Popularity of pizza grows in Buffalo

Joe's New York Style cheese pizza, $2.35 by the slice

Pizza lovers in Buffalo can enjoy their favorite pizza at a number of local pizzerias, which are offering a wide array of menu options.

Customers can dine at popular local pizzerias such as Casa-Di-Pizza, Just Pizza, Zetti’s Pizza & Pasta, Mister Pizza, Destini’s Pizzeria, and Joe’s New York Style Pizza. 

Each pizzeria offer customers pizza toppings such as cheese, pepperoni, chicken, vegetable, and sausage.

At 976 Elmwood Ave., Zetti’s Pizza & Pasta offer customers authentic New York style pizza, and other Italian dishes. Customers can choose from menu items such as jalapeño poppers ($6.99), calzone ($4.99), penne vendura ($11.99), and baked ravioli ($9.99). 

Steve Gyarmathy, manager of Zetti’s Pizza & Pasta said the business has been opened for eight years, but has been at its Elmwood location for three years. Zetti’s Pizza & Pasta separates itself from other pizzerias in Buffalo because customers are able to enjoy authentic New York style pizza, according to Gyarmathy.

“I grew up on Long Island and this has been the closest thing for me to home,” said Gyarmathy. “In New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey, they make this style of pizza, so it brings me back home.”

“Our whole menu has different kinds of pizzas,” added Gyarmathy. “We have specialty pizzas, a lot of chicken pies, white pies with ricotta cheese, and bruschetta pies.”

Zetti’s Pizza & Pasta’s most popular pizzas are cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, buffalo chicken pizza, and chicken bacon -ranch pizza. 

Customers can also choose from gourmet pizza, bruschetta pizza, pizza without cheese and pizza without sauce. The gourmet pizza, bruschetta pizza, and pizza without sauce comes in three sizes: medium ($16.99), large ($18.99), and extra-large ($20.99).

“We offer white pies made with a lot of different kinds of chicken such as buffalo chicken, and barbeque chicken,” said Gyarmathy. “We also give customers the choice of making their own kinds of pizza based on the ingredients we have.”

At Zetti’s Pizza & Pasta, customers have the option of buying pizza by the slice, or whole pizzas.

Canisius High School students Jamel Mosley and Aaron White are regular customers at Zetti’s Pizza & Pasta. Both students said they are able to enjoy their favorite pizza slices for a decent price.

Mosley said Zetti’s Pizza & Pasta’s chicken finger pizza is his favorite.

“A part from the taste, it’s also great quality pizza,” said Mosley. “I get a decent amount for the price, and I usually pay about $3.80 for a slice.”  

“I get a slice of cheese pizza for $2.20,” said White. “The price and the quality are both great, and I like the relaxing environment.”

At 345 Amherst St., Joe’s New York Style Pizza offers customers the opportunity to choose from a wide array of pizza toppings such as cheese, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and ham. 

Joe’s New York Style Pizza pies are hand stretched and cooked directly on the brick, daily.

Manager Ben Islami said a part from its New York style pizza options, Joe’s New York Style Pizza also offer specialty pizzas such as white pizza, meat deluxe, deep bleu chicken, barbeque chicken, and  buffalo chicken.

Customers can also choose Joe’s large and extra-large pizza combo special which includes the choices of a house pizza with one topping and 12 wings ($22.15), and two large 16-inch pizzas with one topping and 50 wings ($44.75).

“We offer a Monday night football pizza for $10,” said Islami. “Our most popular pizzas are our deep dish pizza, which is made with bleu cheese and marinated buffalo chicken, and our stuffed steak pizza, which is made with steak, sweet peppers and onions.”

Joe’s New York Style Pizza attracts many customers on a daily basis, because of its freshness and unique pizza styles, according to Islami.

“We have our own home made sauce,” said Islami. “We make everything fresh daily and every customer gets to see that.”