Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks in Scranton: The Pizza Comeback Story That Just Keeps Getting Better
There aren’t many NEPA pizza stories with a real trilogy arc. Cosmo’s is one of them.
If you’ve followed the Scranton pizza scene over the last decade, you’ve watched Cosmo Salerno do something almost no one else has pulled off — start making pizza, take a multi-year break, open an entirely separate pan-fried Sicilian shop that became a regional landmark, then bring pizza back to the original cheesesteak shop and keep evolving it.
This article is my attempt to tell the full Cosmo’s pizza story in one place — and to retire two of my older standalone reviews (the original 2013 Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks review and the 2020 Cosmo’s on Oak review) into a single comprehensive feature that actually does this story justice.
As always, every visit referenced here was anonymous. I walked in, ordered, paid the bill, and reviewed the pizza like every other customer. No heads-up. No comps.
Meet Cosmo Salerno
Before we get to the pizza, you need to meet the man.
Cosmo Salerno is a huge personality who lights up a room. The guy knows flavor, knows how to have a great time, and knows how to make people laugh — and that energy is all over the food. You can taste it in the cheesesteaks, you can taste it in the pizza, and you can feel it the second you walk into the shop on Moosic Street.
Cosmo’s isn’t a place where someone behind the counter is just executing a recipe. It’s a place where the owner’s personality is built into the menu — and that’s a big part of why this trilogy keeps moving forward.
The Cosmo’s Pizza Trilogy
Chapter 1 — Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks (Scranton, February 2013)
This is where the pizza story started.
Back in 2013, I got a tip from a Scranton pizza source that Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks had quietly started making pizza — and I went over to investigate.
I ordered a small red pizza for $6.95. What I found was a rectangular pie about a half-inch thick — Old Forge thickness — built on a crust that was being cooked with a semi-generous portion of oil under it for that deep-fried effect. The cheese was a blend of mozzarella and what I suspected was cheddar, and the sauce was made from vibrant, fresh crushed tomatoes with light seasoning.
That sauce was honestly my favorite part — the simplicity and the quality of the tomatoes were perfect against the hearty crust and rich cheese.
It was something different. Something innovative. Even in 2013, the pan-fried Sicilian DNA was already there, hiding in plain sight.
Cosmo himself came out and sent me a Chicken Bacon Ranch slice on the house too — and I noted in that review that I wouldn’t rate it because of the conflict of interest. (Some things never change.)
Then, not long after that visit, the pizza paused. Cosmo’s stopped serving it for a stretch of years.
But the foundation was already in place.
Chapter 2 — Cosmo’s on Oak (Scranton, 2017–~2024)
Cosmo eventually came back to pizza in a big way — by opening an entire second location dedicated to it.
Cosmo’s on Oak opened on Oak Street in North Scranton, and the centerpiece was a fully-realized version of the pan-fried Sicilian that had only been hinted at in 2013. This was the era where Cosmo’s pan-fried Sicilian became a destination pizza in NEPA.
When I reviewed Cosmo’s on Oak in July 2020, I tried four different pies and they were across-the-board excellent:
- Pan Fried Sicilian Sweet Garlic — Overall 9.1 (Crust 9.4 / Sauce 9.1 / Cheese 8.5 / Taste 9.2 / Crispy 9.1 / Value 8.5)
- Pan Fried Sicilian (Classic) — Overall 8.9 (Crust 9.4 / Sauce 8.4 / Cheese 8.5 / Taste 8.7 / Crispy 9.1 / Value 8.5)
- Pan Fried Sicilian with Pepperoni — Overall 8.9 (same exceptional crust performance)
- Pan Fried Sicilian Fresh Tomato Basil — Overall 8.5 (Crust 8.9 / Cheese 8.9 / Taste 8.4 / Crispy 8.2 / Value 7.6)
That 9.4 crust score is one of the highest crust ratings I’ve ever given a pan-fried Sicilian. The Sweet Garlic version was especially memorable — impossibly crispy, deeply flavorful, and one of the most distinct pan-fried Sicilians I’d had in NEPA at that point.
