Our region's most colorful restaurateur is expanding his culinary empire down the shore. Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, whose South Philadelphia cheesesteak shop has become a local sensation, is opening two new locations this spring and summer — including a pizza-and-sandwich spot on the Wildwood Boardwalk.
The Wildwood location will take over Joe's Pizzeria at the Boardwalk and Magnolia Avenue, with an anticipated opening shortly before Memorial Day. Unlike the original Skinny Joey's, this shore location will serve both the signature cheesesteaks and a curated pizza menu, according to Merlino's business partner Joe "Lil' Snuff" Perri.
"It'll be the same core menu as Skinny Joey's," Perri explained, while promising a "tight" pizza selection. Shore-goers can expect plain cheese, white pizza, grandma pie, and two specialty options: the Lil' Snuff special topped with chicken and hot honey, and the Skinny Joey special — "basically a cheesesteak on a pizza: Cooper sharp and cherry peppers."
The Wildwood restaurant is already gearing up for the summer season, with a job fair scheduled for Saturday, May 9 at 2812 Boardwalk. For local residents looking for seasonal work, this could be an opportunity to join what's become one of Philadelphia's buzziest food ventures.
But Merlino isn't stopping at the shore. A third Skinny Joey's location is planned for Delaware County, taking over the former Don's Deli space at 1509 Meetinghouse Rd. in Boothwyn. This sandwich-only shop is expected to open around June, Perri said.
The expansion comes just a year after Merlino, 64, opened his first cheesesteak shop on South Broad Street near Citizens Bank Park. The venture has proven remarkably successful, with Perri reporting the shop sells an average of 1,200 sandwiches daily. "We've really made a mark," he said. "For years, people coming to Philly talked about the usual spots like Pat's and Geno's. Now we're part of that conversation."
Merlino's transformation from Philadelphia's perhaps best-known alleged organized crime figure to legitimate businessman and social media personality represents a remarkable second act. It's been nearly five years since he completed supervised release following a federal gambling case — the final chapter in decades of law-enforcement scrutiny and allegations that he led a faction of the Philadelphia Mafia during the violent 1990s.
Today, rather than maintaining a low profile, Merlino has embraced public life as a YouTube personality and podcaster, cultivating an image that blends neighborhood celebrity with entrepreneurial ambition. He was unavailable for comment on the latest expansion plans.
For Wildwood visitors planning their summer shore trips, the new Skinny Joey's promises to add another dining option to the iconic boardwalk — one with a distinctly Philadelphia pedigree and a backstory unlike any other restaurant at the Jersey Shore.
