Senape's Tavern Pitza - Hazleton

Senape’s Tavern in Hazleton is a historic bar and pizzera that is among the most historic in NEPA. This review is more than 10 years old and I have every intention of returning to try the square pizza with scamutz and another with Romano cheese in the near future. WVIA TV recently featured Senape’s Tavern Pitza in their local pizza documentary!

On a trip to Hazleton over a decade ago I called Senape’s to grab a takeout small pie. There was so much excitement because I have heard of from numerous readers’ emails that these places were among the best and I finally was getting a chance to try them out! So I when I called Senape’s, I ordered a small round pizza, which I found out on twitter before picking the pizza up that I was supposed to pick up a “pitza” which apparently is a whole different pizza with scamutz or romano cheese. I wish I slowed down among the excitement and ordered the square pitza with scamutz, but the round pizza with romano is what I ordered and that is what I will review!

Driving up to the place, I got a little lost as my GPS took me to Senape’s bakery which is just around the block. However, I found it with little trouble as the Senape’s Tavern sign greeted me. I jumped out of the pizza mobile and headed in to check the place out. It is a small and modest tavern with about 8-10 bar stools and just a couple of tables. It was definitely a comfortable place for locals to relax and have a meal and a drink. I wouldn’t take a date there, but if I lived in Hazleton, this is a place I’d chill out with a couple of friends. One thing was certain, everyone was really friendly including the guests, and my pizza was ready well before the 30 minutes that I was told on the phone.

I exited the building and placed the pizza in my car and immediately filled the vehicle with the pungent aroma of romano cheese. From the top, the pizza looked like it was cooked perfectly, but when I picked it up the bottom a bit undercooked. The sauce was of the sweeter pasty variety that you find in Luzerne County. It reminded me of the Grotto, Januzzi’s, and Rodano’s-type sauces. I’m not a sweet sauce person, but I can recognize a good sauce when I see it, and it was quite flavorful and of a good quality and texture.

The cheese is the real story of this pizza since it is the primary thing that you taste, and if your taste buds are shot, the strong smell of the cheese will certainly let you know which ingredient is boss on this pizza. The romano cheese actually provided a wonderful contrast with the sweet sauce that I really enjoyed. It was very rich, so I found myself wishing I picked up a bottle of water in my travels, but that didn’t take away from the flavors. The other cheese on top was quite good as well, although my taste buds were not sophisticated enough to cut through the romano and determine what it was.

Overall, this pizza was quite unique in its own right and I can see what is trying to be achieved with it. I wish it was not undercooked, and I wish I ordered the square with scamutz, but I get the idea! Additionally, I was not armed with the local knowledge I should have been beforehand and sort of rushed my order. I’ll be back for the square tavern pitza!