The Pizza Stop

From the time that I started this blog, and many times thereafter, I published posts about The Pizza Stop, primarily the original location on State Street. That was no coincidence, as it was (1) close to my workplace and (2) the made terrific New York style pizza, which is my favorite pizza style.

The original owner, Jim Staffieri, sold the business in 2023, at which time I was taking an extended break from blogging. 

After resurrecting this blog in 2025, I got a query from a reader asking whether I'd been back to The Pizza Stop, as some folks claimed that the quality of the pizza had slipped. I hadn't, largely because I retired last year, so it's no longer convenient.

But spurred by the reader's inquiry, I recently went back, for a lunchtime pizza to share with a friend. I ordered a medium pie, half regular pepperoni and half beef pepperoni. I also asked for it well done, thinking that since I wasn't planning on reheating it after getting it to my friend's house, the bottom would be a bit more crisp.

After picking it up, I put the pizza in an insulated pizza bag and got to my destination in about ten minutes. In general, it looked like the Pizza Stop pizza I remembered. But I suppose I gave it more scrutiny than I ordinarily would, so I did notice a few things.

The baking was just a bit uneven, with one side of the pie noticeably more charred underneath. Not to a great extent, but a bit. Not a criticism, but an observation. A few seconds is all it takes in a pizza oven, so I'm not faulting them.

The crust was crisp, but not crackly, with some charring, and quite thin. The sauce and cheese weren't skimpy, but not over-applied either, and balanced each other and the crust. The sauce had a basic, cooked-tomato flavor, without much in the way of herbal notes, which is as I recall from before. The cheese was melted and slightly browned, not stretchy but not congealed, as one finds with some lower-quality cheese.  

As for the pepperoni, I was intrigued by the choice of both regular and beef pepperoni. I've seen beef pepperoni, but never gave it much thought. It's like bologna: there's regular (usually a combination of beef and pork) and all-beef. Never really thought about it, frankly. I guess it's primarily for people who don't eat pork, for religious or cultural reasons. Or if you just prefer it.

I found the beef pepperoni chewier and meatier than the regular, which was saltier and oilier. It would be difficult to say I preferred one over the other. The regular was more what I would expect from a New York slice, and I did sop up some of the exuded oil with a napkin. The beef pepperoni had more flavor without the saltiness, but it wasn't "classic" NY style pepperoni.

So, how does this compare with The Pizza Stop pizza of old?

Alas, I cannot honestly say.  Memories fade, and nostalgia takes over. All I can do is describe my current impressions. I've re-read some of my old blog posts, but even so I can't fairly compare this to what I had so many years ago. Even having re-read them, some Pizza Stop pizzas looked a bit different from others.

With that in mind, this was good, for sure. As I said, it's been too long to compare it to pizza I last reviewed over nine years ago, but I enjoyed it. Despite my nitpicking from scrutinizing it more than I ordinarily would, it's still good NY style pizza.

The Pizza Stop

131 State St., Rochester

 Sunday 1:00PM - 6:00PM
Monday - Thursday 11:00AM - 6:00PM
Friday 11:00AM - 8:00PM
Saturday 12:00PM - 8:00PM

(585) 546-7252  

 

 

Georgio's

After a five-year run, the Pizza Stop location in Pittsford Plaza closed last year, which was sad news for local fans of New York style pizza. (The original location on State Street in downtown Rochester remains open, as do locations in Greece and Pultneyville.)

So I was happy to see that the location was purchased and recently reopened as Georgio's Pizza, which "specialize[s] in authentic New York-style pizza, wings, and fried favorites." I recently gave it a try.

I got a cheese slice and a Margherita slice. Both were appropriately thin, and looked pretty good, until I looked underneath.

Out of habit, I almost immediately turn the pizza over to get a look at the underside. Uniform brown? Pale? Spotted? Any screen marks? That tells me something about how the pizza was prepared and baked.

This was a tale of two pies. The Margherita was pale with a little spotted browning, and the cheese slice was blackened to the point of charcoal.

That was unfortunate as the toppings weren't bad. The cheese slice was reminiscent of The Pizza Stop, although the cheese had passed the melting point and was beginning to congeal. Just a bit. The Margherita toppings were quite nice, with a tomatoey-sweet sauce, melted fresh mozzarella and wilted fresh basil. I generally like fresh ingredients but I could've done without the tomato slices. Not necessary and throws off the balance.