I also tried his Cheesesteak Pizza that visit. That pie immediately launched itself into the top 5 or 10 most delicious pizza items I have ever eaten in my life. Full stop.
Cosmo’s on Oak eventually closed and the building is now home to Barletta’s Bar — but for a stretch of years, that location was one of the most exciting pizza spots in the region.
Chapter 3 — The Pizza Returns to Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks (Moosic Street)
Then came the comeback that made this whole story click into place.
Cosmo brought pizza back to the original cheesesteak shop on Moosic Street. Same Cosmo, same personality, same fryer-pan instincts — now applied to a more developed, more confident menu of specialty pizzas in the same building where the cheesesteaks have been killing it for years.
And here’s what I love about this chapter: the pizza just keeps getting better.
When I went back in October 2024, the menu had grown to include real signature pies with real stories behind them — most notably The Ghiggi and The Angry Nonna, two pizzas that capture exactly who Cosmo is and where his palate comes from.
The Current Menu — 2024 Visit Reviews
These are the two pies I reviewed at Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks on Moosic Street in October 2024. Both are pan-fried Sicilians at heart, but they pull from very different parts of Cosmo’s flavor playbook.
The Ghiggi — A Tribute to Ghigiarelli’s of Old Forge
If you’re from NEPA, you know Ghigiarelli’s in Old Forge is one of the cornerstone names in regional pizza.
The Ghiggi is Cosmo’s tribute to Ghigiarelli’s — and it’s not a name he chose lightly. According to Cosmo, Ghigiarelli’s was his favorite pizza growing up. This is a love letter on a tray.
The Ghiggi takes the pan-fried Sicilian framework Cosmo built at Cosmo’s on Oak and pushes it in a direction that honors the Old Forge tradition that shaped him. Crispy fried bottom, the Cosmo cheese blend, and a profile that reads like a thoughtful cousin of the pizza he grew up loving.
This is the kind of pie that only works when the person making it has a real personal connection to the original. Cosmo does. You can taste it.
The Angry Nonna — Pan Fried Sicilian, Vodka Sauce, and Sriracha Heat
The Angry Nonna is the pie that genuinely blew me away on this visit.
Cosmo’s Angry Nonna features:
- Vodka sauce spiked with sriracha
- Grande mozzarella
- The same pan-fried Sicilian crust that anchors his whole pizza identity
The vodka-sauce-meets-pan-fried-Sicilian combo on its own would be enough to make this a special pie. Adding the sriracha kick is the part that earns the “Angry Nonna” name — and what makes the flavors absolutely pop.
This was the highest Taste score I gave on this visit (9.4), and it deserved every bit of it. Inventive, balanced, and unapologetically Cosmo.
Don’t Sleep on the Cheesesteaks
I’d be doing you a real disservice if I didn’t pause the pizza talk to say this: the cheesesteaks at Cosmo’s are absurd.
Cosmo has been making them at this address since 2010, and the menu has grown into a roster of legendary 1-pound monsters that have become Scranton institutions:
- The Fat Cosmo — a full pound, with chicken tenders and American cheese
- The Jeff — 1 pound of steak loaded with extra Cooper sharp cheese and hot pepper spread
These aren’t bar bets. These are real, eatable cheesesteaks that just happen to be enormous — and the flavor execution is exactly what you’d expect from someone with Cosmo’s track record.
He’s also the kind of owner who runs free community events out of the shop, like the St. Patrick’s Day Kids Party. That’s not a marketing move — that’s just who Cosmo is.
Pizzaiolo’s Notes 🍕
A few things I noticed putting on my pizza maker hat after revisiting Cosmo’s pizza progression across all three eras:
- The pan-fried Sicilian DNA was there from day one. That oil-under-the-crust technique I noticed in 2013 was the seed of what became the Oak Street masterpiece — and what’s now the foundation of every specialty pie at Moosic Street.
