Gara’s Pizza, located in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, has been seized by the New Jersey Division of Taxation for unpaid taxes totally nearly $180,000, according to news reports. Gara’s is the second pizzeria to face closure for that reason in 2025.
But owner Christopher Gara has vowed to reopen his 19-year-old restaurant.
Media outlets have reported that a notice of seizure remains posted on the door at Gara’s Pizza. Meanwhile, Gara published a November 30 statement on the pizzeria’s Facebook page without mentioning the tax problem specifically:
“Over the past 5 years, many of you have felt the impact of inflation through rising food prices and the cost of living. Family businesses, like us, have felt the impact as well. That being said, we know that there’s a lot of questions regarding our sudden closure. We have experienced some minor setbacks recently, and we are doing everything in our power to reopen as soon as possible. Thank you to our loyal customers who have been with us for the last 19 years. We see and appreciate the kind words and support from you all. We are hoping to get back to serving customers soon.”
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On November 19, a post on the pizzeria’s Facebook page announced its “emergency closure…due to unforeseen circumstances.” It’s unclear whether that announcement pertained to the tax issue, but no other posts appeared on the platform until the above-mentioned post on November 30.
Tap into Phillipsburg reports that a judgment for the New Jersey Division of Taxation seeks $179,040.11 in back taxes from Gara’s Pizza. It was issued on August 7, 2025, in Mercer County. Other judgments against Gara’s Pizza date back to 2009, that website asserts, but all past cases were reportedly either resolved or marked off as uncollectible.
Seizure for unpaid taxes doesn’t necessarily mean Gara’s Pizza will close for good. In March 2025, the state of New Jersey also seized DeLorenzo’s Pizza, owned by Rick DeLorenzo, in Hamilton, New Jersey. Rick DeLorenzo launched a controversial GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his tax bill and ended up garnering more than $14,000. DeLorenzo’s Pizza reopened in April after settling the debt.
However, the GoFundMe campaign reportedly didn’t sit well with some locals. That story took a couple of twists and turns—for example, the lease on the pizzeria’s building was taken over by a cannabis dispensary last summer, with plans to share the space with DeLorenzo’s Pizza. Since then, Rick DeLorenzo’s nephew, Tyler DeLorenzo, has taken over the pizzeria and rebranded it as DeLorenzo’s The Burg. But the latter said his uncle would no longer work in the business due to concerns from the landlord, lawyers and accountants.
DeLorenzo’s Pizza was reportedly looking to raise something like $20,000 for its back taxes—a far cry from the $179,040 apparently owed by Gara’s Pizza. But Christopher Gara told Lehigh Valley Live that his company has worked with state auditors to the best of his ability. He also questioned that figure in a statement to Lehigh Valley Live. “We don’t think that we owe anywhere near as much as is proposed by the Division,” he is quoted as saying.