Back to the crust. Despite how dark it was, the cheese slice wasn't particularly crisp or crackly underneath, it was just overdone. And the Margherita was underdone, despite the slight browning.

Whatever defects these had, I think were a matter of execution, and by saying that I don't mean to suggest I'm an expert or that I could have done better. But clearly something was amiss.

As for the Margherita, I do know that fresh mozzarella and fresh basil generally needed to be added near the end of the bake, so they don't get overdone. Maybe these were added too soon, so the pizza was pulled out too soon. The cheese slice? Harder to explain. Just a hypothesis, but too long at too low a temperature? 

To be clear, this was not bad pizza. It just needed a bit of tweaking. And Georgio's may still be working things out. So not a complaint, just telling you about these two slices on this one occasion. I'll keep Georgio's on my go-to list.

Georgio's Pizzeria

3349 Monroe Ave #18, Rochester, NY 14618
Phone: (585) 851-0770
georgiospizzaroc.com

Mon. - Wed. 11 am - 8 pm 

Thu. - Sat. 11 am - 9 pm 

Sun.    12–8 pm

 

 

 

Pizza Stop Pub and Bistro, Pulteneyville

 On March 5, 2009, I posted a review of the Pizza Stop on State Street in Rochester.

A lot of water has passed over the bridge and under the dam since then. The Pizza Stop is still on State Street, despite suffering through a lengthy construction project, but it's also opened and closed some other locations.

One of which is in Pultneyville, a hamlet in the town of Williamson, on Lake Ontario about halfway between Webster and Sodus Point. I have an aversion to the term "underrated," but Pultneyville may be underrated. It's an off-the-beaten-path hamlet with a small inlet and a few historic buildings, and it was the site of a battle in the War of 1812, in 1814 (the result of which is disputed, but as far as I'm concerned, we won, dammit).

The Pizza Stop opened its first full-scale restaurant and bar in Pultneyville in 2020. You can read the story here. It also seems to go by the name of the Local on the Lake. I think they're trying to be known as more than just a pizza place. 

After many years of it being on my to-do list, I made it there recently,
with wife and 22-year-old in tow. 

It's in what I assume must be a very old building next to the inlet. There was a takeout counter on the first floor. We were dining in, so we made our way upstairs. We passed the small bar area, which was populated by what seemed like a few regulars, and got seated at a table near a window looking over the inlet and the lake in the distance.

We ordered three pizzas:  a small chicken/bacon/ranch, a medium Grandma's, and a medium NY style cheese pie. 

All were good; all tasty. But they were, I'm sorry to say, not as good as the original, i.e., the State Street location.

Why? The crust. To be fair, this pizza came to us straight out of the oven. When I've been to the Pizza Stop, it's often been for a slice, which gets a brief reheating, which crisps up the crust. New York "slice joints" do it that way on purpose--take the pie out a little short of doneness, so you can put slices back in for a quick heat-up.

But if you're serving a whole pie, maybe give it an extra minute or two. That would've helped here. With a thin crust, you're not going to get a lot of interior, so you really need that external crunch and char, and that was lacking here. Also, even a thin crust can have some complexity from a long, slow rise, and I didn't get that either. 

Now--we did take the leftovers home, and I reheated them in the oven, on a well-heated steel, and they were much better. So the potential was there. But that's the thing with pizza. Timing can be everything. 

It was an enjoyable experience and the pizza was good. I'd go back, but next time I might ask for the pizza "well done."

The Pizza Stop & The Local on the Lake

4135 Lake Rd., Williamson, NY  

 315-904-4407

Wednesday    4–10 PM
Thursday    4–10 PM
Friday    4 PM–midnight
Saturday    11 AM–midnight

 Read more about them here.  

Red Zone

This story starts in the first decade of the 20th Century. Well, sort of.

In 1904 or thereabouts, a building was built on East Main Street in Rochester, that became home to Sibley's department store. 

For those who are too young to know, department stores were places where they sold a bunch of stuff--in person, not online--arranged by "departments." They were sort of like Walmart except they had high-end stuff, and nobody was embarrassed to admit they bought their clothes there. And they were often located right in the middle of cities. Where did people park, you might ask? On the street, maybe, but many shoppers didn't have to worry about parking, because there was good, reliable mass transit. 

