These Pocono pizzerias offer heritage recipes, mountain views, and can’t-miss local flavor.
The Pocono Mountains region may sit in the shadow of New York City’s pizza legacy, but it still has its own delicious pizza culture amidst the stacked options that define Pizzavania. The Pocono Mountains area, shaped by Italian immigration to adjacent anthracite coal mines, is home to a mix of family-run pizzerias with decades-old recipes, modern wood-fired joints, and neighborhood mainstays that fuel local debates about the best pizza in the Poconos.
We’ve put together a list of 10 must-try pizzerias across the Pocono Mountains’ Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne Counties—a region distinct from the traditions of wider northeastern Pennsylvania, like the “pizza capital of the world” of Old Forge. Some of these pizzerias offer classic New York slices while others are destinations unto themselves beyond pizza. Trying each one will treat you to a tour of the Poconos and the many different ways you can eat pizza in these mountains.
Bovino’s Pizzeria & Brewery—East Stroudsburg (Monroe County)
You can tell from the jump that Bovino’s Pizzeria & Brewery isn’t a traditional pizzeria, as the brewery is one of the few places where you can pair handcrafted pizza with a brewpub experience.
One of the brewery’s bestsellers is its grandma pizza, a thin-crust pan pizza. Pair it with a Mr. B’s lager for a crisp, clean accompaniment to the crushed tomato sauce, or grab any of the diverse beer options ranging from IPAs to sours.
Offerings beyond pizza also abound, including calzones, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, and even tacos.
John’s of Arthur Ave.—Milford (Pike County)
John’s of Arthur Ave. is a local favorite in charming Milford, the small-town northern gateway to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. “Arthur Avenue” is a nod to Little Italy in the Bronx, known for its old-school Italian-American cuisine. John’s bakes a number of different styles of hand-crafted pizza—New York, Sicilian, ultra-thin, and more—though all use dough aged for at least 72 hours to ensure a light, crispy crust.
In addition to classic pies, John’s serves up creative specials highlighted on its Facebook page, such as a recent Nashville-style pulled pork pizza. You can also grab other Italian specialties at the restaurant, such as eggplant parmigiana or cannoli.
A reader of The Keystone’s newsletter all about pizza, Pizzavania, said that John’s “combines the best of Pa. and New York pizza,” adding that the restaurant is “community-minded” with a “wonderful staff.”
Tony’s Restaurant & Pizzeria—East Stroudsburg (Monroe County)
Tony’s Restaurant & Pizzeria on Crystal Street in East Stroudsburg has recently become something of a local legend, and not just because of its excellent New York-style pizza. While affordability tanks nationwide, Tony’s offers a $9.95 Monday deal for a large cheese pizza—not a personal pan pizza, but a large pizza! In this economy? (And on Tuesdays, you can get two large pies for $19.95.)
Even better, the large pie is one of the best in the region; according to PoconosBest.com, Tony’s Restaurant & Pizzeria was named the tasters’ choice at an event to choose the best pizza in the Pocono Mountains.
Pizza Como USA—Lehighton (Carbon County)
Just a few miles south of picturesque Jim Thorpe, family-owned Pizza Como USA makes pizza with a sweet marinara sauce, a popular style in NEPA, especially the Wyoming Valley and the Pocono Mountains.
The restaurant’s roots in the region began in 1972, when Italian immigrant Salvatore Caruso moved to Lehighton and opened the pizza shop. Today, the third generation of Carusos runs the restaurant, which offers a variety of pizza styles from classic Neapolitan to the famous Nino special—a crispy hoagie- and stromboli-like pizza hybrid—as well as other Italian fare.
You can find Pizza Como USA in Lehighton’s Carbon Plaza Mall.
Frank’s Pizza of Bartonsville—Bartonsville (Monroe County)
Frank’s Pizza of Bartonsville is a community favorite, evidenced by its recent recognition for best pizza in the annual Pocono Community’s Choice Awards. The pizzeria and Italian restaurant is located in a strip mall on Route 611 about halfway between Tannersville and Stroudsburg, making it a regular stop for area tourists as well as locals loyal to Frank’s Italian-American standards.
The restaurant is a casual, BYOB spot, and while the hand-tossed pizza (offered in a variety of crust options) is the main draw, the kitchen also crafts excellent pasta and paninis.
Luna Rossa—Milford (Pike County)
Not long after Luna Rossa first opened in Milford in 2015, it began racking up accolades. Both Yelp and Money Magazine proclaimed that the old-world Italian eatery had the best pizza in Pennsylvania, and soon the celebrated pizza connoisseur behind NEPA Pizza Review gave the grandma pizza (the “grandma Phyllis”) a coveted 8.3/10 rating.
Unsurprisingly, the grandma Phyllis pizza is also the owner’s personal favorite on the menu, which also includes other Italian classics.
Reno’s Pizzeria—Hawley (Wayne County)
Located close to Lake Wallenpaupack, Reno’s Pizzeria is the go-to pizza place for lake goers and locals. A simple New York-style cheese pizza is the classic Reno’s order, but the pizzeria also makes creative, gourmet pies like the balsamic eggplant pizza, the photogenic vodka pesto trio, and even a pizza covered with spaghetti and meatballs. You can also grab pasta, wings, and highly recommended garlic knots.
Eleganté—Honesdale (Wayne County)
Italian restaurant Eleganté has served New York-style pizza to folks in Honesdale for more than three decades. The neighborhood staple epitomizes Honesdale’s small-town charm—which, fun fact, was the inspiration for the famous song “Winter Wonderland.” The hand-tossed, New York-style pizza is paired with the restaurant’s homemade sauce, as is the thick, fluffy-crusted Sicilian pie.
New Columbus Pizza Co.—Nesquehoning (Carbon County)
New Columbus Pizza Co. is the pizza behind chef Tony Cerimele, who trained at the International School of Pizza (where do I enroll?), is a member of World Pizza Champions, and has won a number of awards for his pies. Cerimele brings his mobile pizza oven to parties and events and also regularly offers pizza pickups from the pizzeria in Nesquehoning.
You can taste the secret recipe pizza (with its 60-year-old sauce recipe) by ordering ahead for one of these pickups, typically announced each week on the New Columbus Pizza Facebook page.
Sorrenti—Saylorsburg (Monroe County)
If you’re looking for an experience alongside your pizza, head to Sorrenti, a winery and distillery in Saylorsburg. Here, you’ll enjoy wood-fired, brick oven pizza from the winery’s Mamma Lucia’s Pizzeria while admiring the surrounding vineyard—and perhaps while sampling some of the local wine, whether at the nearby tasting room or ordered with your pizza. And even if you don’t order a glass, all the pizza sauces are enriched with Sorrenti wines.
