OT: WNY Pizza... What's the best?

[Marvin]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

 

This is a good article on the subject:  Is America’s Pizza Capital Buffalo, New York?

I do okay here in Texas.  We have a "Buffalo bar" run by a guy from Kenmore.  He uses authentic recipes for pizza as well as wings, beef on weck, etc.

That pizza just looks right.

When I was at MSU, there was a bar where one of the bouncers was from Buffalo.  One day, we sat the cooks down and taught them how to make wings properly.

Word spread like wildfire among WNY expats, those who went to college in WNY, and the like.  The owner told me the extra cleaning time after Buffalo games was more than compensated by the extra money they made on food alone, never mind the extra beer sales -- even among those who never went to Buffalo.  Apparently, we are a rowdy passionate bunch.

[Doohickie]

23 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

That pizza just looks right.

Their pizza is very good.  To be honest, it's been so long since I've had pizza in Buffalo that I can't say whether it's true to what Buffalo pizza is supposed to be, but I will say that it resonates with the article I linked.  The owner of Buffalo Bros. is a trained chef from Buffalo who worked for a restaurateur here in Fort Worth.  He convinced his boss to support him to open an authentic Buffalo style tavern. 

Because of his chef's credentials, he did a great job of sourcing food locally that duplicates what is available in Buffalo, or getting it directly from from the Buffalo source.  For instance he spec'ed out kimmelweck rolls to a local bakery and to be honest, they're actually better than some of the kimmelweck rolls I've had in Buffalo.  But for hot dogs he imports genuine Sahlen's from Buffalo.  He's experimented with sourcing out his pizza dough but so far he hasn't had the same success so he still makes his own dough.

As far as my own "Buffalo cred", wayyyyy back in the 1970s while I was in high school, I worked at Roma's Restaurant on Genesee Street in Cheektowaga (now 33 Speakeasy Grill).  My nominal job was as dishwasher, but during the dinner rush it was all hands on deck for cooking so I made my fair share of pizzas, salads, wings, sandwiches & subs, etc.  I also did some of the prep cooking, like pizza sauce, croutons, salad dressings, etc.  Their house dressing, a creamy Italian, was made by hand.  It had eggs in there that were hand whipped into essentially mayonnaise as part of the dressing... working Tuesday nights meant that I'd be going home with rubbery arms because I would whip the dressing as long as I could, then hand it off the the cook who would do the same and we would do that for more than an hour straight to get the right consistency.  I've never had a creamy Italian that tasted better.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Doohickie

[Broken Ankles]

So Cal resident visiting this summer.  I will have one of each in July:

Bocce club

LaNova

Bob and John’s 

Just Pizza (steak & popeye with sesame seeds)

Tops breakfast

 

All previously mentioned, so I feel pretty good about these selections.   

[CallawaySabres]

I just want to know who in this city has the closest to NY Style. Thin, large, crispy slices...it can't be that hard to duplicate but apparently it is.

[Norcal]

In the spirit of WNY pizza I'll throw a few more names in the ring. IMO true Buffalo style pizza places must also offer buffalo wings and submarine sandwiches. 

The best combo ever created is a large pie or two, 50 wings w/ bleu cheese and 2 large subs. 

Pontillos Pizzeria in Batavia, ownership and name have changed but this place was really good for a long time, had great combos. 

Carbones in Alden does also, had one last time I came home. 

Ninos Pizzeria in Attica is another excellent spot for a combo and some pizza logs. 

I have a problem. I usually eat at atleast two of these places if I'm there more than a few days.

Pizza is good!

[LabattBlue]

33 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

I just want to know who in this city has the closest to NY Style. Thin, large, crispy slices...it can't be that hard to duplicate but apparently it is.

As previously mentioned, Ferro's in West Seneca....

 

https://www.ferrosfamousnypizza.com/

[Taro T]

22 minutes ago, Norcal said:

In the spirit of WNY pizza I'll throw a few more names in the ring. IMO true Buffalo style pizza places must also offer buffalo wings and submarine sandwiches. 

The best combo ever created is a large pie or two, 50 wings w/ bleu cheese and 2 large subs. 

Pontillos Pizzeria in Batavia, ownership and name have changed but this place was really good for a long time, had great combos. 

Carbones in Alden does also, had one last time I came home. 

Ninos Pizzeria in Attica is another excellent spot for a combo and some pizza logs. 

I have a problem. I usually eat at atleast two of these places if I'm there more than a few days.

Pizza is good!

Pontillo's is Ra-cha-cha based and VERY hit or miss.  The one in Bushnell's Basin is very good.  The one nearer to where we live, isn't.

[Weave]

8 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Pontillo's is Ra-cha-cha based and VERY hit or miss.  The one in Bushnell's Basin is very good.  The one nearer to where we live, isn't.

Two different sides of the same family.  The location in Batavia went down hill in quality a few years before family legal squabbles shut it down (if I am remembering correctly).

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, CallawaySabres said:

I just want to know who in this city has the closest to NY Style. Thin, large, crispy slices...it can't be that hard to duplicate but apparently it is.