Eventually Amazon and Walmart drove everyone else out of business, and all the buildings that used to house department stores became vacant or fell into disrepair, everyone who had the means to do so fled to the suburbs, and so on. (OK, I'm oversimplifying, but I'm trying to get to the point, which is to get us back to the Sibley Building.) 

Sibley's was huge for many years, but then declined, got bought by another company, and closed in the 1990s. So now we had this beautiful, historic building in the heart of downtown Rochester with its namesake tenant gone. 

In 2012, the building was bought by Winn Companies, which has since redeveloped the building for multiple uses, including retail, office and residential space. 

Part of that includes "Mercantile on Main," which I suppose could be described as a food court, but that wouldn't really do it justice. Yes, there are a number of walk-up, takeout places, but there's also a bar serving Spanish and Mediterranean dishes, the setting of the Sibley Building atrium is quite pleasant, and you won't find any national chain establishments. I believe they are all local and one of a kind.

To my way of thinking, no food court, high-end, low-end or otherwise, is worth a damn without pizza.  In Mercantile on Main, we have Red Zone, which offers a variety of thin-crust slices.

First time around, I like to stick with the basics, so I got a cheese slice. 

Hmm. There were things I liked, and things I didn't. It resembled a New York-style slice, but judged by that standard it fell short. It passed the fold test, meaning I could fold it and hold it horizontally without it flopping over, and the underside was dry, not oily (a good thing), but it was more browned than charred and it was not at all crackly. I could not only fold it, I could roll it up (not a good thing). Although it's easy to overlook the crust--which is why pizza chains make such a big deal about overloading their pizza with toppings and stuffing the crust, to distract you from how crappy the crust is--the crust is the backbone of every pizza, and this crust didn't wow me.

No complaints about the sauce or cheese. They balanced each other well. The cheese was nicely melted and both were added in good proportions to each other and to the crust. The sauce seemed a bit on the sweet rather than acidic/tangy side.

This is an observation rather than a complaint, but the slice had a prominent flavor of what I will generically call "Italian" herbs. I didn't attempt to dissect them into individual components (oregano, basil, etc.), but it was quite noticeable. At first I thought it was the sauce but there were visible dried herbs on top, so maybe someone just had a heavy hand with the herb shaker. Again, I'm not necessarily complaining, as it didn't overpower the other components and it certainly gave the slice a distinctive flavor. And where pizza is concerned, I appreciate distinctiveness.

I came away from this thinking, this was good, but it could've been a lot better. Red Zone is relatively new, and far be it from me to tell them how to make pizza, but I think a few tweaks would be all it takes to elevate their pizza significantly. 

Just some thoughts, but I wonder about the oven temperature. For thin crust, you generally want high temp, short baking time. Could they crank up the temp a bit? 

I frankly didn't notice what type of oven they use, but for personal reasons I find myself in the Sibley Building occasionally so next time I'll take a look. That may affect what they can do, temperature-wise.

Dough preparation is also a question. Again I will defer to the pros but a long ferment is generally going to result in a better crust. If a pizzeria advertises that they make their dough every day, on the same day that they bake it, that's not a good thing. Dough needs time.

And maybe take it easy on the herbs. If you want to make that a part of your signature, fine. I was good with it. But I'd solicit some opinions from your customers.

I enjoyed my pizza, make no mistake. I just thought, a little bit of adjustment and they can go from pretty good to very good or great.

 Red Zone Pizza, at Mercantile on Main

240 East Main St., Rochester

Mon. - Fri. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Pizza Stop, One More Time - And a Giveaway to Boot

