NEPA Pizza Review

Alfredo’s – A Happening Place with Good Food

Alfredo’s is a place that I’ve dined at quite a few times over the years for both lunch and dinner.  I have always enjoyed the food there, and to some degree the pizza.  There is no doubt that Alfredo’s is among the most popular places to eat in the Electric City, and they have a very strong following of people who swear by their pizza.  Each time I’ve been there, the dining room is generally full with happy diners enjoying their meals and cocktails, and my most recent visit was no different.  Every section of the dining room was packed, which is always a fantastic thing for me to witness at a locally owned business in NEPA.  I looked around and marveled at the volume Alfredo’s was driving through the restaurant and how quickly the waitstaff was able to tend to each table.  I could only wonder what the kitchen looked like in sending out that much food to so many smiling customers.  I’d love to observe that (or jump in and work!) on a busy night just for fun!

Enough about my love affair with restaurant operations and witnessing a shining example of what appears to be a successful execution of a masterful plan – on to the pizza.  I talk to a lot of people in the area and receive feedback that Alfredo’s is the favorite of many who live in or around Scranton.  The one caveat is that most of the people who recommend Alfredo’s Pizza say “but you have to add ________ topping(s) to it.”  If you have followed my blog or social media for any amount of time, you know that I’m a pizza purist who goes straight cheese just like Kevin McAllister in Home Alone.  To me, this is the best way to experience and judge a pizza because my tastebuds don’t get distracted by a heap of meat or veggies on top.  Adding toppings also changes the chemistry of the pizza as well as the texture, so I must abide my own law of plain pizza here.  Before provide my thoughts on the pizza that I sampled, let me say that I have had what I consider to be outstanding gourmet pizzas here including the bar-b-que chicken pizza and a meat lover’s.  

We went with the old forge style pizza and as the waiter delivered it to our table, it did look fantastic and cooked to perfection.  The crust was golden brown and the cheese on top was melted nicely without being burned.  My favorite part of the pizza was definitely the crust as it was quite crunchy and light.  It was very fresh and had a pleasant texture and flavor to it.  The crust was a bit dry, which is not a problem in itself except the whole pizza was quite dry with the somewhat pasty sauce and an almost leathery cheese on top.  The cheese didn’t have that ooey gooey molten consistency that most Old Forge trays have, but I could see why people like toppings on the pizza to add some texture and moisture to it.  A little more sauce might have helped, but I can see why the “Shrimp and Peppers,” which people recommend to me quite a bit would be a fantastic match for this pizza.  Overall, I did like the crust, but I wasn’t in love with the pizza and I do understand why people do like this so much.

For me, Alfredo’s is a great place to visit as their food and service are very good.  The prices are pretty reasonable and the atmosphere is just so inviting and fun.  It’s the type of place where the little league baseball team can grab a pizza and some wings wearing their uniforms sitting next to a couple dressed formally enjoying martinis and italian entrees.  I very much enjoyed watching the waitstaff put on a clinic on the proper way to serve a hungry mob of people on a busy night.    I know I’ll be back, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Alfredo’s to the NEPA Nation to dine in or take-out for any occasion.  Hit me up in the comments and let me know what your favorite pizza or menu item from Alfredo’s is!

Restaurant: Alfredo’s Pizza Cafe