Olisi's, Zetti's, and Wegmans are all NY Style.  I prefer Olisi's, but my wife prefers Zetti's.

[Norcal]

37 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Pontillo's is Ra-cha-cha based and VERY hit or miss.  The one in Bushnell's Basin is very good.  The one nearer to where we live, isn't.

There was a family owned place in Batavia. I believe e it was the original flagship restaurant. In HS I moved to the area and we would frequent it 3-5 times a week no lie.

At that time, late 80s,there was no equal. 

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, Norcal said:

There was a family owned place in Batavia. I believe e it was the original flagship restaurant. In HS I moved to the area and we would frequent it 3-5 times a week no lie.

At that time, late 80s,there was no equal. 

Interesting.  Did not know that.  🍺

[Norcal]

29 minutes ago, Weave said:

Two different sides of the same family.  The location in Batavia went down hill in quality a few years before family legal squabbles shut it down (if I am remembering correctly).

Yeah I heard that as well. It's too bad because the kitchen was open to the customer and you could watch the whole process right in front of you. It felt authentic back in the day. 

[darksabre]

The best pizza in Rochester, imo, is Brandani's across from Jay's Diner. Awesome spot for slices. 

Probably didn't go there enough. We ordered from Ken's Pizza Corner in West Henrietta a lot more because it was closer and they made GREAT suicide wings. 

And I know it's not the hip things to say, but I like Salvatore's. The Chicken Charlie is elite. 

[LGR4GM]

Mister Pizza and Imperial are supposedly opening in Amherst in millersport

[JoeSchmoe]

Did anyone else here have Sammy's in the Falls back before they went downhill (maybe 12 or 15 years ago)? 

I still maintain they were the best ever. 

[stinky finger]

11 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

Just Pizza and Wings

Santora's

[Claude Balls]

I'm not sure about the Buffalo area, but I can tell you Perinton Pizza near Rochester is f'n FANTASTIC!!! You could cover a piece of drywall with all their toppings and it would be delicious.

[SDS]

I haven’t read everyone’s response, but I will be the dissenter. 

There’s too much friggin cheese on Buffalo pizza.  I don’t have an issue with anything else that is done, but that massive amount of heart attack inducing cheese just isn’t healthy for anyone to be eating regularly. You can make a great tasting pizza without resorting to that.

I love a properly made margarita pizza which is the exact opposite of that. It’s a simple crust topped with San Marzano tomatoes and dollops of buffalo mozzarella, not an oppressive sheet drenched in grease and oil.

[SDS]

5 hours ago, Norcal said:

There was a family owned place in Batavia. I believe e it was the original flagship restaurant. In HS I moved to the area and we would frequent it 3-5 times a week no lie.

At that time, late 80s,there was no equal. 

So John Candy filmed a movie somewhere in the Batavia area back in the late 80s. Somehow my mother got roped in to some after party. I don’t remember if it was related to Batavia Downs or not. Regardless, Pontillo’s closed the restaurant down and John Candy made pizzas for everyone in attendance. 

[Brawndo]

11 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Mister Pizza and Imperial are supposedly opening in Amherst in millersport

And directly across the street from one another.  One is going into the the Leonardi’s Location the other the Family Video Store. 

Wurlitzer Pizza on Nash in North Tonawanda is pretty good 

[tom webster]

11 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

And directly across the street from one another.  One is going into the the Leonardi’s Location the other the Family Video Store. 

Wurlitzer Pizza on Nash in North Tonawanda is pretty good 

I’m skeptical if Mister Pizza ever opens there. Since Tony died there seems to be a leadership void. They still haven’t reopened Grant Street and the whole Leonardi’s mess with the sub lease fiasco and now with Imperial buying the plaza across the street, I’ll believe it when I see it.

[Drag0nDan]

On 5/19/2021 at 8:59 AM, LGR4GM said:

In my youth I delivered pizza to ingram micro on occasion. 

Franco's I always have to tell them extra bake on my pizza or the crust isn't cooked enough. 

See i feel that way about picassos.  But its honestly the sheet pizzas.  They cook differently i think.

[Doohickie]

9 hours ago, SDS said:

I haven’t read everyone’s response, but I will be the dissenter. 

There’s too much friggin cheese on Buffalo pizza.  I don’t have an issue with anything else that is done, but that massive amount of heart attack inducing cheese just isn’t healthy for anyone to be eating regularly. You can make a great tasting pizza without resorting to that.

I love a properly made margarita pizza which is the exact opposite of that. It’s a simple crust topped with San Marzano tomatoes and dollops of buffalo mozzarella, not an oppressive sheet drenched in grease and oil.

[All Along The Watchtower]

We finally got some good Buffalo pizza down here in Northern Virginia, baddpizza.  Wings are top-notch also.  

[Doohickie]

Yeah, Buffalo Food is a thing for any community that has even a few WNY expats.  It's a valid regional cuisine, akin to Louisiana food (crawfish boils and the like).