When I started this blog in 2009, one of the first places I reviewed was The Pizza Stop in downtown Rochester. That was no accident, because The Pizza Stop was one of my favorite pizzerias. And it remains so.
Interestingly, that post, which I published on March 5, 2009, remains one of my most read posts of all time (oddly enough, the most-read is a post about a patent for a pepperoni-making machine).
As I wrote recently, I have decided to stop writing The Rochester NY Pizza Blog on a regular basis. There will, I think, be a few more posts in the future, but I wanted to do one last review, before I hang it up. So what better way to do it than to go back to The Pizza Stop?
This review actually encompasses two recent visits. A few weeks ago I picked up two pies at The Pizza Stop: a Chicken Spinoccoli, which is a white pizza, and a red pie with chicken, pepperoni and bacon. My wife and daughter made those selections, respectively. But I was happy with both.
On the second visit, I got back to basics, with a large pepperoni pie that I shared with two friends for lunch. I'll get to each in turn.
If I could only eat red or white pizza for the rest of my life, I'd choose red, hands down. That said, I like a good white pizza now and then, and this was very good indeed. The underside was crisp and charred, and the toppings were flavorful and well complemented each other. The mozzarella was melt-in-your-mouth smooth, and the other toppings, chicken, broccoli, spinach, extra virgin olive oil and garlic, made for an outstanding combination. I can't say I missed the tomato sauce.
My daughter selected the three-meat pie. I'll have to admit, it's gratifying that I haven't raised a tofu-eating vegan (just kidding!). But to be honest, while I am a full-fledged carnivore, I generally do not much like meat-heavy pizza. That said, this was tasty, not greasy, and well executed. The trio of meats that my daughter chose seemed odd to me at first, but the thick chunks of chicken held their own quite well against the spicy pepperoni and the smoky bacon. And I did grab a second slice before I was done.
On my more recent visit, I got a large pepperoni pie, pictured at top. Since I've written at length about The Pizza Stop's pizza in the past, I won't go on at length about it, other than to say that it was a fine example of The Pizza Stop's usual, reliable, classic New York style pizza. Well balanced and flavorful, with a thin, bready, crisp crust.
While I was waiting for my pie to come out of the oven, I had a chance for a brief conversation with owner Jim Staffieri. Business continues to be good -- no surprise there -- but fans should take note of The Pizza Stop's frozen stuffed pizzas, which are made in house and are currently available only in house. Eventually you may see these in your local supermarket, but for now you'll have to buy them at The Pizza Stop itself.
Having decided to take a respite from keeping up this blog on a regular schedule, I may find myself going back to The Pizza Stop more often than in the past. In fact, I expect to hit several of my old favorites more often than I used to, now than I don't feel the pressure to keep up with the newest pizzerias. And I may post about them, now and then, either here or on my Facebook page. But for now, let me sign off on my regular reviews by saying what I said in 2009. For its classic New York style pizza, The Pizza Stop remains one of my all-time favorites.
Anyone under the age of 40 (maybe 50) may be unlikely to get this cultural reference, but as Lt. Columbo used to say, "Just one more thing."  Jim graciously agreed to donate a $20 gift certificate for me to give away to a reader. So as in the past, all you have to do to enter to win is to shoot me an email at ROCPizzaGuy@gmail.com. Put "Pizza Stop" in the subject line. I'll need your name and mailing address too, which I will under no circumstances share with anyone else.
I usually run these for a week, but since we're coming up on Thanksgiving, I'll extend the deadline to Monday, November 28, at noon. I'll pick a winner shortly thereafter. Until then, eat good pizza!

