Dough Company Wilkes-Barre

Let’s Start Giving Dough Co. the Recognition it Deserves!

When you try as many pizzas as I have over the years, certain pizzerias leave an impression on you. Don’t get me wrong, I have a very strange ability to instantly recall just about every pizza I’ve ever tried since I started eating pizza! Certain pizzerias have an aura about them that make you remember the experience. Others deliver the highest quality ingredients, some give an unbelievable customer experience, and some just blow your expectations away.

In the case of The Dough Company in Wilkes-Barre, I visited more than 5 years ago and this was one pizzeria that I thought exceeded my expectations and is quietly one of the most underrated pizzerias in the area. Why would I call it underrated? Because it has been in business since 1985 and is celebrating over 30 years in its location on Kidder Street and I never heard about it in all my years living in NEPA until a few readers recommended it to me and I gave it a try.

Why is Dough Company Underrated?

I’m not quite sure how the Dough Co flies under the radar in the broader sense of NEPA. There are many long-time mainstream pizzerias locally whose names just roll off people’s tongues. People frequently cite them when they speak about their favorite pizza jaunts, but why isn’t the Dough Company a mainstream mention?

They have a fantastic website and are quite active on social media. They have a ton of customer engagement programs and have provided exceptional and speedy service each time that I have visited. And they have a product that is equal to or better than some similar rival pizzas in the immediate area. Every time I have driven by or visited, the parking lot and dining room appear very full, so they must be doing some things right, by why doesn’t the Dough Company roll off the tongue with the likes of other long-time NEPA staples?

The Dough Company Sign displaying some of their rotating daily specials.

Inside Dough Co

Quite frankly, I’m not sure. It’s dining area is pretty unassuming, no neon lights or overtly historical appeal. It reminds me of a comfortable Italian diner full of friendly people. It’s a very clean and welcoming place good for families, small groups, or just to grab a bite on the go. The pizza is very good, which you can read about here or in my follow-up assessment below. And as far as the other menu items I’ve had, I can generally say that the portions are large, the prices are low, and the quality is high. What more can you ask for from a locally owned restaurant right here in our own community?! The fine people of Wilkes-Barre know it, but I submit that the rest of the 570 might want to consider jumping on board and trying this place out!

All About the Crust

The magnificenet light crispy crust of Dough Company Pizza!

As far as the pizza goes, the crust is really the all-star of the pizza. It’s light and crisp while still maintaining some of the properties of the “cracker crust” pizza that is popular in this area (see similar pizzas below rating scores). The cheese blend isn’t as sharp or dry as some of the aforementioned pizzerias which was another huge positive for me. The sauce had a certain savory sweetness to it without being too sugary, which is a big turn-off for me. I very much enjoyed this sauce because of it’s flavor, smooth consistency, and lack of acidity aftertaste. The first lady and first daughter of NEPA Pizza also spoke highly about the sauce and the whole pizza. Overall, I thought this was very good and a place we would travel the 40 minutes to eat at again.

So in summary, I’m not saying the Dough Company isn’t already popular, and isn’t highly successful – I’m saying that it should enjoy more broad appeal than it currently does! In other words, if I asked 10 people in Lackawanna County about the Dough Co, at least 5 should know what it is and what they serve!

Am I correct in my assessment or did I miss the mark? I’d love to hear your opinions on it in the comments below!