Source
r/Rochester•
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Rochester Style Pizza

Please Flair Me!

I need some help trying to describe what I consider to be “Rochester” style pizza. I grew up eating and loving Bushnell’s Basin Pontillo’s, Mr. Shoes, and Marks Pizzaria (they treated me like family). I’m now living in Columbus desperate to eat something close to a Pontillo’s style pie, but can’t find the right words to describe the thick but airy crust that bubbles up when cooked, with an ungodly layer of cornmeal on the bottom, and just the right combination of sauce to just enough cheese. Maybe knowing the oven type/cooking style would help narrow my search. I would appreciate any help, or better yet 2 Large pepperonis from somebody driving through.

Posted Apr 10, 2019, 8:58 PM UTC

1165
PHM517•

I’m always amazed how many people come here and want to eat our ‘good pizza’ or miss it. Because I don’t really like any of the ones you listed, Marks in particular. Although I too grew up on it. Makes me realize I better be grateful and appreciate what I have since it clearly can get much worse.

I do agree with the commenter that suggests looking for Sicilian style, that would probably be the closest. Annnnd now I kinda want a Mark’s slice even after all I’ve said.

16
dopperpod•

They make shitty pizza - Mark’s Pizzeria!

6
sharp-and-ambivalentDisplaced Rochesterian•

Moved to the Midwest, can confirm, I miss Rochester pizza soooo much.

5
cjf4•

The big difference between Sicilian style and Rochester is that Sicilian is a pan pizza, whereas Rochester style typically isn't.

2
Jamal-Ginsberg•

There is nothing like Pontillo's. I wish there was, I've been in both Binghamton and Buffalo for school and never found anything close to it.

7
cyanwintersGates•

Binghamton has a ton more direct NYC influence on their pizza. Most of their local pizza more closely mirrors the traditional NYC style that is less common (but still available) here.

5
loliaway•

I miss nirchi's.

3
cyanwintersGates•

...gross, man. There's so much better Binghamton pizza!

2
loliaway•

If you even try to tell me that brozettis is better, I will fucking shank you.

Cosmos was the best, followed by grotta in vestal. Nirchi's was just a staple of my childhood though.

2
Jamal-Ginsberg•

lol just the mention of that name brings back bad memories of Binghamton winters

1
Jamal-Ginsberg•

Mario’s in the University Plaza used to be my go to, it was nyc style.

1
Jamal-Ginsberg•

This is definitely accurate, they had thin slices down there.

1
Shikadi297•

Accurate, except the still available here part :P

1
cyanwintersGates•

Joe's Brooklyn, my friend.

4
Shikadi297•

Probably wouldn't stay open long in the Binghamton area imo, though they're my go to here since there isn't much else. After not having good NYC style pizza for a while Joe's starts tasting a lot better

2
GenericHbomb•

Head to Albany and you see a lot more in similar style to Pontillos

1
solaron17•

I think the one in Gates just closed. Phone is disconnected and there’s been a “Closed today” sign on the front door for at least a month. Sucks because they were within walking distance of my apartment and the pizza was really good and the price wasn’t bad for Rochester. Not sure what to try next that’s close.

1
goodsoilproject33•

I saw fire trucks there around then, and they have been closed since.

1
kittycatdudeGates•

Used to go to the Pontillos in Batavia all the time. My grandparents had a cottage on Horseshoe Lake and we always begged them to take us there for dinner. It was a sit-down one and they had a weekday lunch buffet that my aunt took us to sometimes. Apparently now it's Batavia's Original Pizza but I think it's the same pizza just new management.

My dad would order it with double pepperoni. Didn't like it that way. He would sometimes order it on his way home from work.

My parents usually order Amicos or Salvatores. I guess Amicos is OK, not that much sauce. My dad used to also order from Bay & Goodman up until a few years ago. My uncle lives near Guida's and when they host family parties he'll order a sheet from there. Once we had a huge disagreement (over Facebook messenger) on where to order from and ended up with about 6 different pizza places.

I wish Pudgies wasn't so damn expensive. Some of the best pizza I ever had.

4
Amagicbean-buyer•

Weird, I've always lived near a Pontillo's and thought they were meh, but recently discovered Batavia's original and LOVE it

1
lotusstpPittsford•

Pontillo’s is fairly inconsistent from franchisee to franchisee... everyone I know in Pittsford orders from the Basin Pontillo’s and eschews the one in the Village.

