Benny's Peckville

Benny’s: Looking, Sounding, and Tasting Great!

I’ve been hearing from quite a few people that Benny’s in Peckville (in the former Duke’s Bar location) has excellent food and really good pizza. After waiting way too long to give it a try, I saw they were one of the few pizza spots that are open at noon on a Sunday when I had time to do a pizza review and I headed down Main Avenue and easily found the place. Having never been to Benny’s, I didn’t know what to expect but I was really impressed with the place upon entry.

The bar and restaurant had an awesome layout as it was very spacious, with quite a few high top tables, 2 pool tables, and a huge bar that had seating for at least 25. There had to be at least a dozen big screen TV’s showing the NFL Sunday Ticket on every TV, and perhaps my favorite feature was the incredible Bose sound system they had installed.

It was so crisp and clear with just the right amount of thump. Ok, so I’m also a bit of an audiophile, and I know you came hear to read about the pizza, but the sound quality was so noteworthy that it was worth mentioning! I also noted there were 12 beers visible on draft and it looked like there were some mainstream craft beers among those on the board. This is definitely one of the best places in the 570 to catch a game.

Great Wings at Benny’s

Because I have heard about how amazing the wings are at Benny’s I had to order some to go along with my pizza. I asked the bartender what was the more popular pizza (round or square) and she told me the square was the better seller so I went with a half tray of the round. I’ll also note that MANY people have recommended the steak and cheese pizza here, but since I didn’t have that big of an appetite and I primarily only review plain pizza, I passed on this oe. I will say, the recommendations for steak and cheese come from trusted sources, so I wouldn’t hesitate extend the endorsement based on my insider information from the NEPA Nation!

It seemed as if my food was ready in no time at all as I took in the atmosphere and jotted down a few notes. The friendly bartender brought me my pizza and I have to say it looked great. It had a hearty thick crust that was soft throughout and crispy around the edges. It wasn’t quite an old forge crust, nor was it exactly a sicilian or grandma crust – it was sort of a hybrid of the three. If you’ve ever had Nina’s square pizza, it was very similar to their crust. The dough was unquestionably fresh and the pizza had to be made to order as its bulging edges, tender properties, bubble pattern, and chewiness were consistent with pizza prepared with fresh dough.

Reviewing the Pizza

The whole pizza was packed with flavor and the crust was garnished perhaps with a brush of oil and a hint of ground rosemary. This was pure speculation, but there was just enough flavor to keep me interested and guessing. The cheese blend seemed to be a combination of American and something with a hint of sharpness like a cooper or white cheddar.

The sauce was hearty, slightly sweet, and bursting with flavor. I didn’t detect any obvious chunks of onion in the sauce for all you onion haters out there! With most pizzas, there is usually one component that immediately jumps out as my favorite as it leads the way for the pizza, but I think it may be a toss up between the crust and sauce on this one. It was amazing that a fresh dough crust of this thickness and speed of preparation didn’t have a “gum line” of uncooked dough and the flavor was great. On the other hand, the sauce had so much flavor and the pizza maker had just the right amount applied (a little on the saucy side as I like it).

The Bottom Line on Benny’s

Overall, I can’t believe it took me this long to try out Benny’s. I very much enjoyed the atmosphere, the service, and of course the food. Sometimes when you enter a neighborhood bar, you get a vibe like you don’t belong if you aren’t a regular, but this couldn’t be farther from the case here. I felt welcomed and as you now know I enjoyed the heck out of the food. The place felt clean, warm, and inclusive. I’d very much recommend Benny’s for watching games, a quick meal with friends, or even a late night beverage.

What is your favorite menu item at Benny’s? Let me know in the comments!