Old Forge, Pa: Pizza capital of the world

[jsheridan]

I have sampled all the pizza of note in Northeast PA.  Old forge pizza is not what it was 15 years ago.  By that I mean the large pizza places actually located in Old Forge, PA.  Victory Pig sucks.  The best pizza up there right now done in the old forge style is alfredo's pizza in the south side shopping center, Scranton, or armetta's pizza in chinchilla.  These two pizza places really are better than anything I have had in New York or Chicago.  New york style pizza is also better there with Calabria pizza in dunmore really standing out.  Blow's the doors off of Ray's.  There is also a larger variety of pizza like products.  There is a place in green ridge, scranton, called brunetti's that makes pizza-like ham things, and potato mixed with the cheese on another.  Both are VERY good, and simple tasting.  The best pizza in NEPA in my opinion is a small shop called Gemma's that makes 30 different types of square thin crust pizza.  It is not old forge, nor is it New York or Chicago style.  Traditional family recipe.  Gotta love competition.  The chains have a hard time staying in business in scranton.  Ther is not a single SBARRO there.

[Nancy]

I grew up in Taylor (one town away from Old Forge) and think OF pizza is the BEST.  We actually make pizza runs every few months from the NJ shore for Revello's pizza.  That's our personal favorite, but it's all pretty good, IMHO.

I have some in the freezer right now.

[heyhey]

so i would like to say that i grew up in O.F. and i plan on never leaving i love it so much. i go to Temple now, and i crave pizza after a day of leaving.  it really is the best stuff ever.  my ideal lunch is to go to salernos and order a cut of red a cut of white and a salad w/ pizza cheese, and my day is complete. i have no clue what u ppl are talking about victory pig, but i dont know where or never heard of it b4 and it should not be mentioned with OF pizza.  u truly cannot say bad things until u try it. i know that there is someone from harrisburg that tried it, loved it, found the recipe, and moved to NC or SC and opened a place called jigsy's OF style pizza and it like the biggest hit ever down there.  OF is the only place where everyone the lives here absolutly loves there small town and everyone in it, and knows everyone, and its the only place i know where everyone is 100% italian or close to it so obvioulsy the food is great. thank you

[pitman]

I think the pizza at Victory Pig Pizza is excellent.  They used to be Victory Pig Sandwiches, then started selling pizza slices one night a week (cheese or onion only, and only by the slice).  People lined up around the block for them and they found they were making all their money on pizza night.  So what did they do?  Close the rest of the week.  Today, decades later, things aren't too much different.  You can get pepperoni pizza and occasionally some other ingredient, but hours are still restriced and the pizza is still excellent.

Someone stole the recipe and opened a rival store, Pizza Perfect, which has normal hours. 

[NEPAPizza]

Old Forge style pizza is one of the best, simply put!  I have lived in northeastern PA(NEPA) for about 25 years on and off. I have traveled far and wide (Paris-they fried an egg on top in the center) and have not found a better pie!  The sauce is awesome, but the cheese you will never forget.

In this area, you order by the tray.  A tray of red or a tray of white.  That's how the locals order it.  Simple and very similiar to oreder a cheesesteak from Philly.....wid or wid out (Cheez Wiz, of course).

I am new to this site, but love the level of detail.  For the true pizza lovers, visit NEPA, especially Old Forge.  When in Old Forge, try Salerno's, Revello's, Arcaro & Ginells, and Ghigarellis all within walking distance of each other.  And yes, on Friday's you will wait.  Out side of Old Forge, you can get great OF style pizza at bianco's in Wyoming, Savos in Wyoming.

There are also variations of old forge style that are more fried on the bottom..try Pizza Perfect, in Trucksville, PA as well as Tommy's Pizza in Kingston.   Also, while driving through the area, stop by Sabatinis for great thin crust pizza, with diced pepperoni-awesome!

I am in the process of finsihing a book on NEPA's pizza.  Pizza here is a right of passage!  Any questions or directions, I would be glad to provide!

[pizzaz62]

Hi everyone!

What a great site, un-believable. Well, get hold of this [areawise]- I too am a fan of this kind of pizza, I am practically made of this stuff. I used to have it at a place for 19 years till, inexplicably, it folded. The place was packed, the tables on the sidewalk sprawled all over come summertime.Only pizza,no forks, no plates no nothing. The pans were stacked seven feet high[swear to PizzaGod], ready to be topped and baked. The taste was just explosive, the bottom fried and crisp, the dough chewy, no distinct corniccione or puffiness at the edge.Pure sacrilege by today"s standards. The cheese was edam or gouda (greasy yes, excuse the pun). I used to eat two and a half pies at a sitting, my aunt used to cry looking at me eating all this and not getting any fatter . The place advertised its pizza as "canadian style pizza" and suddenly it closed down. Vanished, maybe a partnership went sour, que sabe? It was part of a chain called "Pizza Porto Fino"and it was in ... Athens,Greece. I too am in love of the todays holy grail puffy crust, erotic corniccione, obsene pizza bottom. But I am telling ya that pizza was something else. Never heard of it since until I run into a description from Dominick DeAngelis book and now at your awesome pizza chatting corner..."Canadian style pizza". Any Canadian out there to comment on?