The Pizza Stop, 131 State St., Rochester
(585) 546-7252

Monday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday, 2 p.m. - 8 p.m

Empire Pizza Update and $25 Giveaway

I recently had lunch with a longtime reader, Craig Ephraim, at Empire Pizza, which serves New York-style pizza from its shop on Empire Boulevard. Yesterday I published a guest post by Craig, which you can see here.
I got a couple of slices. From the eight pies available, I selected a meatball Parmesan slice and a white slice with spinach, tomato and ricotta. Both were very good.
The crusts were a shade thicker than some New York pizza I've had, but still within the general parameters of the style. The undersides were well darkened, to the point of charring on the white slice.
Texturally, these were right on the mark. The bottom surface was dry to the touch and crackly, but the interior was chewy. When folded, the slices cracked but did not break. The thin corniciones were bubbly and crisp.
Both slices were also quite tasty. I loved the meatball parm's combination of meatball chunks, cheese, red sauce, and the all-important garlic. The white slice was a close cousin to Margherita pizza, with spinach and ricotta standing in for basil and fresh mozzarella. Both slices had been given a generous sprinkling of dried oregano.
Two slices are generally more than adequate for me, at lunchtime, at least if I hope to get any work done that afternoon, but owner Ken Fournier was kind enough to bring over a slice of one of Empire's latest creations, a BLT pizza. It's topped with ranch sauce, bits of real bacon, sliced tomatoes, and freshly shredded lettuce. I've liked BLTs since childhood, and the flavor here pretty much nailed it. My only caveat would be that this would best be eaten soon after it's made, while the lettuce is still crunchy, as it was here. In other words, this might not make for great leftover pizza the next morning, by which time the lettuce will have wilted. So eat it up when you get it.
I won't bother to recite Empire's entire menu, since you can peruse it here, but I'll give you the quick rundown: NY style pies (12", 14" and 18"), Sicilian pizza in half and full sheets, 22 toppings, and 11 specialty pizzas. They also do baked wings, salads, calzones and garlic twists.
If you haven't been to Empire pizza lately, keep in mind that they moved across the street in 2015. They are now in Sunrise Plaza, which is on the east side of Empire Boulevard.
So about that giveaway. Ken also generously agreed to donate a $25 gift card to one lucky reader.  By now, you probably know the routine. Send an email to me at ROCPizzaGuy@gmail.com, by noon, next Friday, August 5. Be sure to put "Empire" in the subject line. I'll choose a winner at random that afternoon. My thanks again to Ken and Empire Pizza for this donation.

Empire Pizza, 1778 Empire Blvd. (Sunrise Plaza)

(585) 347-4050


Tue. - Thu. 11 - 8, Fri. 11 - 9, Sat. 11 - 8, Sun. noon - 8
(Closed Mondays)

Joe's Brooklyn Report and Giveaway: Two Chances to Win!

I stopped last week for lunch at Joe's Brooklyn Pizza in Henrietta, one of my local favorites. One slice is often enough for me at lunchtime, but when I'm faced with Joe's array, it's tough to go with just one slice.
So I got two: a thin "Taste of the Old Neighborhood" slice, and a thick Grandma's slice. They made for an interesting pair. Both use the same basic toppings, with the addition of mozzarella on the thick Sicilian slice. Here's the rundown:
Old Neighborhood: tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, shallots, fresh basil, and grated Pecorino Romano. Again, the Grandma's is the same, but adds aged, a/k/a processed, mozzarella.
Tough to pick a winner here. As for the TOTON slice, I find myself liking this kind of pizza, which harks back to a style that was prevalent in the early 20th century, before Americans starting blanketing all their pizza with mozzarella. Obviously if you like a lot of cheese on your pizza, or if you don't much care for red sauce, this is not for you, but to me, it's hard to beat the combination of tomato sauce, basil and garlic. Eating this is like enjoying a slice of bread that's been dipped into a pot of homemade spaghetti sauce, simmering on the stove. Delicious.
I'm sure I'd enjoy both these styles, on either a thick or thin crust, but I think going with thin for the Old Neighborhood slice and thick for the Grandma's was a good move. Sicilian pizza seems to call for a little something extra to balance out the thick crust, and the mozzarella/sauce combination does that well.
I guess I was enjoying these so much I forgot to get a photo of the undersides, but if you've been to Joe's or read any of my prior posts about Joe's, it should come as no surprise that both crusts were terrific. The thin slice was crackly, crisp yet chewy, the Sicilian breadlike, with just enough crunch underneath. (I did think to take a side view of the Grandma's slice, as you can see.)

Now about that giveaway. Proprietor Joe Staffieri has graciously offered to provide not one, but two $25 gift cards for me to give away to two lucky readers. To enter, send me an email at ROCPizzaGuy@gmail.com, with "Joe's" in the title line. The deadline to enter is next Friday, July 15, at noon. I will select two winners at random. One entry per person, please.

