Gabriele's Pizza - Chicken BBQ and Cheesesteak Pizza

570.558.1010
801 N Washington Ave, Scranton PA 18509

Mom, I swear I don't only eat at pizza places.....

With its North Washington Ave location, I must have driven passed this place over a hundred times.  For whatever reason I never gave it much of a thought, but tonight while we considered where to grab dinner this place seemed perfect.  While I do love Electric City Pizza for a slice it was nice to try someplace new.  Gabriele's is located across from Cooper's and has an attached coffee shop, Cafe Beignet.  We were the only people in the restaurant at 7pm on a Sunday, but a few people did come in to pick up.  The congealed premade pizza-by-the slice did not seem so enticing and because there were three of us we decided to order a pie.  We decided on half chicken BBQ and half cheese steak ($14.99).  As we waited for the pie, we checked out the decor.  They had a few seats downstairs but also a wooden staircase leading up to a second floor overlooking the pizza ovens and downstairs seating.

One of my dinner mates even remarked that the upstairs felt like a "tree house" which led to a conversation on the fact that everyone wanted a sweet tree house as a child.  The chess set, good lighting, free wifi, and attached cafe make this place seem like an ideal place to study or just hang out and read.  However, I am not sure I could concentrate while inhaling pizza fumes all day.  While we waited one of the workers came over and asked us if we needed any drinks and also delivered a tray of spices.  Very friendly and I really appreciated the gesture which is not usually expected from a pizza place. 

The pizza itself was definitely above average.  Both pizzas had lots of cheese and just the right amount of grease.  What I liked about the bbq half was that all of the bbq flavor came from the chicken itself.  They did not simply throw on some chicken and bathe the pizza in bbq sauce.  It certainly seemed like the chicken had been hanging out in the bbq sauce for a while and no additional sauce was added to the pizza.  Nevertheless, there was plenty of bbq flavor to go around.  I don't think I would order the cheese steak pizza again.  It was okay, but compared to the bbq was definitly inferior.  Neither of the pizzas had any tomato sauce, but certainly weren't dry.

All in all, this place had a nice atmosphere, friendly staff, and above average pizza.  I look forward to checking out the cafe sometime. Also I think it has a few holes of mini golf attached (weird) :)

While driving away, we took note of the crowded Cooper's parking lot.  I have nothing against Cooper's, but am always impressed by how much business it does.