One of the great traditions in Northeastern Pennsylvania is to enjoy a “tray” of pizza from one of numerous establishments up and down the valley. I simply love NEPA with the number of choices available for the palate! Whether you like more cheese than sauce, more sauce than cheese, a more balanced approach, a thick crust, a thin one or a crunchy one, there’s something for everyone. The sky’s the limit (or close to it) with options that are either available for purchase or a new flavor yet to be unearthed. Understand it’s not as simple as it sounds – cheese, sauce, crust and toppings. There are a range of variables, and while a majority are covered within the region, award-winning flavors beyond NEPA prove there’s more pizza to be discovered.
I write this post from the focal point of our pizza region, Old Forge. In fact, I crave a slice, even though my belly is full. I contend the pizza industry in NEPA has never been as strong as it is today. Hopefully ingenuity and passion will continue to boost fame for pizza locally.
Just in the last few years, some notorious people, including Dr. Mehmet Oz and former President Donald J. Trump, have stopped by for a slice or more. And while there’s a rivalry between Scranton and Old Forge as to who’s the best – Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports and pizza aficionado, made this clear when he visited pizza businesses in our area in 2019 and 2020 – some of the best pizza in NEPA goes well beyond these two towns.
While it’s exceptionally difficult to say who’s the best pizza in our region, we’ve identified the ten finalists for that honor. We’d love to know your thoughts. Who does your favorite pizza restaurant happen to be? Did we miss anyone on our list? Please let us know by commenting below.
Top 10 Pizza Parlors (listed in no particular order):
Mary Lou’s Pizza (the best pizza in Old Forge? the new Revello’s Pizza?)
Pizza L’Oven (crunchy crust and make sure to get it with onions)
Colarusso’s Coal Fire Pizza (if you relish pizza from the Campania region of Italia, you won’t be disappointed)
Angelo’s Pizza (this sweet sauce pizza ranks high)
Pizza Perfect (a baked and fried Sicilian – yummy)
Maroni’s Pizza (new owner, same great taste)
Sabatini’s Pizza (thin crust, outstanding sweet sauce)
Germana’s Pizzeria (top destination in the northern tier counties?)
Rosario’s (the best vodka pizza in the area)
A Little Pizza Heaven (the Italian Stallion is quite savory)
Our favorite local pizza street/destination isn’t Main Avenue, Old Forge (though we have a satellite office there), but “pizza row” on Wyoming Avenue in Exeter. We challenge anyone to find three pizza restaurants on the same street within close proximity that are this good – Mariano’s La Puccia, Pizza L’Oven and Sabatini’s Pizza.
Honorable Mentions:
For more pizza reviews, make sure to check out NEPA Pizza Review.