Samario’s Serves the best of Both Fine Casual Dining and Extensive Takeout in Scranton
Samario’s Pizza Scranton has been a place that my family and I have visited many times over the past decade. They are known for serving an imaginative Italian menu filled with upscale entrees in their restaurant on the left side. On the right side, they do a high volume of to-go orders consisting of a variety of pizza styles, crazy cheesesteak combinations and much more.
Each time we visit, the service is super friendly and attentive. The food is also flavorful, distinctive, and thoughtfully prepared. Whether it’s a dinner for a special occasion in the mood-lit dining room that looks like Frank Sinatra would hang out or a quick take-out meal for the family after work, they’ve got something for everyone.
Want to make awesome pizza at home? Start with the very best ingredients! Check out NEPA Pizza Review’s Guide to the Best Ingredients for Homemade Pizza!
As you can see below, I’ve reviewed quite a few of Samario’s pizzas over the years. Check out my thoughts and ratings on the Old Forge, New York, and Chicago along with the more recently added Pan Fried Sicilian and Gluten-Free Cauliflower crust pizzas.
The Pizza Ratings
Restaurant: Samario’s Pizza and Restaurant
Address: 119-121-123, W Market St, Scranton, PA 18508
Samario’s Pan Fried Sicilian Pizza Review
- Pizza Ordered: Pan Fried Sicilian Pizza
- Date: January 2023
- Eat In/Take Out: Dine In
Samario’s Pan Fried Sicilian Pizza meets a huge demand in Lackawanna County. People in the county frequently don’t want to make the trip south to Luzerne County. Samario’s, along with only Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks in Scranton and the Stone House in Carbondale are the only 3 places serving it in the county that I know of. Simply put, Samario’s version of PFS is true to its roots and a pretty authentic version at that!
The thick crust is baked in a very generous amount of oil and fried to a golden brown. The sauce is naturally simple and sweet with some texture to it. I added onions to the sauce which brought a savory taste and wonderful aroma into the mix. The cheese was also slightly salty which made for a wonderful contrast. You can skip the drive to the back mountain and stay in Scranton for PFS!
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 7.9 |
| Sauce | 8.5 |
| Cheese | 7.8 |
| Taste | 8.2 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 8.0 |
| Value | 7.3 |
| Overall Rating | 8.0 |
The Pizza is Similar to: Pizza Perfect, Pizza Heaven, Teberio’s
Samario’s Gluten Free Pizza Review
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 6.9 |
| Sauce | 8.1 |
| Cheese | 7.7 |
| Taste | 6.9 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 7.5 |
| Value | 7.1 |
| Overall Rating | 7.4 |
Check out my list of Where to Find Gluten Free Pizza in Pennsylvania to find GF Pizza near you!
Samario’s New York Style Pizza Review
- Pizza Ordered: New York Style Pizza
- Date: April 2016
- Eat In/Take Out: Take Out
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 6.9 |
| Sauce | 8.2 |
| Cheese | 7.8 |
| Taste | 7.7 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 7.2 |
| Value | 7.3 |
| Overall Rating | 7.5 |
The Pizza is Similar to: Samario’s Tunkhannock
Old Forge Style Pizza Review
- Pizza Ordered: Old Forge Style Pizza
- Date: August 2012
- Eat In/Take Out: Take Out
When the Old Forge Pizza arrived at my table, and I could tell immediately I was going to enjoy it. The crust was clearly freshly made. I could smell the pungent arouma of fermented yeast. The crust was crispy, almost flaky, which is sort of unique for an Old Forge pizza. I liked how it was a bit on the thin side for a square pizza, and boy did it have a nice flavor and slight crunch.
Feeling Saucy?!
The sauce really grabbed my attention and was nothing short of awesome. I found it to be really well balanced – slightly tangy, but countered with the perfect amount of natural sweetness. The seasonings in the sauce were understated and really let the flavor of the fresh plum tomatoes explode through. I appreciated that this sauce had some texture and wasn’t pureed into a fine pulp. Many people are offended by onions in sauce, and I really didn’t detect any in this sauce so if they are present, they aren’t really prevalent.
The cheese was very good as well. The thin layer of cheese was melted and cheesy in the middle, and crisp and browned on the edges, which meant that each bite was a new taste adventure. A consistent pizza inside to out is a good thing, but sometimes when a pizza is put together and cooked properly, you really get a full spectrum of flavor as was the case here.
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 7.8 |
| Sauce | 8.8 |
| Cheese | 7.9 |
| Taste | 8.6 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 7.7 |
| Value | 6.6 |
| Overall Rating | 8.1 |
The Pizza is Similar to: Mary Lou’s, Revello’s, Anthony’s
Chicago Style Pizza Review
- Pizza Ordered: Chicago Style Pizza
- Date: December 2013
- Eat In/Take Out: Eat In
The Chicago deep dish started with a thick crust which was nicely browned. There were tomato chunks on top along with a cheese that definitely was not the mozzarella or parmesan I was expecting. It looked like more of an American cheese, but I wouldn’t speculate what it actually was. I grabbed my first slice off the board and noticed that this was very easy to pick up aside from the top layer of cheese sliding off. It was easy to grab because the crust was very thick. I was not going to need a fork and knife for this pie, although I did use the utensils for the sport of it. I did like the rosemary that was sprinkled under the crust and baked in.
Overall, I enjoyed this pizza although it doesn’t quite feature the thin butter crust that other Chicago deep dish pizzas I’ve made and tasted in the past. That doesn’t stop this from being a hearty and delicious beast of a pizza that you’re sure to enjoy though!
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 7.4 |
| Sauce | 7.8 |
| Cheese | 7.3 |
| Taste | 7.8 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 7.8 |
| Value | 6.8 |
| Overall Rating | 7.5 |
