Huge slices are served at State College’s newest pizza shop. See how they’re made
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Benny Leone's, a new pizza shop, is expected to open in State College in June.
- The shop sells huge slices, which could be their own meal, starting at $5 each.
- The shop's eating challenge dares diners to finish a pizza in 28 minutes for a $280 prize.
If you try to carry out a pie from State College’s newest pizza joint, you might not make it out the door.
The pizzas at Benny Leone’s — opening soon at 109 S. Fraser St. — are huge, offering oversized slices that could outright be a meal on their own. The 28-inch pies are a point of pride for franchisee Colin Farrell, who’s working hard to open the newest Benny’s pizza shop just a few steps away from Penn State’s campus.
“For the most part, we’re going to be a by-the-slice service, and it’ll be a quick in-and-out situation,” Farrell told the Centre Daily Times. “It’s certainly impressive to most people. When you see kids come in here and the slice is the size of their head, it’s definitely a special experience for a lot of our customers.”
The shop’s New York-style pies are not to be underestimated, Farrell said. The average Benny’s customer orders about 1.5 slices, which should be more than enough for a satisfying meal.
Those who need to feed a crowd (or hope to have leftovers) can order full 28-inch pies packed up in specially ordered pizza boxes that are both enormous and adorned with the logos of other Benny’s shops, which each sport a unique name that reflects the surrounding area. State College’s shop plays off its proximity to Penn State with “leone,” or “lion” in Italian.
Slices of Benny’s cheese pizzas will run customers $5 each, while slices topped with traditional toppings like pepperoni or sausage — Farrell’s favorite — will each fetch $6. Benny Leone’s will also roll out a rotating menu of specialty slices for $7 each, starting with pizzas topped with chipotle chicken or bruschetta. Whole pizza pies will start at $38.
More adventurous eaters might consider trying the Benny’s Challenge: a daunting quest to eat an entire 28-inch cheese pizza in under 28 minutes in exchange for $280, an overly filling meal and bragging rights. Even professional eaters, who can win $100 for completing the challenge, have struggled to claim victory, according to Farrell.
“A lot of people will try, and just as many will fail,” Farrell joked. “Most people who come in for the Benny’s Challenge think, ‘Oh, I’m really hungry and can eat a lot.’ Well, they get through three or four slices and have a lot of leftovers. The challenge is a lot of fun. You see a lot of friends doing it, whether it’s a dare or a punishment for your fantasy football league.”
Of course, no pizza shop would be complete without a bit of Penn State flair. Customers who walk into Benny Leone’s will quickly see a wall-to-wall mural portraying a “happy valley” in all its pizza-filled glory, including a few mountain lions. Artist Carson Arnold, who’s painted murals in several Benny’s shops, completed State College’s in just three days.
Making a pizza
Nearly the entire process of making a Benny’s pizza is about as large as the pies themselves.
The process starts with a huge Penn State-themed mixer affectionately sporting a name tag reading “Dough Paterno,” which produces batches of dough that can each make about 23 extra-large pizzas. Each crust is then brushed with a combination of oil and cornmeal to help add some flavor and texture and brown the crust in the oven.
“If we had a tiny dough mixer, we’d be making dough all day,” Farrell joked.
Benny’s sauce is made with a combination of traditional pizza sauce and pear tomatoes. A hefty can of each goes into every batch, leading Benny Leone’s to keep dozens of cans stacked and ready on a shelf above the food prep table. Each batch of sauce can make about a dozen extra-large pizzas, Farrell said.
Each pizza is topped with Benny’s five-cheese blend, stored in 64-ounce tubs and shredded freshly each day. Before they’re ready to cook, pizzas are loaded onto circular metal screens to guide them into the oven. Most traditional pizza shops would slide their pies right onto the oven surface, Farrell said, but there’s no good way to pick up a 28-inch pizza without an extremely large paddle.
Benny Leone’s ovens can combine to fit four 28-inch pizzas at once, Farrell said. And because each slice is large enough to fill the average diner’s cravings, Benny’s can effectively serve more than two dozen customers once pizzas make it into the oven and cook for about 12 minutes.
“One of our staples is quick service,” Farrell said. “Because of the by-the-slice model, we can serve a lot of people. Most people should expect to walk in and out of here in a few minutes, even if there is a line. That’s all because one pie can serve several people.”
So far, Farrell has offered samples of Benny Leone’s pizzas to workers in nearby offices. He said reception has been strong as the shop gears up to open in the coming days.
“A lot of people are curious and peeking in during the day,” he said. “I’ve been getting emails, phone calls asking when we’re opening. I keep trying to tell everybody, ‘As soon as I can, I’ll be open. I want to open for you guys!’”
Partnering with the community
Though Benny Leone’s official opening date keeps shifting around as work on the pizza shop continues, Farrell said he expects to start serving pies around June 11. Whenever that day comes, he hopes State College’s newest pizza shop will quickly grow ties with the community.
“We really are looking to be a pivotal part of the community here — especially on game day and during the school year, part of the nightlife for the college,” Farrell said. “And for the community in general, whether it’s serving the local high school football team or clubs and organizations, birthday parties. We want to be part of the community.”
Once it’s up and running, Benny Leone’s will generally operate from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and stay open until 3 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Farrell said those hours might not stretch as far into the night during the summer, especially as Benny Leone’s builds out its team by hiring employees.
Benny Leone’s will offer online ordering at bennyleones.com and serve its pies through third-party delivery platforms. Once it’s open, you can also call 814-954-8961 to place an order.
For the latest updates on State College’s newest pizza shop, follow Benny Leone’s on Facebook and Instagram.
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