4
dampier•

I believe there are two Pontillo family factions with their own recipes and styles. The one in Brighton on Monroe is very good and can take online orders and is lightning fast when you elect to pick it up yourself.

1
kittycatdudeGates•

Yeah oddly enough I preferred Batavia’s version over the Rochester version when my dad would order it. Probably because in Batavia it was fresh out of the pizza oven, and not loaded with extra pepperoni. Last time I had Pontillos it was decent I guess, I ordered from the one on West Ridge Rd.

I miss going to the Batavia one. Especially the lunch buffet. They even had free balloons 😂

1
darthgarlic•

Pudgies

Man I miss that place, I live in Phoenix now the pizza here sucks.

1
hwhaleshark•

The further you get from NYC, the lower quality of pizza you’re going to find, sorry to say.

Columbus...I’d go for Skyline Chili.

3†
NanojackHighland Park•

I always felt this, but sometime in my 20+ years here after growing up 10 miles from NYC I've come to feel it's not that you can't find good pizza, it's that you have to work harder to find good pizza. Don't give up, it's out there.

6
hwhaleshark•

It is out there, particularly Joe’s Brooklyn, Pizza Stop, and Empire Pizza. But the next SOB that tells me how “Mark’s and Salvatore’s are just amazing” is getting gutted with a rusty fishing knife.

4
daggerpime•

Marks is horrible, but I crave Salvatore's like I crave little Caesars...... It's so bad it's good.

2
dampier•

Joe's Brooklyn is extremely expensive and I don't find it worth the price. I'm not very mobile so I haven't had Pizza Stop but it is apparently a very close facsimile to NYC style pizza and someday I'll try it because it is now as Pittsford Plaza.

1
CPSux•

I realize this will sound crazy, but I don't like Joe's Brooklyn at all. Every time I've been there the crust has been overdone, chewy and the toppings have been scant. They actually remind me of those prepackaged crunchy bread sticks. The slices I've tried have also been overly salty.

It's not like I don't know or appreciate NY style pizza. I do. I prefer it over any other style pie. The issue is Joe's Brooklyn has never tasted like anything I've eaten in NYC. Not even close. Even Pizza Stop is light years ahead of Joe's.

I've only ever ordered slices to go from the Henrietta location, so maybe this is a factor, but I honestly scratch my head every time I see them complimented on here.

1
lotusstpPittsford•

Columbus? Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus FTW!

1
RIPKellysFairport•

Think that's Cincinnati you're thinking of

0
hwhaleshark•

It’s all around Ohio. I’ve had it in Columbus and Dayton also.

0
planeteerjohnNorth Winton Village•

I've always thought Bay Goodman and Krony's to be the Rochester style and maybe even Salvatore's. Medium crust, slightly crispy bottom.

3
cjf4•

It's like if you started with NY style recipe, doubled the dough, and added 50% more sauce and cheese.

​

It's too bad because most of it winds up being too heavy. Great pizza is all about balance, Rochester pizza is all about volume.

3
unclexbennyPearl-Meigs-Monroe•

Its not the exact same, but "sicillian style" pizza has a thicker crust and searching for that might get you closer to what you're looking for.

A quick Google search brought up this place Little Sicily's outside of Columbus which doesn't look too bad, even looks like they have the cup pepperonis.

2
upstateny15•

I live in Syracuse now and wish for some Pontillos pizza!

2
boner79•

I live in Rochester now and wish for some Twin Trees pizza! ;)

3
upstateny15•

I would like Twin Trees a lot more if it didn't have tomato chunks in the sauce. But I might have to give it another try!

1
boner79•

Definitely. IMO the pizza is better at the original Twin Trees on Avery Ave.

1
cjf4•

Twin trees is awesome.

1
merisia•

Pizza pillow.

2
BeerdedRNY•

Back in the 70's Bay & Goodman (when it was located at Bay & Goodman) was one of the best for Rochester style.

But the true number one Rochester style was Veltre's (at Lyell & Parkway) which survived from the 30's into the 90's. Shit, Roncone's still honors them by refreshing the old hand painted sign on the side of their building to this day.

