Things are Busy at TC Riley’s!

I am astonished by the number of pan fried sicilian style pizzas I continue to find in Luzerne County!  The NEPA Nation has been telling me to try TC Riley’s in Wyoming for a while now, and I can’t help but think that after trying 10-15 different pan fried pizzas that I would have eaten them all by now.  The truth is, there has to be more than 50 different places in a small geographic area that offer this type of pizza which is thick and usually cooked in peanut oil.  It amazes me more and more, because there seem to be just as many bars, restaurants, and pizzerias serving this style pizza as those that are serving Old Forge style trays.  I don’t know if there is a way to get a formal count so let’s just say TC Riley’s is one of many to offer the greasy and delicious pan fried variety!


I went to TC Riley’s on a Friday evening and as I approached the pub and inn, I noticed that it was a huge place with multiple buildings and that it was jam-packed with people!  There were so many people eager to get in, that I initially couldn’t get into the parking lot and had to turn around at the nearby Checkerboard Inn and circle back.  What an impressive feat to have this many people flock to a business.  Even though it was busy, I was told my order would be ready in 30 minutes and sure enough I walked in on time and the friendly lady at the counter had it waiting for me.  It was a little too busy for me to wander around, but it appeared that there might have been a series of dining rooms and bars scattered throughout the lengthy building.  It looked like a really cool place to hang out, but I’ll have to find out for sure when I return!


I headed out to the car to check out the pizza, but I had to move to free up my car to give another hungry and thirsty patron a chance to park first!  As I drove to find parking elsewhere, the pungent aroma of the onions on the pizza filled the pizza mobile.  Luckily I found a spot not too far down the road and was able to unveil the pizza and marvel in it’s glory.  The surface was coated in a white and yellow cheese that was browned in some areas and allowed some of of the chunky sauce to poke through in others.  It was a wonderful color palate to behold, especially when combined with the golden grown crust and dark brown caramelized cheese which rested against the pan during cooking a la Detroit style pizza.


The first bite, as it is with most of these pan fried Sicilian pizzas, was pure ecstasy.  It’s almost sensory overload with the textures of soft interior dough, tender onions, chunky sauce and melty cheese combined with the flavors of savory onion, slightly tart sauce, and buttery peanut oil.  This crust was on the oily side, but was right up there with the best I’ve had to date.  The camera on my Samsung Note 9 is pretty good, but the photographs and video do not do the color of golden brown justice here.  It was light, tender, flavorful and cooked perfectly.  The sauce had a little chunk to it and the onions, which are optional but necessary in my opinion provided an extra chunkiness to the equation which was welcomed.  Just a word on onions on this style of pizza: there are a few different ways people put onions on the pan fried Sicilian, chopped, sliced, diced, and minced.  I prefer a finely chopped onion to release optimal flavor, cook completely, and give just the right texture – TC Riley’s does it this way and I appreciated it!


Overall, I was a huge fan of this pizza as it was downright delicious and had some complexity and perfect balance to it.  Obviously, I’m not the only one who felt this way judging by the full parking lots and packed dining rooms!  This looks like a great place for couples, groups of adults, and families to go as they seem to offer something for everybody.  Thanks to those of you who recommended TC Riley’s to me, and please do share your thoughts and photos about TC’s in the comment section!

Restaurant: TC Riley’s
Location: Wyoming, PA
Date: February 2019
Pizza Ordered: 8 cuts (Half Tray)
Price: $9.95
Eat In/Take Out: Take Out

Crust: 4.5/5
Sauce: 4/5
Cheese: 4.25/5
Overall Taste: 5/5
Crispy/Cooked Properly: 5/5
Overall Value: 4/5
OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5