[PizzaBrewer]

Old Forge pizza ~~ American cheese

[OldForgePizzaGurus]

Here we are, two Old Forge girls, born and raised, to solve your Old Forge Pizza Mystery.   

However, the only true answer to your question lies in a trip to Old Forge for a taste of the best pizza on the planet (outside of Italy).

Having moved to the great city of Philadelphia to pursue our careers, the next best thing to seeing our families is coming home for pizza. We've never been able to find a substitute for pizza made in one of the great OF restaurants. Even in the 5th largest city in the nation, there's not a single pizza that can top it!

The closest we have found---outside the Vatican. And, "Made to Travel OF Pizza", packed in dry ice and shipped to Philly! GO, EAGLES!

You're right-they are trays, not pies...cuts, not slices...and the cheese is a secret Old Forgers take the the grave!

Each sauce has a distinct flavor...aged perfectly like Grandma Annie at Revello’s! Our favorites are too numerous to mention.

But if you take the tour don't miss Revello's...where a salad with cheese is a great pizza accessory
Cafe Rinaldi's...where there is an amazing Risotto special.
Arcaro and Genells...where every OFHS grad proudly holds their celebration.
Mary Lou's...a take home favorite.
Salernos...where we've all had our very first dates and you are invited into the kitchen to pick up your pizza.
Ghigiarelli’s...where our parents and grandparents remember going for pizza and beer when was 15 cents per cut
Anthony's and Brutico's...which also offer a taste of fine dining.
Maxies...hidden off the Main Street but and excellent choice.
Talarico's...a lunchtime favorite.
And Rossi's Market...not just a supermarket, but a secret location of excellent OF pizza!

Respectfully Sibmitted,
Old Forge Pizza Gurus 

[chiguy]

 Hello, To the Old Forge Gang
 I was interested in all your comments about the pizza from old forge. The pizza looks very similar to  the style of pizza they make at Pompei Bakery in Chicago. The place was established in 1909 on Taylor St. in the Little Italy section on the city.  The pizza is rectangular/oblong but it is wrapped, they call them pizzicottos. They even come in specialy made oblong boxes!! I must say that although the popular opinion of Chicago pizza is that it's deepdish, there are many different types of pizza most people have never even tried. If anyone has the chance to visit this place i highly recommend it, if a stuffed square pizza is your thing. It is 3.0 miles from Downtown on Taylor.   Chiguy

[Irish Jimmy]

This topic is the reason that I joined this site. I lived in that region North East PA for 30 years, and have tried almost all of the pizzas mentioned. Old Forge pizza is the best pizza that I have ever eaten in my life. The cheese is absolutely incredible. And it is not at all greasy. Aside from traditional Red pizza my favorite is the Tomato and Garlic pie from Club 17 in Old Forge. I live in the mid west now and the only thing that I miss about NEPA is the pizza. Also someone mentioned Victory Pig Pizza this is an excelent pizza but it definitely not an OLd Forge style pizza it has created a style of its own, many copycats including Pizza Lovin'   Tommys Pizza,  and Pizza perfect. The Girls from Philly were pretty much right on with there review.

[Mahoney]

I had to marry my wife before my mother-in-law gave up her phenomenal lasagna recipe.  I think the folks in-the-know who could share some Old Forge recipes may be tougher.  Dough?  Pan?  Cheese? Sauce?  Anything??

[PizzaBrewer]

I had to marry my wife before my mother-in-law gave up her phenomenal lasagna recipe.  I think the folks in-the-know who could share some Old Forge recipes may be tougher.  Dough?  Pan?  Cheese? Sauce?  Anything??

Cheese:  American.   

[Perk]

This Old Forge pizza I read about it in a book recently, I kind of scratched my head,
because they used the same method I use to make what I call Fried pizza,

Peanut oil and a dash of salt in a pan,
I put regular toppings on it like pan pizza or should I say sicilian pizza and I don't do a top crust.

It was the hit of the superbowl, I mean people freaked so bad on those type of pizza's that
they told me to open up a pizzaria and they were serious!! 

I'm sorry the only way I put American Cheese on dough is to make a sandwitch.

[Mahoney]

Here is a link I found for an Old Forge white pizza recipe...

http://www.stephencooks.com/2005/10/old_forge_white.html

I haven't tried it yet, but the picture looks phenomenal.

