Punxsutawney Phil's Favorite Pizza
Punxsutawney is home to two unique and distinct pizza shops.
Happy Belated Groundhog’s Day! Groundhog’s Day was on February 2nd and our dear friend, Phil, was ripped out of a stump on Gobbler’s Knob to predict the forthcoming weather. Taking place in the weather capitol of the world, a man wielded a 100+ year old staff to speak with Phil. The staff, which has been passed down by generations, gives the master of ceremonies the power to hear Phil and decipher his prediction. That’s how we ended up with six more weeks of winter.
Now that the festivities are over and the thousands in the crowd deal with their 7:30 a.m. hangover, there’s nothing left to do but dine on some pizza. Believe it or not, Punxy is home to a few eclectic pizza shops that are worth testing out.
The Sweeter Side of Pizza - Laska’s Pizza
The first time I visited Punxsutawney I noticed a small nondescript white building with a large groundhog statue outside. The groundhog was wearing a chef’s outfit and was proudly displaying a freshly baked pizza. Did groundhogs run the town up here? Did a groundhog really make that pizza? It was a fantasy land and I was awe inspired by the majesty. I had to have that pizza.
And had that pizza we did. For the longest time it was the only game in town. I was only thirteen, but wasn’t aware that another pizza shop existed in the area. But the locales loved it, it fit their locale palate.
Pizza and cuisine molds to fit the locale flavor profile. If you’ve ever been to Epcot in Disney you know they have beverages to try from around the world. Each version of Coke or Beverly taste different. That’s because some are consumed with spicy foods, savory foods, plenty of ice, no ice, or served at room temperature. The local pizza is the same.
Laska’s Pizza is the sweetest, sugary pizza I’ve ever tasted. It’s like someone put a cup of sugar onto of the pizza for every handful of cheese. Then, added another handful of sugar into the sauce. The end result is a pizza that is crispy, cheesy and sweeter than a lollipop.
Punxy Pizza Brings the Extraordinary to Town
On the other side of the pizza spectrum is Punxy Pizza.
Punxy Pizza is run by Scott Anthony, a true master of the craft and someone that is always thinking about pizza. That is Punxy Pizza’s motto, “Think About pizza.” Because pizza can be so much. If all you’ve eaten your life is Laska’s pizza you might think pizza is sweet, but good thing Punxsutawney as Punxy Pizza to balance out the flavor profile.
Punxy Pizza brings a level of decadence not found in the town. Pizza with arugula? Of course! My stepdad, a Punxsutawney native, refused to entertain the idea of such a pizza at Punxy Pizza. He stuck to the classic pepperoni. There’s a level of exotic allure that Scott brings to his pizza parlor to help him stand out from the crowd.
Scott Anthony is has dedicated his life to the passion of pizza. I first met him when he brought Tony Gemignani to town for the book tour of The Pizza Bible. He has presented at Pizza Expo, regularly contributes to Pizza Today and seems to spend most of his waking hours thinking about pizza.
His gem of a shop is a solid spot to grab a slice in Punxusawtney whether you’re passing through or visiting the groundhog at the local library.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this please consider sharing this with some of your pizza pals. Pizza ya later!
-Dan Tallarico, Pizza Journalist