahwah, and like many people from New Jersey, he is proud of his roots. After high school, he went to college in Philadelphia and quickly realized that University life was not for him. He instead pursued his love of music and worked in construction. One of Mike’s first jobs was building a farmers’ market. He eventually made his way out to Portland, Oregon, to continue to pursue music.

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For work, Mike took a job as a dishwasher in an Italian restaurant, which led to a job working at Ken’s Artisan Bakery. Mike and the owner, Ken Forkish, had an immediate bond, as they are both Jersey boys and enjoyed talking about their love of pizza. Here, Mike was taught artisan baking skills and learned to focus on quality rather than quantity in ingredients and products. Here, his love of cooking blossomed.

Eventually, Mike moved back to the East Coast with a childhood friend in Brooklyn. He worked in restaurants and began building restaurants, ultimately working with Ivan Orkin of Ivan Ramen in New York City. Mike helped Ivan build his restaurant at 25 Clinton Street and cooked for him.

Mike also had the opportunity to travel to Japan. It is here that he realized the cultural similarities between ramen and pizza. The flavors and recipes of both cuisines reflect the personality of the chef. Both are inexpensive street foods located at train stations, near Universities, business districts, and local neighborhoods. The food is simple and satisfying, and everyone has their favorite spot. Mike had a realization. His lifetime love of pizza, cooking, and creating restaurant spaces would lead to having his own space to make his version of the pizza slice.

 

In March 2017, Mike opened Corner Slice in Gotham West Market at 45th Street and 11th Avenue in New York. Mike perfected his craft of the square pizza and gathered a strong following of adamant pizza lovers. When COVID hit, the atmosphere changed. Even though the restaurant was doing well with delivery, everything felt different. He and his wife had just moved to Morris County, and Mike liked the food vibe growing in New Jersey. Coincidently, he saw an Instagram post for an available restaurant space for lease in Maplewood. He looked at it the next day and signed the lease shortly after. Mike then closed Corner Slice in New York and moved it to his home state.

Corner Slice is an enduring representation of Mike’s Journey. Everything in the restaurant has a story or a reason that lends itself to an inviting community. The space is genuine and nostalgic, but not formulated. Mike’s favorite old-school pizza spots and their deeply rooted history influence the square pizza slices he serves. There is even a large pizza sign in the restaurant that came from the Fire Place Restaurant in Paramus, a favorite pizza spot of Mike’s growing up, which has since closed.

Mike’s pizza dough is as unique and thoughtful as each slice served. On the menu, customers can find various types of New York square pies — ranging from plain and pepperoni to vodka and Buffalo. The unique toppings include options like house sausage, shaved red onion, garlic confit, fresh jalapeño, and Calabrian chili bomba (hot pepper sauce). The White Pie was definitely one of our favorites.

Stop by to enjoy a corner slice and, more importantly, the community.

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