Shelley’s Pizza Luzerne is an awesome pizzeria in a unique looking red, white and blue building on Union Street. They have been serving the community since 1972. Some refer to the place as “Shelley’s American Pie” and its patriotic logo even features an American Flag fashioned into a round pizza tray. More important than the All-American appearance of the facility and menu is the quality of the pizza!
In over 10 years of reviewing pizza in NEPA, readers have consistently recommended Shelley’s to me. I acknowledge it’s somewhat of a crime that I took more than a decade to try their pizza. However, on this day I found myself in front of the colorful building salivating for their signature round pizza! As I parked, I noticed that they offered a drive-through option which is a nice feature I’ve only noticed at one other place – Gerry’s Pizzeria in Wilkes-Barre.
Shelley’s Serves a TON of Pizza!
I stopped by on a busy Friday night and the number of customers being served during my brief stop was impressive! Customers were coming and going and the friendly duo working at the counter and drive through were sending happy folks home with piping hot pizzas. I loved how the staff showed each pizza to the customer before heading out the door. When my pizza was presented to me, it looked like a thing of beauty!
I paid for my pizza and headed to the pizza mobile to try the pizza. This pizza is made with the sauce swirled on top like several other spots in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties (and at the shore too)! Most people recommended I order the pizza with extra sauce and many mentioned adding onion. A few others said to order it well done. I opted not modify the pizza at all to as I prefer to try a pizzeria’s “regular” pizza to get a baseline. I’m glad I did because it was wonderful!
Reviewing Shelley’s Pizza
The crust was light, crispy, cooked slightly well done (aka perfect), and really flavorful. The crust was by far my favorite component and definitely one of the best I’ve had locally. The cheese had a slight saltiness and sharpness to it that reminded me of a moderately sharp cheddar. The sauce, which is often described to me as “sweet” was actually quite savory with a hint of sweetness. The sweetness didn’t seem to be derived from sugar, but from quality tomatoes. The pizza just balanced out perfectly, and I could have easily crushed the entire medium pizza myself because it was so light and crisp.
My experience at Shelley’s Pizza was a great one and I can see why so many people recommended it. Thanks to all of you for staying on me to make the trip down! I’ll add that pizza was also one of the best values in NEPA. If you haven’t tried, make sure you get this pizzeria on your list! If you have tried, make sure you tell me about it in the comments below!
Shelley’s Pizza Luzerne Rating Scores
Pizzeria: Shelley’s Pizza Luzerne
Address: 273 Union St, Luzerne, PA 18709
Review Date: January 2023
Pizza Ordered: Medium Round Pizza
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 8.4 |
| Sauce | 7.9 |
| Cheese | 7.8 |
| Taste | 8.9 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 8.1 |
| Value | 8.1 |
| Overall Rating | 8.1 |
The Pizza is Similar to: Dough Company, Grotto Pizza, Tommy’s Pizza Corner
Tricia Kurent
January 21, 2023 4:51 amTry Aldo’s Wilkes Barre chicken wing pizza
Bonzai
January 24, 2023 1:01 amShelley’s in my opinion is the best. I could drink the sauce by the glass. I’ve never been disappointed withSAP…