Joe's Brooklyn Pizza


1100 Jefferson Rd., Henrietta NY 14623

585-424-JOES (5637)


6720 Pittsford Palmyra Rd., Fairport NY 14450

585-364-0361


Mon - Wed 11 AM - 9 PM
Thurs - Sat 11 AM - 10 PM
Sunday noon - 8 PM

Schiano's, Alexander Street

I heard an ad on the radio recently for a new pizzeria, Schiano's, on Alexander Street, which occupies the former site of the Alexander Street Pontillo's, just north of East Avenue.
First chance I got, I went over at lunchtime for a slice. The slices were quite large, so I just got one, a pepperoni slice. (The only other option at the time was plain cheese.)
The pie had recently come out of the oven, but I asked for it to be rewarmed. I've found that in general, that's a good thing to do.
The crust was thin, just a little browned underneath, but crackly. I usually consider surface crackling a good thing, but in this case the crust tended to separate horizontally into two layers, which is not such a good thing. I like a nice mix of chewiness and crunchiness, but the crust should also be a unified whole.
The cornicione was narrow, not too thick, but bubbly, and had a breadlike flavor and aroma. Overall, the slice was marked by an aroma of garlic and tomatoes, reminiscent of a slow-cooked spaghetti sauce. The sauce was mildly flavored, not particularly sweet or salty, and I mostly noticed the garlic in the aroma, rather than on my tastebuds.
The cheese was quite melted, almost semi-liquid. I'm sure the reheating had something to do with that. I liked it, but it was a little gloppy. I'm sure John Kasich would've used a fork on this one.
Schiano's pizza comes in three sizes (14" medium, 16" large and sheet) with 15 available toppings and . They offer five specialty pizzas, including the "Schiano Special," described as "our take on an old fashion Margherita pizza." I'm curious to know what their "take" is on a Margherita. They also do stromboli, salads, "plates," "hero's" [sic], wings, and several appetizers, including "Geo's meatball ina cup," which apparently is just what it sounds like, a huge meatball in a cup, with marinara sauce and cheese.
My slice was $4, which is a little steep for around here, although admittedly it was quite a large slice (a plain cheese slice is $3.50). So I guess I can't complain too much about the price. I think they also do a lot of bar business, and I'm sure that many bar patrons around there aren't too particular about spending an extra buck or two on a slice of pizza.
But in general, I was pleased with this slice. There was the one issue with the crust, but I'd rather have too crackly than too soggy. Otherwise, it was pretty nice overall, and I'd say that Schiano's is a welcome addition to the local pizza scene.

Schiano's Pizzeria
315 Alexander St.
Rochester, NY 14604

585-445-8208

The Pizza Stop: an Old Favorite, and Something New

Through a combination of circumstances, I recently went for over a week with no pizza. But after literally dreaming about pizza several times over that time, I knew it was time for a pizza fix.
And I knew it was time to get back to The Pizza Stop, one of my go-to places for great pizza. I've mostly been going to new places lately, which has meant neglecting some old favorites. But I can only stay away from them for so long.
When I walked in the door, I wasn't sure what to get, aside from a plain cheese slice. When I'm craving pizza, a plain cheese slice is still what I want.
But I was hungry enough for a second slice. I was initially inclined to get a Sicilian slice, but on the spur of the moment I got a slice of a more recent creation, a sweet-chili chicken and bacon slice.
I went back and forth between them, but started first on the latter. Both slices displayed the crust that puts The Pizza Stop among my top tier of local pizzerias. Thin, crackly yet pliable, with some interior chewiness, and with some charring underneath, but no burnt areas. If the room had been quieter, or if my hearing were better, I probably could've heard the crust cracking as I folded it. It's a classic New York slice, which to me is as good as it gets.
The chicken slice was generously laden with toppings, but not enough to overwhelm the crust, which still passed the "fold test." The drizzled-on sauce had a complex flavor, with sweet, smoky and spicy-hot notes. It well complemented the chunks of chicken and the crisp bacon bits.
Obviously, this is not for minimalist, pizza purists. But one thing to like about The Pizza Stop is that in addition to their classic pies, they're always trying out new combinations. Owner Jim Staffieri told me that coming up with ideas for new toppings and combinations is pretty much an ad lib process; "ideas just come." From there, it's a matter of gauging customer response.
As I mentioned, I went back and forth between these slices, but I saved the bulk of my bites for the cheese slice. To me, a plain cheese slice is the ultimate NY style pizza.
I will confess to having squeezed a bit of hot sauce between the cheese and the cornicione. I did the same, with sriracha, on the chicken slice. Pizza purists may take issue with that, but it's the eater's prerogative to doctor the slice any way you'd like, and I enjoy the extra kick that a squirt of hot sauce adds to the otherwise naked crust. That's why you see that red ring on the cheese slice.
Which was as good as ever. There's not much I can say about it that I haven't said before. When I'm eating a Pizza Stop slice, I could well be sitting somewhere in NYC. Crackly crust, well melted cheese, and just the right amount of tomatoey sauce to balance it all out.
If you haven't been there in a while, don't forget that The Pizza Stop has moved just up the street into bigger quarters. There's plenty of seating, they've also added a well-chosen selection of draft beer, and they've extended their hours of operation. In short, there's no reason not to go there, soon.

