Library Pizza Jessup has been closed for some time and unfortunately was recently damaged by fire. See the article here.

Library Pizza – A Truly Unique Experience

Lately, I’ve been really trying to knock off my “bucket list” pizza destinations that people have been recommending to me for some time now, and one place that people talk to me about is affectionately referred to as “The Library” which was always a bit intriguing and confusing to me at the same time.  Every time someone mentions “The Library” to me there’s usually a sly smile and a disclaimer about the restaurant itself.  People tell me, you just have to go there and check it out and that there are books all over the walls – thus the library moniker.  After speaking to no less than 30 people about the place, I still had no idea what to expect when going there!  Finally, the first lady and I marked our calendars and scheduled a visit.  We made our way to Jessup, AKA “Little Gubbio” to try this place out.

 
When we walked in the door, the first impression that I had was that I felt like I was in an old pirate ship with a library in it.  Picture the room of the ship where Johnny Depp would go to get a book in Pirates of the Caribbean!  Everything was vintage, there were books and old photos lining the walls, the light fixtures seemed to be from centuries ago, and I don’t know how else to describe it so I will say to you what everyone said to me – you have to go there and see it for yourself!  With the antique looking bar and truly unique setting, I was amazed by the place and actually found it quite cool!  The first lady was a little more hesitant in her perception of the place, but that didn’t stop us from ordering a pizza from the very limited menu.  The Library’s menu reminds me of Andy’s Pizza menu – there isn’t one!  We ordered our pie and took in our surroundings.  I couldn’t stop looking around in wide-eyed fascination, but before long my focused changed to the pizza which was in front of us.
 
 
I selected my first slice off the tray and found this was a very crispy slice of pizza constructed on a wonderfully browned crust.  The dough had so much flavor and appeared to be ever so slightly fried on the bottom.  I found myself licking my lips to get more of the flavor of whatever oil and flavoring was used to create this genius crust.  The sauce was hearty, and simplistic in a way that allowed the high-quality tomatoes to shine.  There really wasn’t much other flavor than the naturally sweet and succulent flavors of the plum tomatoes.  Finally, the cheese really walloped you with flavor to top it all off.  There must have been some sort of sharp cheese in the blend, but I wouldn’t offer a guess here.  Whatever the cheese is, it balanced perfectly with the other ingredients and created a satisfying combination like no other.
 
Overall, I have to say I loved this pizza because it was so unique and so was the restaurant.  The flavor infusions throughout the entire pizza are an experience that you have to try to understand.  There is so much flavor variety and no two bites are exactly the same.  The pizza is a bit thin, so don’t be shy to double up your order if you are feeling hungry.  I personally know I could have eated all 10 slices in one sitting if I tried.  Trust me, I wanted to!  I do reccomend everyone in NEPA at least tries out the Library once because it is a truly unique experience that cannot be duplicated elsewhere and the pizza is excellent.  The place is cash only, so plan accordingly.  So check it out, and let me know what you think in the comments below!
 
Restaurant: The Library Pizza
Location: Jessup, PA
Date: February 2014
Pizza Ordered: Square Red (Old Forge Size)
Price: $12.95 +/-
Eat In/Take Out: Eat In
 
Crust: 4.75/5
Sauce: 4.75/5
Cheese: 4.25/5
Overall Taste: 5/5
Crispy/Cooked Properly: 5/5
Overall Value: 3/5
OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5

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