Inventor of pizzaz pie, Celebre's is a South Philly institution - Review - Philadelphia - The Infatuation
"Celebre’s specialty is the pizzaz pie (which they claim to have invented), a perplexing, South Philadelphia-born blend of american cheese, slices of tomato, and pickled banana peppers. And while the sauceless marvel certainly isn’t for everyone, there is something on the South Philly institution's extensive menu that will be—and all of it is delivered by Carmel, the owner's mother, who's been serving here since ’83. photo credit: Gab Bonghi photo credit: Gab Bonghi photo credit: Gab Bonghi Pause Unmute The Packer Park dive has been around since the 1960s, and little more than the thickness of the TVs showing the Phillies has changed since. It’s nestled in a strip mall between Chickie’s & Pete’s and Termini Bros. No, we’re not kidding. But Celebre’s got here first, and it shows—drop ceilings, pleather booths, and families with zero regard for the inside-voice rule still share huge, straightforward, Friday-night-pizza-style pies. The steady stream of devoted take-out guests know the VIP stromboli and curly fries are also must-orders. photo credit: Gab Bonghi photo credit: Gab Bonghi photo credit: Gab Bonghi photo credit: Gab Bonghi Pause Unmute Come here before a Phillies game or to watch the Sixers lose. Or bring your friends and their kids for a pizza party. It’s not the best pie you’ll ever have, or the best pie in Philly. But eating in an institution makes it taste pretty f*cking great. Food Rundown Pizzaz Pie American cheese, tomatoes, banana peppers, and a notable hit of oregano. It’s creamy, it’s spicy, and we still don’t know if we like it. But if it’s your first time at Celebre’s, it’s an absolute must. It reminds us a bit of grilled cheese, and when you add steak to it, a hot, tangy cheesesteak. Whatever. Just give it a whirl. photo credit: Gab Bonghi Pepperoni Pizza Just between us, we’re getting pretty sick of all the specialty pizzas in this town. What we love about this pizza is just how unspecial it is. Perfect ratio of sweet-tangy sauce on top of thick (but not too thick) crust, all covered in toasty, melty mozzarella, lots of pepperoni, and just enough of that delicious pizza grease. It brings us back to our childhoods, watching TGIF with the fam. photo credit: Gab Bonghi VIP Stromboli Celebre’s nails the stromboli, and this one is our favorite. Packed with ham, salami, pepperoni, and three kinds of cheese, it all stays packed in the substantial, buttery roll-up without getting soggy. photo credit: Gab Bonghi Cheesesteak Skip this. The cheese is barely melted and the roll is dry. Get a cheesesteak stromboli instead. photo credit: Gab Bonghi Curly Fries Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and well-seasoned. What’s not to like? photo credit: Gab Bonghi" - Alison B. Kessler
