Fire Closes Popular Mahwah Pizza Restaurant: See Message For Customers

MAHWAH, NJ — A popular Mahwah pizza restaurant has closed "for an extended period" after a fire early Thursday morning.

"It is with a very heavy heart that we must report a significant fire that occurred at Novino in the early morning," said the owners of the eatery on Ramapo Valley Road/Route 202, near the New York border.

The family-owned Novino Ristorante serves up everything from wood-fired pizza to Italian favorites such as shrimp scampi and pasta with Sunday gravy.

Firefighters said they responded to the blaze at around 4:15 a.m.

"Minutes later, chiefs arrived to find a fire in the rear of the restaurant," said Mahwah Fire Company No. 2. "A working fire was dispatched bringing the remaining township fire companies to the scene along with multiple mutual aid towns. We cannot stress the importance of working smoke detectors and fire alarms."

Rescue 1 added, "Firefighters operated on scene for approximately 90 minutes holding the fire to the kitchen area."

The owners of the restaurant said in a statement, “Due to the seriousness of the fire, all operations were affected and Novino will be closed for an extended period. We will keep you informed through social media as we begin our recovery and rebuilding process."

Customers posted supportive messages on social media and expressed gratitude that no one was hurt.

The restaurant later followed up with a post saying, "The overwhelming response and outpouring of support that we have been receiving is inspiring, encouraging, and genuine. Each and every kindness and heartfelt message means so much to us."

They expressed gratitude to firefighters and other responders, including from Mahwah, Ramsey, Suffern, and Tallman.

Late Thursday, they started a GoFundMe for the support staff. It can be found here.