Mac's Pizza Shack, Gananda

I recently learned of a pizza place that opened in the summer of 2016, Mac's Pizza Shack. It's in Macedon, or Gananda; apparently this is one of those areas in our region that seems to go by more than one place name.
That's a bit of a haul for me to get to, whether from work or home, but I was intrigued enough to want to check it out. So I recently made the drive to pick up a pizza for dinner.
I got a large, half pepperoni, half green bell pepper and onions. The menu lists thin crust as an option, but I went with the original crust. First time around, always go with original.
I was favorably impressed. The crust was medium thick, firm and a little crisp underneath, but not crunchy or brittle. The interior was pleasantly breadlike. The perimeter of the pie was shaped into a substantial but not overly puffy cornicione, with a light dusting of flour.
As you might notice in one of the photos, the crust was a bit gummy on top, at the interface between the dough and the toppings. But I can't fault Mac's too much for that. It was about a half-hour drive from there to home, and I neglected to bring my insulated pizza bag (what was I thinking?). So these photos were taken well after the pie came out of the oven. Mea culpa (that's Latin for "my bad"). And overall, the crust was quite good.
The time factor also affected the cheese, which had cooled and congealed somewhat. But in spite of that, it seemed like good, whole-milk cheese. It still had a nice balance of softness and chewiness, and it had not separated into its constituent components. No exuded oil, bits of curd, or anything along those lines.
The sauce was a basic, mildly seasoned tomato sauce, and the toppings were abundant and flavorful. Lots of pepperoni, just crisp, and on the other half, softened but still vibrant green peppers and thinly sliced white onions. All the components of the pizza were well balanced. On the whole, a damn fine pie. Next time I should eat it on the spot, fresh out of the oven.
Mac's menu is on their website, so I won't bother to recite it here, but they have a pretty extensive list of toppings (even anchovies!) and a handful of specialty pies, as well as wings, subs, plates, burgers and finger foods. I especially like the "About" page, which gives some background, and an image of Mac, who passed away some time ago but who looks like somebody I would've enjoyed meeting.
So yeah, a bit of a trek for me, which is always a gamble on a first-time visit, but it paid off. I very much liked this pizza.

Mac's Pizza Shack, 3290 Canandaigua Rd., Macedon
Mon. - Thu. 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fri. & Sat. 9 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sun. 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

315-986-5678

Shells', Macedon

I used to see Shells' Pizzeria on Rt. 332 every time I'd go to Canandaigua, but I never stopped in. Dean's Pizzeria now occupies that spot, but on a recent Saturday I did have the chance to stop at Shells' in Macedon, where I happened to be for a family occasion.
When I told my wife I wanted to stop at Shells' for a slice of pizza she was a bit taken aback, thinking that I was talking about a gas station. But Shell's is a legitimate pizzeria, not a Shell station (is Shell gas still around, by the way? I never see them anymore).
Maybe 1:30 on a Saturday afternoon is not the best time to stop at any pizzeria for a slice, but all that was available were two sorry looking pepperoni slices sitting under a heat lamp.
My wife declined, but having come that far, I soldiered on and asked for one slice. As the employee was sliding my slice out, part of the slice near the tip detached and stayed behind on the warming rack, along with a large globule of cheese and one slice of pepperoni. Not that it looked especially appetizing, but I thought he might fetch that stray remnant and toss it in with the rest of the slice, or perhaps simply give me the other slice. But he didn't.
For a good 2/3 of the length of this slice, the thin crust was quite wet, as if the slice had been sitting in liquid. It wasn't greasy, more watery, so I'm not sure if the liquid came from the sauce, cheese, or some other source. Obviously that portion of the crust was quite soft and floppy, and it almost dissolved in my mouth when I took a bite.

Atop that "crust" (which doesn't seem like the right word for it, as it was not in the least crusty) lay some gloppy melted cheese, a thin layer of sauce, and a solitary slice of pepperoni. The toppings had migrated toward the tip of the slice, i.e., the center of the pie, thanks to the large air bubbles that had formed near the edge of the pie.
Ironically, though, by pushing the toppings, and the water that had been contained within them, toward the center of the pie, those bubbles may have been this slice's one saving grace, as the outer-edge half of the slice was still dry underneath, and I was able to discern a glimmer of a potentially good crust. It had some internal breadiness, and even a bit of exterior crunch.
Shells' pizza menu lists 18 toppings, and nine specialty pizzas and calzones. There are also cold and hot subs, wraps, wings, finger foods, and salads. There's a small seating area.
As John Greenleaf Whittier wrote, "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these:  'It might have been!'" I don't know if Whittier liked pizza, but his words are apt here, as this could've been a good pizza. And if I'd come on a different day, or at a different time of day, maybe I would've gotten a good slice. So no, I'm not judging Shells' based on only one slice, but I am judging the slice I was given, and frankly, I might've been better off going to a gas station for a slice of pizza. Despite what seemed like pretty good dough, this pizza suffered from poor preparation, preservation, and presentation, and for that I give it a D+.
Shell's Pizzeria, Rt. 31 (near 31F/350), Macedon. 315-986-3008.
(Hours unknown)
Delivery available to Palmyra, Farmington, Gananda and Macedon ($10 minimum).