A pizza shop that anchored a corner of North Arlington for decades has a new identity. Penelope's Pizzeria & Sports Bar is opening at 25 Schuyler Ave., taking over the space long occupied by Arlington Pizza, which closed earlier this year, and the new operation is bringing weekend DJs, late-night hours, and a sports-bar atmosphere to the same storefront.
According to NJ.com, Penelope's will offer signature pizza and wings alongside beer and specialized cocktails, with sports broadcasts on screens throughout the venue and DJs performing on weekends. The report notes the new restaurant and bar is set to begin its operating schedule on Monday. Per the same account, Mayor Daniel H. Pronti is scheduled to attend the opening and participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site.
The address carries a long history in North Arlington's food scene. Arlington Pizza was originally established by Joseph Faga in 1974 in the Newton area before relocating to North Arlington in February 1985, according to SinglePlatform. The shop later operated at the address before its closure earlier this year.
What's on the Menu at Penelope's
Penelope's is positioning itself as more than a straightforward pizzeria. Its menu highlights specialty items such as Grandma Pizza, Lobster Ravioli, Truffle Mac, and Broccoli Rabe & Sausage. The combination of full-service dining, sports broadcasting, and weekend DJ entertainment is part of Penelope's format.
Operating hours will run from 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, per Penelope's own posted schedule, with the later weekend hours geared toward sports viewing and evening crowds. The NJ.com report similarly described the Friday and Saturday close time as 2 a.m., framing the new operation as a late-night option.
A Mayor With a Renaissance Agenda
Mayor Pronti's presence at the ribbon-cutting reflects North Arlington's civic leadership. The Borough of North Arlington identifies Daniel H. Pronti as mayor and provides his official contact information.
North Arlington's commercial storefronts provide broader context for the new restaurant. Grand-opening ceremonies are one way municipalities promote new commercial ventures. North Arlington is a borough in Bergen County.
Part of a Wider Bergen County Dining Wave
Penelope's arrival adds to a run of restaurant activity across southern Bergen County this month. TFS Burger Works opened a new location in nearby Rutherford, as Hoodline previously reported, and the region has also seen recent restaurant openings in neighboring municipalities.
North Arlington is also served by the Passaic Valley Water Commission, which was sued in federal court this month over uncontained open-air reservoirs, according to Hoodline's earlier coverage of that federal lawsuit. Federal and state regulators filed the suit to compel compliance with drinking water safety standards. The article also discusses the borough's commercial storefronts in connection with local development.
