“When I look at NEPA specifically, it still feels like a place that’s deeply rooted in tradition.”
Jim Mirabelli, known to most as NEPA’s Pizza Review Guy, grew up in the quiet borough of Factoryville. And if he wasn’t playing Wiffle Ball, he was nose deep in Goosebumps trying to earn some coveted Pizza Hut Book-it stamps.
After graduating from Lackawanna Trail High School, Jim earned a degree in Accounting from Keystone College and an MBA from The University of Scranton. Through it all, he cut his teeth in local pizza kitchens. There, he learned all the secrets and fell in love with every element of the business. Soon, pizza had become a life-altering obsession – one that would chart his course to becoming NEPA’s most widely-recognized food influencer. Alas, NEPA Pizza Review was born.
Today, Jim and his wife and children call Clarks Summit home. And, while his day-to-day is all about accounting and family and, yes, pizza, Jim sees it all as a means to a greater end. For the NEPA Pizza Review Guy and his family, it all means so much more when they realize just how much a simple pizza review can help a local, neighborhood pizza shop. It’s all about, as Jim says, “the little guy.”
We recently caught up with Jim at his Virtual Pizza Academy, or as he deems it “the pizza garage.” We did most of the talkin’. He did all the cookin’. And in between slices of delicious homemade pizza, we hit him with all the questions, including Why NEPA?
How long have you lived in NEPA?
My entire life – 40+ years
What do you love about your town?
What I love most about NEPA is the pizza scene and the community that’s grown around it. We’re lucky to have this incredibly rich local pizza culture, and it’s been amazing to see how it brings people together.
With so many distractions out there, it’s refreshing that something as simple as local pizza can create a space that feels positive and welcoming. Through NEPA Pizza Review, we’ve been able to shine a light on so many locally owned shops and celebrate the people behind them, and the response from the community has been incredible.
In my town of Clarks Summit, there’s a tremendous sense of community with really engaged citizens contributing to every cause, team, and organization imaginable. It’s amazing to see how folks organize, mobilize, and create opportunities for the future, honor the past, and help out those currently in need.
One of the most humbling things I love about NEPA and my town is how locals show their willingness to help. My daughter Layla and I conduct a canned food drive each year. This past year, we were able to collect, deliver, and donate more than 10,000 cans to local food pantries thanks to the generosity of the NEPA faithful! It would not have been possible without this community stepping up to help others.
At the end of the day, it’s not just about the pizza — it’s about the pride people have in where they live and the small businesses that make NEPA what it is.
What’s your favorite NEPA restaurant?
If I had to pick just one favorite restaurant, I’d probably have to go with my family’s weekly staple — Rosario’s Pizzeria in Clarks Summit. Not only do they serve some of the very best pizza in NEPA, but their wings, Italian entrées, hoagies, soups, and salads are all consistently excellent. It’s one of those rare places that seems to do everything well, and that’s hard to find.
More than that, it’s become part of our routine and our family memories. If I had to choose one place to eat for the rest of my life, Rosario’s would honestly be at the top of the list.
Some of my other top choices that I frequent are: Pizza L’Oven in Exeter, Anthony’s Restaurant in Old Forge, Bar Pazzo in Scranton, Gio’s Pizza in Clarks Summit, Cosmo’s Cheesesteaks in Scranton, and Toscano Deli in Clarks Summit.
What’s your favorite thing to do in NEPA?
My favorite things to do in NEPA are the simple, laid-back ones. I love how accessible everything is here — you can get just about anywhere without much traffic and be at a RailRiders or Penguins game in under 30 minutes.
Most of the time, though, it’s really about doing whatever the family feels like doing. That could mean bowling, hitting an arcade, going to the movies, dining out, playing a round of golf, catching a concert, or checking out a local festival.
There’s a surprising amount of variety in NEPA, and one of the things I appreciate most is that we can enjoy all of it close to home.
What’s next for you?
Right now, a big focus for me is continuing to grow the Virtual Pizza Academy where we teach people all over the world how to make regional styles of pizza at home. Our NEPA-style Pan Fried Sicilian, Old Forge red, and Double Crust white classes have been especially popular — particularly with people who grew up here, moved away, and can’t find anything that tastes like home.
It’s been really rewarding to help people recreate those flavors from coast to coast and now on six different continents. We even recently had a student living in Israel send us photos of a Pan Fried Sicilian they made that honestly looked as good as many pizzas coming out of local NEPA shops. Moments like that really drive home how special this regional pizza culture is.
Beyond that, I’m committed to continuing to spotlight local mom-and-pop pizzerias through NEPA Pizza Review. My goal is to keep improving the content, the storytelling, and the reach so we can keep spreading the word about just how unique and strong our local pizza scene really is.
Where do you see NEPA heading in the future?
You can see how strong the community is just by looking at all the local festivals, church bazaars, and town events. Each place in NEPA really does feel like its own little country with people who take a lot of pride in their hometown. I don’t see that communal identity going anywhere.
At the same time, it’s encouraging to see the revitalization happening in places like Downtown Scranton and the new businesses choosing to move into the region. That kind of investment brings new families, new energy, and thoughtful development — and I think that progress will continue, just at a pace that fits NEPA’s personality. And if I’m lucky, that future still includes the legendary pizza spots we’ve loved for decades, along with some new and modern additions to the scene.
Why NEPA?
NEPA is where I was born, and it’s where I feel like I belong. It’s a great place to raise a family, it’s accessible, and the cost of living is still relatively reasonable compared to a lot of other places.
What I really appreciate, though, is that NEPA still feels like a place where opportunity exists for people willing to put their head down and work. I like the idea that the little guy who shows up every day, works hard, and stays committed can still get rewarded here. Becoming a big fish in a small pond is attainable no matter what path you choose.
And of course, on a personal level, it doesn’t hurt that we have an incredible number of locally owned pizza shops. I’ll probably never run out of places to review — which means I’ve got an endless stream of content and an endless reason to stay right where I am.
