On The Pizza Trail: The Frog Pond Pub

They made me a pizza I couldn’t refuse.

So far in our review of eateries on the Luzerne County Pizza Trail we’ve stuck to pretty traditional fare: classic round pies with cheese, with or without pepperoni. And indeed, that is the benchmark by which most pizzerias can and should be judged.

But of course there’s so much more out there.

When I pulled up the menu for The Frog Pond Pub in Wilkes-Barre, their square Sicilian pie was at the top of the list as a featured item, with a photo. Classic round pizzas were at the very bottom of the list.

I sense the folks at The Frog Pond really, really want you to know that specialty pizzas are their specialty: Sicilian, white broccoli and tomato, pesto pizza, chicken wing pizza, bacon double cheese pizza.

Can you take a hint? I can. Having grown up with Sicilian pizza, I was eager to see how The Frog Pond’s version stacked up.

The website is explicit: The Sicilian comes with onions, and you have to let them know if you do not want onions. (Of course I kept the onions. That wasn’t even a question.)

We decided to order take-out for the newsroom on a Saturday night: One Sicilian, one pesto, and by special request a side of fried pickles for page designer Ashley Bringmann.

It was a misty February evening, just after twilight.

No, really. It was.

With the skies a deep blue, the Frog Pond’s neon signs cast a warm, inviting glow out onto the sidewalk.

Inside, a clutch of patrons were gathered around the bar chatting or watching TV. I’d never been inside, but it felt like a great place to spend a few hours on a Saturday night: Comfortable, with soft lighting and decor — a perfect neighborhood watering hole.

The young man at the counter was polite and efficient. The food was ready when I arrived, so it was a simple and brief transaction.

If you go, note that there is off-street parking in a lot across from the building on North Grant Street. You can’t miss the big sign on the fence. Also note that North Grant Street is one way. I may or may not have made an entirely illegal exit back out onto Coal Street.

Like I said, it was a misty night. Things happen.

I suppose at this point you want to know how it all tasted. I’m not a professional pizza reviewer, nor do I play one on TV. Don’t ask me about the aroma, the bouquet, the structure of the crust. I’m not going to sum it all up after one bite, either.

I just know what I like, and I really liked what The Frog Pond served.

Be advised that Sicilian pizza tends to be on the sweeter side, and the onions accentuate that (hence the menu advisory). Not like Wilkes-Barre sweet sauce sweet, but definitely sweet (as was the crust).

Pesto is admittedly an acquired taste, and not everyone is a fan. It has a strong, earthy flavor, and Frog Pond’s pesto pizza was no exception. I liked it a lot, but if you don’t like pesto this is not for you.

Both pizzas went over well in the newsroom, but the Sicilian was the clear favorite — which was fine by me, as it meant I had some pesto left over.

For what it’s worth, I left some of both pizzas in the fridge and they actually were great cold. That is a hallmark of good Sicilian in particular, but the pesto flavor was almost better chilled than hot. These were great second-day pizzas. In fact, they were great third-day pizzas, too; I finished the last of the pesto on Tuesday as I was writing this.

As for the fried pickles … these were whole pickle spears, not just chunks. They were still crisp and tangy, which complemented the batter. Another big win.

In a nutshell, The Frog Pond serves an appetizing array of pub food. They offer a wide range of specialty pizzas, as mentioned, but also appetizers, wings, burgers, sandwiches and platters. The prices are in line with a quality neighborhood establishment. The pizza, just to name one category, ranged from $8.50 for a 12-inch round to $16.50 for a full Sicilian and $17.75 for the extra special white Sicilian.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the pub has a long, proud history.

Bill O’Boyle wrote about it in 2022 when he met with the new owners, Stuart Cahill and Pat Tracy. They purchased the Frog Pond the week before Thanksgiving 2021 from Mary Jo Farber Burke, who owned the business for 24 years.

“We’re still going strong,” Cahill said. “The Frog Pond has the same great food and service, reasonable prices and two handsome Irish owners.”

Indeed.

For two Irish guys, they sure serve up a winning Sicilian pizza.

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In an occasional series, the Times Leader will be visiting pizzerias that are named on the recently released Visit Luzerne County Pizza Trail.