[Mahoney]

Thanks for the link.  I've driven out there about 5 times now (and dragged my family too), and the thing that struck me the most is how different the pizza is at the different places.  I read about Old Forge pizza and expected minor tweaks between the different places there, but that isn't the case.  Some of it is great, and some is far from it.  Anyway, my favorite red (and my favorite overall) if Revello's.  The best white pizza I've tried is Arcaro & Genell's (my wife loves the white, but I'm not the biggest fan).  That said, there are still half a dozen of them I have not tried yet, including Ghigarelli's.

Both Revello's and Arcaro's are also just great Italian-American restaurants.  Revello's has phenomenal gnocchi, red sauce, and meatballs.  I was snooping around Arcaro's and saw empty Stanislaus Alta Cucina cans.

With Old Forge pizza, you have to tuck away any pizza snobbery.  The crust is average and the pizza is ugly.  That said, if Revello's was in my town and not 1 3/4 hours away, I'd be a very obese man.  An incredible sweet oniony sauce and a cheese mixture I can't figure out that sticks to the roof of your mouth - yum.  Plus I still have about 6 more places I want to try there.

And just to avoid any confusion, there is also a deep-fried PA style (i.e. Victory Pig) that is not the Old Forge style I have had.  I haven't tried that yet, but Old Forge pizza doesn't have a greasy crust.

[Scony99]

I grew up in West Scranton and some of my best memories were going to Old Forge for Pizza. Wether it was after a friday night football game or on a date.

To me, Salernos is the best with Arcos coming in a close second.

I moved away from home 20 years ago and make one visit home a year to see family and one of the first places we go is to Old forge for Pizza.

I have travled all over the United States an numerous countrys and I can honestly tell you there is no place like northeastern PA.

[PizzaBrewer]

Updated link to the Chowhound article:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/185565?user_name=&query=old+forge+pizza

[jessepi]

I also grew up in Northeast PA, about 20 minutes from Old Forge. I moved to Maryland for work and after about a year started longing for "good" pizza. That's how I ended up here. It seems all Maryland pizza is the same--thick crust, jarred sauce. In NEPA, every place has a unique taste. I think NY style dominates the area (and what I really miss), but Old Forge style is the unique claim to fame. When I explain Old Forge style pizza to Marylanders, I usually say that it should have it's own word. It's very different than most pizza. It's more "bready" and uses a mix of mild white American and Muenster cheeses. (or so I've heard, don't hold me to that.) There's often diced onions in the sauce.

I have to agree that Victory Pig sucks...way too bland and crispy. (sorry, just my opinion). My favorite Old Forge style pizza is Ferri's pizza. Ferri's was originally in Dunmore, but has since closed. At least one off-shoot Ferri's remains in the tiny town of Moscow (where I grew up) just outside of Scranton. It has a soft dough and cheese that sticks to your teeth when you eat it. I always get some when I visit my parents. One more thing about old forge style pizza...it tends to be expensive...easily $15-$20 per tray compared to $5-$10 for a NY style tray (they're all "trays" in NEPA). Maybe I'll get a picture next time I get some Ferri's pizza.

[Breezey]

I grew up in Moosic,Pa which is another town surounding Old Forge,and all of my life my father has been making Old Forge Pizza,First at Liberty before they closed down,and now for the longest time he and my boyfriend work for Augustine's(mentioned above) Olf Forge pizza is the best and this comming from someone who always had free pizzas comming home with dad from work...If he made any other kind of pizza I'm sure I would be sick of it by now  They also make some yummy Italian breads..Damn..Now I want some pizza 

[Bob_Y]

Moosic, if I remember correctly is a little north of Pittston, isn't it? I grew up in Wilkes-Barre, and have some ex-inlaws who live in Pittston. Of course, given the number of times I've been married I have ex-inlaws in a few different places. If I ever proposed to someone  again I'd probably have to ask her if she would like to be my next ex-wife.

I ordered a FedEx shipment from Augustine's. The Pizza was good. It actually cost less that the FedEx charges. I brought it in for people at work here at Fidelity in NH, and they loved it. I gave them the info on how to order.

You can get decent thin crust pizza if you go into the North End of Boston, but it still doesn't compare to the Old Forge Pizza.

If you ever get to Boston go to the North End, the best is the Pizzeria Regina, on Thacher Street. And don't even think of driving into the North End, especially in the summer, when there's a street festival almost every weekend (very enjoyable). It's now the Italian section of the city, seeped in the tradition of the old country. Very narrow roads, built along old cow paths. Originally it was the home of Patrick Henry, and the Old North Church is there, where they hung the lanterns telling how the British were coming. Park in Government Center and it's about a 5-10 minute walk.