Old Forge PA - "pizza capital of the world"

[Joe H]

Why is anyone surprised that there are places outside of New York, Trenton, Philly and Boston that have exceptional pizza? Old Forge is no different than Providence, Racine, Wisconsin, Dayton, OH or even St. Louis. For someone from who grew up in these towns their local pizza is something they never forget.

I started a thread on Chowhound with about forty places listed around the country that are world class including Arcaro and Genell's in Old Forge. Coincidentally they have a 2 X 3 foot clipping on the wall from USA Today proclaiming their white pizza one of America's best.

It is.

But Old Forge pizza has a unique taste just as twenty five miles down the road in Forty Fort you'll find Pizza Loven and the Victory Pig with their own unique taste. So does Imo's in St. Louis as well as several places in Dayton. Caserta's in Providence is great by any standard, certainly in league with De Lorenzo's which most New Yorkers have never heard of. Of course someone in Wilkes Barre has not heard of Grimaldi's, John's, Lombardy's and, when visiting Manhattan probably went to one of the many wrong Ray's.

If anyone on here travels through northeastern PA I suggest stopping and looking through the local yellow pages. My guess is that Old Forge along with Racine, Wisc. have more pizza joints per 100 of population than anywhere else in America.

White pizza at Arcaro and Genell's. Not the red. But understand that while the white is really delicious it is going to be different from what you probably expect. It has nothing in common with, say, Pepe's white clam pizza nor a white pizza n the baordwalk in Seaside Heights. Still, in it's own way, as USA Today noted, it is unique, locally famous and certainly "one of America's best pizzas."

[phaelon56]

Hey.... will one of you fine PA folks PM me when the Old Forge trip gets scheduled? It's only a two hour drive for me and I'd love to meet the bunch of you, not to mention that I love pizza and find driving all the way tp Philly or NY for a slice to be a bit impractical.

[herbacidal]

New York gets tons [of press coverage] as world media capital...

Um, I believe there's a little town called Mainz, Germany that has permanent rights to that title.

Huh???

You implying because the printing press was invented there, it has permanent rights to that title?

I would disagree.

Anyway, I'll PM you Owen when the time comes.

[rlibkind]

Made a detour through Old Forge en route from Philadelphia to Wyalusing to try the pizza. Based on web research it appeared a number of places did not open for lunch, so we went to Salerno's Cafe.

If I lived in Old Forge, I'd make Salerno's Cafe a regular lunch stop. Filling food, cheap. Friendly, happy barkeep who anticipated our needs, and Yuengling lager on tap. Talkative, friendly crowd at the bar.

Our tray of red was pretty much as advertised: the cheese tended to the liquid side, simple red sauce on an airy thick, rectangular slab of bread (think white bread foccacia).

I liked it for what it was, a simple, lowest-common-denominator pizza. Not at all unlike that served in my junior high school cafeteria, though of considerably higher quality.

That said, it shouldn't be confused with real pizza. (She Who Must Be Obeyed didn't care for it at all.) Should I find myself hungry on my way between Philadelphia and the Finger Lakes, a stop in Old Forge would be enjoyed. But it's not worth more than a two or three-mile detour.

[Rich Pawlak]

Bob, there are so many nuances to Old forge pizza. I think Salerno's version is a good one, but still to heavy a cut of pizza to me, as is nearby Revello's. I prefer the much lighter, crisper versions at Arcaro & Genell's (they should have been opne for lunch...) on Main St. as well as Maxie's, a mile or so north on Main at the Old Forge-Taylor, PA border. These versions are almost cracker crisp, made with a ncie short dough that actuallky has some flavor to it, with an oniony, chunky tomato sauce that, to me, is true Old Forge pizza.

[dmgood]

I work with a guy originally from Scranton and Old Forge style pizza is near and dear to his heart. There is a Harrisburg, PA area restaurant (Jigsy's) that does pizzas in the Old Forge style that he recommended. I've had it once.

Their crust might remind you a little bit of Pizza Hut pan crust (without the 1/4 inch of soaked in grease?!?) in that it is raised yet crunchy around the edges. Not really yeasty or glutenous, not chewy, or with that tug to it. The cheese is a soft, gooey American-style cheese. It is definitely different and was actually rather addicting while eating it (-- just *one more* slice!!) Oh, and it's not 'slices', its 'cuts', and you can get them 'par-baked' to take home and enjoy from your own oven.

The closest thing that it reminded me of was Nardone's pizza, which is available in our local grocery stores refrigerated in the dairy section. And coincidently, they are based in Wilkes Barre, PA, I believe. I don't know if Philly-area grocery stores carry Nardone's, but that would be a way to get an idea of what it's like without having to make the road trip.

[Rich Pawlak]

I work with a guy originally from Scranton and Old Forge style pizza is near and dear to his heart.  There is a Harrisburg, PA area restaurant (Jigsy's) that does pizzas in the Old Forge style that he recommended.  I've had it once. 

Their crust might remind you a little bit of Pizza Hut pan crust (without the 1/4 inch of soaked in grease?!?) in that it is raised yet crunchy around the edges. Not really yeasty or glutenous, not chewy, or with that tug to it.  The cheese is a soft, gooey American-style cheese.  It is definitely different and was actually rather addicting while eating it (-- just *one more* slice!!) Oh, and it's not 'slices', its 'cuts', and you can get them 'par-baked' to take home and enjoy from your own oven.

The closest thing that it reminded me of was Nardone's pizza, which is available in our local grocery stores refrigerated in the dairy section.  And coincidently, they are based in Wilkes Barre, PA, I believe.  I don't know if Philly-area grocery stores carry Nardone's, but that would be a way to get an idea of what it's like without having to make the road trip.

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Nardone's is based in Hazelton, PA, and I've seen the stuff in Wegmans, and even Shop-Rite, in the refrigerated section where you'd find pizza crusts, tortillas, etc. Heated up in the oven it's actually not too bad, but it doesnt really resemble true OF pizza; it's representative of what they call "pitz" in Hazelton, thicker and doughier, with much less cheese, but pretty decent if you're stuck for a taste of upstate pizza.

[pennbrew]

So when's the Pizza Club caravan coming up the turnpike?

[Rich Pawlak]

So when's the Pizza Club caravan coming up the turnpike?

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f ever there was justification for a road trip, Old Forge is it.

[EMcD]

Hi, delurking: I'm a former NJ gulleteer who just moved to Bucks, but I'm originally from outside Wilkes-Barre.

The highlight of my week last week: Spotting a box of "Mama Nardone's" in the deli section of Newtown Acme. It's probably the equivalent of injecting cholesterol straight into your arteries, but my God is it good for a late-night snack. Or when you have a hangover.

This ends one portion of our family's rule of not mentioning Nardone's, or Old Forge, or Pizza Perfect, unless you are within 20 minutes of eating it.

EMcD