- The Cosmo’s on Oak crust scores (9.4) remain elite. That’s one of the highest crust ratings I’ve ever given to a pan-fried Sicilian, and it’s a benchmark that defines what this style can be at its peak.
- The current Moosic Street pies are landing in the 8.6–8.9 overall range — right on the doorstep of Cosmo’s on Oak–era greatness. The Angry Nonna in particular (8.9 overall, 9.4 Taste, 9.3 Sauce, 9.2 Crust) is genuinely one of the most exciting pan-fried Sicilians being made in NEPA today.
- Cosmo’s pizza is on a clear upward trajectory. Each chapter of this story has built on the last — and the current chapter is closing the gap on the legendary Oak Street era fast.
What I’d Order Next Time
- 🍕 The Angry Nonna — again, no question
- 🍕 The Ghiggi — and ideally side-by-side with a real Ghigiarelli’s tray for fun
- 🥩 The Jeff — Cooper sharp + hot pepper spread on a pound of steak is calling my name
- 🍕 Whatever new pie Cosmo dreams up next — he’s not done evolving this menu
Final Thoughts on Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks
What started as a tip from a Scranton source in 2013 has turned into one of the most interesting pizza arcs in NEPA.
My Takeaways:
- 🎬 Cosmo’s pizza story is a real trilogy — 2013 origin, Cosmo’s on Oak peak, and the current Moosic Street comeback that keeps building
- 🧀 The Angry Nonna is a must-try — vodka sauce, sriracha, grande mozz, and a pan-fried Sicilian crust
- ❤️ The Ghiggi is a tribute pie done right — Cosmo’s love letter to Ghigiarelli’s of Old Forge
- 🏆 Cosmo’s on Oak deserves its place in NEPA pan-fried Sicilian history — those 9.4 crust scores and the Cheesesteak Pizza I once called a top-10 pizza of all time
- 🥩 The 1-pound cheesesteaks (Fat Cosmo, The Jeff) are NEPA institutions — order one and bring a friend
- 😄 Cosmo himself is the secret ingredient — personality, flavor, and community rolled into one
Have You Been to Cosmo’s?
If you’ve got a Cosmo’s pizza or cheesesteak story, I want to hear it:
👉 Team Ghiggi or team Angry Nonna?
👉 Did you catch the Cosmo’s on Oak era? What did you order?
👉 What’s your go-to at the Moosic Street shop — pizza or 1-pound cheesesteak?
Drop it in the comments — let’s talk Cosmo’s 🍕🥩
Want to know what the best pizza sauce is? I tested, ranked, and scored them all! Here are my Pizza Sauce Rankings!
The Ratings — A Comprehensive Scorecard Across All Three Eras
This is where the trilogy really comes to life. Below are the full ratings across every Cosmo’s pizza I’ve reviewed, presented in chronological order so you can see the arc for yourself.
Era 3 — Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks (Moosic Street, 2024)
Rating the Ghiggi (Pan Fried Sicilian)
- Restaurant: Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks
- Address: 532 Moosic St, Scranton, PA, Lackawanna County
- Dine In/Take Out: Eat In
- Pizza Ordered: The Ghiggi (Pan Fried Sicilian — Tribute to Ghigiarelli’s)
- Date: October 2024
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 9.1 |
| Sauce | 8.4 |
| Cheese | 8.3 |
| Taste | 8.8 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 8.5 |
| Value | 7.5 |
| Overall Rating | 8.6 |
Rating of Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks “The Ghiggi” Pan Fried Sicilian Pizza
Pizza is Similar to: Ghigiarelli’s Restaurant (Old Forge), Revello’s (Old Forge), Salerno’s Cafe (Old Forge)
Rating the Angry Nonna (Pan Fried Sicilian)
- Restaurant: Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks
- Address: 532 Moosic St, Scranton, PA, Lackawanna County
- Dine In/Take Out: Eat In
- Pizza Ordered: The Angry Nonna (Pan Fried Sicilian — Vodka Sauce + Sriracha + Grande Mozzarella)
- Date: October 2024
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 9.2 |
| Sauce | 9.3 |
| Cheese | 8.2 |
| Taste | 9.4 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 8.5 |
| Value | 7.5 |
| Overall Rating | 8.9 |
Rating of Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks “The Angry Nonna” Pan Fried Sicilian Pizza
Pizza is Similar to: Vodka-style Sicilians across NEPA, Cosmo’s on Oak Sweet Garlic Pan Fried Sicilian (legacy), Brick House Pizza Nanticoke (specialty pan-fried)
Era 2 — Cosmo’s on Oak (Oak Street, 2020) — Now Closed
Cosmo’s on Oak was located at 419 Oak St, Scranton, PA 18508, Lackawanna County. The location is now home to Barletta’s Bar. These ratings are preserved here as part of the comprehensive Cosmo’s pizza history.
