Antonio’s Pizza Scranton: The Best NY Style Pizza I’ve Had in 2026
I walked in, ordered, paid the bill, and reviewed the pizza like every other customer. No heads-up. No comps.
Over the last year or so on NEPA Pizza Review, I’ve watched this small, quiet, humble shop on Capouse Avenue go from a hidden gem known to the neighborhood, to an underground hot spot known to city locals for elite NY style pizza and getting treated like family, to becoming more well known around the greater Scranton area.
But even with some foodies showing up in the last six months and giving this spot some hype, it’s amazing how few people in the larger NEPA region know about it. After this visit, I want to change that.
No Frills, Just Family
Antonio’s is takeout only these days. No dining room, nothing flashy or catchy. Parking isn’t always the easiest, but I’ve always found a spot on the street.
What it does have is warmth. There’s a familial feeling about this small pizzeria, steeped in decades of doing things the same way. The folks behind the counter are friendly, humble, and hard working, and they treat you like family.
Locals who walk in immediately strike up a conversation without even needing to say hello. They seem to just pick up the conversation right where they left off on their last visit.
The Gentleman on the Sidewalk
After I got my pizza, I offered a gentleman walking down the sidewalk a slice from the pizza I was reviewing. He very politely declined, and proudly mentioned that he was on his way in to grab a pizza of his own.
That’s the kind of place this is. People don’t just eat here. They’re proud of it.
Watching a Master at Work
I ordered a plain cheese New York style pizza, and I got to watch it come together over the counter.
The pizzaiolo worked and stretched the dough masterfully and effortlessly. He sauced it generously, making sure there were no dry spots and no overly sauced areas, constructing it exactly the way I would want to myself, but probably better. Then came the cheese, applied pretty generously without being too heavy handed.
A quick slide into the brick oven, and I was only 7 to 8 minutes away from a fresh, hot pizza. I always enjoy when I get to watch a master at work.
A Crunch You Can Hear, Even After the Box
The pizza came out magnificently.
The crust was thin and baked to a very deep, dark brown on the bottom. I think I was one of the first pizzas in and out of the oven that morning, so it baked on a fresh, hot spot for an even more intense crisp.
It’s very rare for a thin crust NY style pizza to still be crisp after going into a pizza box for any amount of time, let alone have an audible crunch in the first bite. That almost never happens. This pizza was crispy in every bite, not just around the edge crust like so many pizzas.
A Vibrant Sauce That Lets the Tomatoes Shine
The sauce was insanely vibrant. Mostly smooth with a little texture, super fresh tasting, and seasoned just enough to let the tomatoes shine without distraction. It was applied a little more generously than most places, and I love a saucy pizza.
The Biggest NY Style Cheese Pull in Recent Memory
The cheese pull on this pizza was spectacular, the largest NY style cheese pull I can remember.
I’ve had double crust white pizzas with big cheese pulls, but a NY style pizza usually doesn’t do this unless it’s fresh, hot, and made with high-quality mozzarella. Sometimes brick or provolone in the blend will give you a big pull, too. Based on the flavor and how it behaved, my guess is this was straight mozzarella, but I’m never 100% confident in my cheese blend guesses.
Everything I Want in a NY Style Pizza
This pizza was beautifully balanced, expertly crafted, and just everything I want in a NY style pizza. Endless superlatives. It’s easily the best NY style pizza I’ve had in 2026, and the highest-rated pizza I’ve tried so far this year.
Calling All NYC Transplants
If you moved here from New York City and constantly say you can’t find good pizza in NEPA, this one’s for you. I think my NYC imports will enjoy this pizza, and it should fulfill every one of your pizza snob desires. Go to Antonio’s, and then tell me you can’t find a real New York slice around here.
Pizzaiolo’s Notes 🍕
- 🔥 A deep, dark brown bottom with an audible crunch, even after the box. That’s a rare thing for thin crust NY style.
- 🍅 Generous, even sauce coverage with no dry spots. The sauce is fresh, vibrant, and lets the tomatoes lead.
- 🧀 Generous cheese without being heavy handed, and a cheese pull that rivals a double crust white pizza.
- 👨🍳 Watching the pizzaiolo stretch, sauce, and top this pizza over the counter is half the fun. This is skill built over years.
- 🗽 If you’re a New York pizza snob, this is the place in Scranton to prove NEPA can do it.
What I’d Order Next Time
- The Sicilian pizza
- The Italian stromboli
How Far Would I Drive for This Pizza?
I would regularly drive 45 minutes for this pizza. Fortunately, I live closer than that.
From the Archives: My First Visit in 2019
I first reviewed Antonio’s back in January 2019, when I finally crossed it off my list of pizzerias I’d been dying to get to. Even then, the thin, foldable, crispy crust had me wanting to give the pizza guy a standing ovation. Back then there was a dining room off to the left with about a dozen tables. It’s since closed off, and Antonio’s is now takeout only. You can read my original Antonio’s Pizza Scranton review.
Have You Been to Antonio’s?
👉 What’s your go-to order at Antonio’s? 👉 NYC transplants, does this one live up to the pizza back home?
Drop it in the comments. Let’s talk pizza 🍕
My Review of Antonio’s Pizza back in 2019
Pizza is Similar to:
- Rosario’s Pizzeria (Viewmont Mall, Dickson City)
- Luca Pizza (West Pittston)
- Pompei’s Pizza (Tunkhannock)
- Pizza Avenue (Scranton)
Scores
I scored this pizza 24 hours after my visit.
Pizza Ordered: Plain Cheese Pizza
Style: New York Style Round
Visit: October 2026, Takeout
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Crust | 8.8 |
| Sauce | 9.1 |
| Cheese | 9.5 |
| Taste | 8.8 |
| Crispy/Cooked | 9.0 |
| Value | 7.7 |
| Overall | 8.9 |
The story behind the scores: Cheese is the high mark at 9.5, earned by the biggest NY style cheese pull in recent memory and a generous application that never got heavy. The vibrant, fresh, tomato-forward sauce scored a 9.1, and the deep, dark bake with an audible crunch in every bite earned a 9.0 for Crispy/Cooked. Crust and Taste both landed at 8.8, and Value came in at 7.7. It all adds up to an 8.9 Overall, my highest-rated pizza of 2026 so far and the best NY style I’ve had this year.
Antonio’s Pizza
930 Capouse Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509
Lackawanna County
New York Style Pizza · Sicilian · Strombolis · Takeout Only
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