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From Father to Son: The Next Chapter of Senape’s Tavern
When you think of the “Pizza King” in Hazleton, you think of Senape’s Tavern. Nearing 100 years of serving their trademarked “pitza,” Senape’s has perfected the art of pizza. As the summer approaches, the halfway point of the year is almost here, and with that, there will be a new owner at Senape’s, looking to continue the outstanding family legacy this restaurant has built.
A Century of Family Tradition and Pitza Excellence
Senape’s Tavern is a family-owned and operated restaurant located on North Vine Street in Hazleton, PA, and it has been a local favorite for many decades. Built in 1908, serving “pitza” since 1933, Senape’s Tavern has been a local gem for a very long time, and they show no signs of stopping.
Most known for their square “schamutz” pitza as well as the trademarked “Senapetizer,” Senape’s has kept almost everything about the restaurant — from the recipe to the feel — the same.
It all started in 1908 as Saverio Senape, an Italian immigrant, built and founded Senape’s. In 1933, Charlie Senape, son of Saverio, would take over the tavern and introduce the original bar pitza, which at first was round. It wasn’t until 1965 that Charlie’s son, Gerry Senape, would introduce the square pitza that is now beloved today. Gerry would end up taking over Senape’s with his wife, Mariann, in 1973, where they have been operating Senape’s ever since. Gerry has embraced the tavern for 52 years and has influenced many people over that time. Now, as the year goes on, Gerry gets ready to retire, and he will leave his decades of legacy to his youngest son, Tom.
Stepping Into His Father’s Footsteps
Tom is more than ready to take over his dad’s legacy. He’s been involved with the business for his entire life. “Being around the Tavern my whole life has been an eye-opening experience with seeing exactly what goes into the daily grind and commitment of running a business,” Tom said.
Being involved for so long has left him in a prime position to not just continue his dad’s legacy but start his own. “Keeping the family legacy going is what I am most excited about for the future.”
Same Legacy, New Era
This new era at Senape’s Tavern should be exciting, yet familiar and comforting at the same time. Sometimes when ownership changes at a longstanding restaurant like Senape’s, those tastes and recipes everyone loves can be lost in a wave of new and intriguing items. After talking to Tom, however, he plans to find the best of both worlds, saying, “I’m also looking forward to renovating the building, and bringing new creations to the menu, while keeping the same delicious food everyone knows and loves at the same time.”
One way he plans on sprucing up the menu is by adding a new grandma-style pitza, which he has named the “Connie.” It is named after his grandmother and has yet to be announced to the menu, but will surely become another classic that locals grow to love.
It’s not easy to build such a following and fanbase for your restaurant, especially when you are a smaller family-owned business, but Senape’s has done just that for nearly 100 years. Whether you grab a famous Senapetizer to go, or you dine in and take in the nostalgic atmosphere, you can see for yourself how special this small tavern is in Hazleton, PA.