Rating the Pan Fried Sicilian Sweet Garlic — Closed Location
- Restaurant: Cosmo’s on Oak (Closed)
- Address: 419 Oak St, Scranton, PA 18508
- Dine In/Take Out: Eat In
- Pizza Ordered: Pan Fried Sicilian Sweet Garlic
- Date: July 2020
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 9.4 |
| Sauce | 9.1 |
| Cheese | 8.5 |
| Taste | 9.2 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 9.1 |
| Value | 8.5 |
| Overall Rating | 9.1 |
Rating of Cosmo’s on Oak Pan Fried Sicilian Sweet Garlic (Legacy)
Rating the Pan Fried Sicilian (Classic) — Closed Location
- Restaurant: Cosmo’s on Oak (Closed)
- Address: 419 Oak St, Scranton, PA 18508
- Dine In/Take Out: Eat In
- Pizza Ordered: Pan Fried Sicilian
- Date: July 2020
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 9.4 |
| Sauce | 8.4 |
| Cheese | 8.5 |
| Taste | 8.7 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 9.1 |
| Value | 8.5 |
| Overall Rating | 8.9 |
Rating of Cosmo’s on Oak Pan Fried Sicilian (Legacy)
Rating the Pan Fried Sicilian with Pepperoni — Closed Location
- Restaurant: Cosmo’s on Oak (Closed)
- Address: 419 Oak St, Scranton, PA 18508
- Dine In/Take Out: Eat In
- Pizza Ordered: Pan Fried Sicilian with Pepperoni
- Date: July 2020
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 9.4 |
| Sauce | 8.4 |
| Cheese | 8.5 |
| Taste | 8.7 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 9.1 |
| Value | 8.5 |
| Overall Rating | 8.9 |
Rating of Cosmo’s on Oak Pan Fried Sicilian with Pepperoni (Legacy)
Rating the Pan Fried Sicilian Fresh Tomato Basil — Closed Location
- Restaurant: Cosmo’s on Oak (Closed)
- Address: 419 Oak St, Scranton, PA 18508
- Dine In/Take Out: Eat In
- Pizza Ordered: Pan Fried Sicilian Fresh Tomato Basil
- Date: July 2020
| Rating Category | Rating Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 8.9 |
| Sauce | N/A |
| Cheese | 8.9 |
| Taste | 8.4 |
| Crispy/Cooked Properly | 8.2 |
| Value | 7.6 |
| Overall Rating | 8.5 |
Rating of Cosmo’s on Oak Pan Fried Sicilian Fresh Tomato Basil (Legacy)
Era 1 — Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks (Original Pizza Run, 2013)
The original 2013 review of Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks was scored on my legacy 5-point scale and earned an overall 4/5. Highlights included a vibrant fresh-tomato sauce, a roughly half-inch Old-Forge-thickness crust, and the “oil under the crust” technique that would later evolve into Cosmo’s signature pan-fried Sicilian style at Cosmo’s on Oak. Pizza was paused at this location not long after the review and would return years later as the menu we know today.
Want to know what the best pizza sauce is? I tested, ranked, and scored them all! Here are my Pizza Sauce Rankings!
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