I used to love the crusty bottom and edges along with the soft, pillowy sections and crispy bubbles of cheese crusted, yeasty dough. They had a decent amount of toppings to fully satisfy you but never enough that it would slide apart when you bit into it.

Edit: I've learned to appreciate and enjoy other pizza styles since but my memories of those old pizzeria's will live with me forever.

2
zoltans_of_swingPenfield•

When I think of Rochester-style pizza I think of Mark's or Salvatore's. Medium thickness crust. Chewy, dry-ish dough. Greasy. Rochester pizza is conventional pizza that doesn't even stand out enough to merit having it's own style.

1†
0kazak1•

Jet's Pizza is more of a Detroit/Sicillian style

1
SafeToPostOP•

Just had Jets for the first time in like 5 years, and I’ll admit, I’m probably going to have it again. It was the proper thickness with a proper amount of cheese the sauce was a bit on the sweet side.

1
RIPKellysFairport•

2 Bobby, 2 blue cheese

1
LtPowersHenrietta•

I'm gonna get downvoted for this, but some of the chains come close. Pizza Hut (hand-tossed only) and Domino's aren't too far off considering they're national chains.

1
boner79•

I loves me some Pizza Hut.

"You know, I know this isn't real pizza. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is cheesy and delicious. After many years, you know what I realize? <Takes a bite of Pizza Hut pizza> Ignorance is bliss."

2
amberbmx•

Mr. Shoes... now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a while

1
SafeToPostOP•

A hundred thousand years ago it used to be good, then it used to be alright with good wings, now it’s been a decade since I’ve had it.

1
amberbmx•

The one in Fairport, yeah? Across from the VFW? I grew up going there. Food was always good but the one owner (when it was Eastside) was always such a bitch

1
getsomesleep1•

It's just nostalgia, you all need to accept that the pizza here is nothing special. Personally I come from Buffalo and everyone I know from Buffalo who lives here or works here is of the uniform opinion that the pizza here is inferior. Before you all flame and down-vote, Buffalo-style pizza has had national press, it's not just resident/hometown opinion. The pizza here isn't all that dissimilar, just not as good.

That said, inferior pizza is better than no pizza at all. I do like Basin Pontillos and have been meaning to try Guidas, Ninos and Pizza Stop. But Marks, Salvatores, other Pontillos, and everything else I've had, all meh.

1†
upstateny15•

The most Buffalo post ever. This was not a post about your type of pizza.

4
cjf4•

The difference between Rochester and Buffalo is Rochester doesn't have the hubris to deny that it's regional style is better than NY style, which is of course the best (with the possible exception of New Haven).

​

Buffalo style is good at the place that invented it, but most of the rest are heavy, greasy messes with cloying sauce.

2
getsomesleep1•

As I said, it has received national press, giving it a tiny bit more legitimacy. And the pizza here isn’t much different man, similar style just not as good.

And no, Rochester isn’t like that, instead the city is obsessed with the heavy, greasy mess that is the garbage plate.

-2
boner79•

Syracuse native checking in. You're not wrong. Rochester pizza is nothing special. I'll take the downvotes in solidarity with you for adding some perspective here.

0
dampier•

Historically, pizza in this region features a thick and bready crust and a large assortment of toppings, including the regional favorite of cupped pepperoni. It is the complete opposite of NYC-style thin crust and scant toppings.

It is definitely not chain pizza. Even back in the 1970s when our family was at Shakey's Pizza in then-underdeveloped Henrietta, there was still a big difference between that pizza and what Pontillos or Captain Cook's (and later Captain Tony's), and Salvatores were offering.

Some of the later chains, like Mr. Shoes and Marks are downright horrible IMHO, and the garbage from places like Little Caesars or Cicis was no better than the cafeteria pizza served by Godfathers and Pudgie's in past decades. But the worst place on earth for pizza for me was in central Florida. Italian food in general was a real mess there back in the 1980s.

One interesting phenomenon I found when visiting Calgary in western Canada is the habit of burying toppings under a thick solid layer of cheese, instead of laying them on top. I saw that all over the place (along with the fact they love Pepsi "pop" served straight from a can up there -- the only Coca-Cola I saw had dust on it).

1
boner79•

Melt some mozzarella cheese and pour tomato sauce on a slice of white bread and you've made Rochester-style pizza.

-8
cyanwintersGates•

You must shop at Tops, too.

3