Luna Rossa - Milford

Luna Rossa: The Best Pizza in Pennsylvania?!

The Grandma pizza at Luna Rossa in Milford is made atop a razor thin crust.

Luna Rossa Pizza in Milford has been on my list for a couple of years to try now, primarily because they were named the "Best Pizza in the State of Pennsylvania" in 2018 by Money Magazine and Yelp.  We all know that no one will ever agree on what the best pizza in an entire state is, but it's an interesting and bold title to lay claim to.  The primary methodologies and factors used in crowning the best pizza in each state appear to have been data driven using yelp star ratings and quantity of reviews.

A classic New York Style slice from Luna Rossa in Milford.

The pizzeria rests in NEPA, near the PA/NY boarder just off Interstate 84 in the town of Milford.  It is a long drive for me, so my opportunities to visit are generally limited to when I'm traveling out of state through the area.  I stopped by quickly last year on the way through town, but was too early and the restaurant wasn't open yet, so I've been driven to get back and try it and the opportunity presented itself again on a family trip this year.

Having followed Luna Rossa on instagram for several years, I've learned that the pizzeria's name translates to "Red Moon" as evidenced by the many photos they post of various lunar art.  I also learned that their grandma pizza looked very good and was the pizza I was most interested in besides their classic-looking New York Style Pizza.  So naturally, I ordered one of each.  My family also ordered a linguine and meatballs entree, a salad, and fries.  All the food was fresh and delicious, but we were most drawn to the fries which were of the "brew city" variety that are sort of batter dipped and super delicious, if you know what I'm talking about!

 Grandma pizza slice from Luna Rossa.

The grandma slice was constructed on a razor thin crust which was by far the thinnest grandma pizza I've ever encountered.  It reminded me of the ultra-thin NY style pizza at Nello's Pizza in Wilkes-Barre.  It had a really pronounced crunch, especially around the edges.  The fresh and low-moisture mozzarella cheeses provided a nice flavor and texture combination and set the stage for the smooth and slightly sweet sauce that was neatly ladled in the middle of each slice.  Liberal, but certainly not offensive amounts of garlic really added to the flavor profile making this a great slice of pizza.

A profile look at the thin crust NY style round pie at Luna Rossa.

The New York style slice was a classic thin crust floppy cut that is good for a quick meal on the run. It was certainly a slice that offers something for everyone and you would have a hard time finding any complaints among those who try it.  It offered a thin, foldable crust, appropriately seasoned and full bodied smooth sauce, and a nice mozzarella to pull it all together.

Overall, the Grandma slice was my clear favorite of the two I tried and it appeared that there were many other tasty options to try both premade by the slice and available to order by the pie.  I can see with the quality of their product and the high traffic location next to a a major interstate how they would receive a high volume of 5 star ratings on yelp to name Luna Rossa the best in the state based on those metrics in that particular study.  Where I'm not prepared to call it the best pizza in the state, I can recommend that you stop and give it a try when traveling through the area because it is very good!

The Ratings

Restaurant: Luna Rossa

Location: Milford, PA

Date: September 2020

Eat In/Take Out: Eat In

Pizza Ordered: Grandma Pizza Slice

Price: 2 slices for $5

Crust: 8.7

Sauce: 7.9

Cheese: 8.1

Overall Taste: 8.3

Crispy/Cooked Properly: 8.8

Overall Value: 7.6

OVERALL RATING: 8.3
Similar to: 

Pizza Ordered: New York Style Slice

Price: 2 slices for $5

Crust: 7.3

Sauce: 7.5

Cheese: 7.6

Overall Taste: 7.7

Crispy/Cooked Properly: 7.3

Overall Value: 7.6

OVERALL RATING: 7.5
Similar to: Lino's, Gourmet Slice