Serpico Pizza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Makes a Mean Pie

Outside of New York, I have found the greatest struggle is finding a decent pizza place. For those who prefer New York Style pizza, national chains like Papa John's, Dominoes or CiCi's just don't pass muster. A common problem I find in pizza is doughy crust, poor sauce and low quality cheese.

Imagine my pleasant surprise when I stumbled upon Serpico Pizza during a recent trip to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Located in a nearly empty shopping center near a Red Lobster, Serpico is easy to overlook. Had I not been told about the place, I don't think I ever would have found it on my own.

The dining area is fairly average and has ample seating. It is clear that the place didn't just open up, however, aside from regular wear and tear, it is far from dilapidated. Customer service is polite and professional and you won't be waiting an eternity for your slice of the pie. So the place is decent, you're probably wondering how the the pizza is.

Typically I have to instruct the pizzeria to burn the pizza. This is to avoid that doughy crust problem I run into frequently. Serpico didn't need that particular instruction, however. The crust came out flavorful and crispy. The cheese was higher quality than some of the chain places in that it tasted like cheese and less like someone melted a plastic bag atop a slice of Wonder Bread.

My only complaint during my meal at Serpico dealt with the mozzarella sticks. The side order of fried cheese seemed like the perfect complement to my two slice meal. I was soon disappointed in this choice after the first bite. While the cheese sticks appear to be of decent quality, the taste seemed to indicate that the oil they were fried in had previously fried fish. Most likely, fish sticks.

I am willing to attribute my disappointment in the mozzarella sticks to an accident which should not be used to judge the overall quality of establishment. After all, how many people are ordering fish sticks at a pizzeria? So, I can understand why the staff would make the rookie mistake of frying fish and cheese in the same oil.

Aside from the slightly fishy aftertaste of the mozzarella sticks, the rest of the experience was top notch. Serpico has the charm of a small family owned pizzeria. With scenes of New York on the walls and the stereotypical green and red color scheme, Serpico Pizza stands out as a throwback to the quality pizza places that you generally don't see opening these days.