The Pizza Stop
131 State Street
Rochester, New York 14614

(585) 546-7252

Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday, 2 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Ciccino's, Geneva

As I mentioned in a post last week, I was in Geneva, NY recently, and used the occasion to hit a couple of pizzerias.
One of which was Ciccino's, which for Rochester-area visitors is conveniently located on Rt. 14 (Exchange St.) just as you get to downtown Geneva.
Ciccino's is a full-service restaurant, but there's a separate counter area if you want something to go, with a decent selection of pizza slices.
Since I'd just gotten a cheese slice at Uncle Joe's, I went with the same here. A reader once complained that I so often order and review "plain cheese," but (1) I like it, and (2) it provides a good universal standard to compare pizzerias. And this thin, triangular slice made for an interesting contrast with the thicker, square-cut slice I'd gotten from Uncle Joe's.
I opted to have my slice rewarmed. I've found that's generally a good idea, even if you don't plan to eat it immediately, as it makes the underside more crisp. I noticed that while Ciccino's pies were baked in some large deck ovens, my slice was reheated in a small, stand-alone side oven.
I was impressed with the result. The slice was nicely charred underneath, with some surface crackling. The charring added some toasty notes, and the crust had a pleasant chewiness.
Ciccino's doesn't call its pizza New York style, but it generally fits into that category. I gave my slice the "fold test" for New York style pizza - can you hold the slice, folded, horizontally, without the tip flopping down? I found that if I held my folded slice at a slight upward angle, the tip would droop down just a little. I don't mention that to pass judgment on the slice, but only to give you an idea of its relative pliability vs. rigidity. On the scale of floppy vs. brittle, it was a shade closer to the former.
One of the things I like about cheese pizza is its simplicity, and the trinity of crust, sauce and cheese was well balanced here. The crust was topped with modest but adequate layers of basic tomato sauce - not too salty, not too sweet - and well melted mozzarella, which was just a bit blistered and browned, with a bubbly spot of dough bulging up here and there.
On my visit, Ciccino's had a few other sliced pies available, including one with standard, thin-sliced pepperoni, a white pie, Buffalo chicken, and a sausage-and-peppers pie. If you're ordering a whole pizza, Ciccino's offers a traditional Margherita with crushed plum tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil, and a selection of other pies, including thick-crust Sicilian pizza; the family behind Ciccino's is of Sicilian origin, so I imagine they do a good job on that. For further exploration of their pizza offerings, I refer you to their menu, where you'll also find their meat and seafood dishes, pasta, salads and sandwiches. There's a full bar as well.
For a number of reasons, I have been assigning fewer letter grades of late. That's a topic for another day. But one factor is a pizzeria's proximity to Rochester. Geneva's a bit of a drive from Rochester, and I don't expect to become fully familiar with the pizza choices out that way anytime soon. So I'll pass on giving a letter grade to this slice. But I will say that I enjoyed it. I'd recommend a stop if you're in the area.

Ciccino's Pizzeria & Restaurant, 401 Exchange St., Geneva
(315) 789-4613

Also
22 East Main St., Waterloo
(315) 539-1064

Both locations hours: Mon. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Tue. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 - 11, Sun. noon - 9 p.m.

East End Pizza & Deli

As I noted in a late June post, Stromboli Express recently moved from its former location on East Avenue to a site across and down the street, and has become Stromboli's Restaurant.
While I can understand that move and change, I figured the area around its former location still needed a slice joint, especially one that's open late. Despite being in a bar-heavy area, Stromboli's has always closed relatively early, even on weekends. (And I can understand that too - I don't think I'd want to deal with people coming out of bars at 2 a.m. But if you're willing to tolerate those customers, there's money to be made.)
In Stromboli's former space  now comes East End Pizza & Deli. I stopped in the other day and got a slice.
At my noontime visit, they had just cheese or pepperoni slices available. I got one pepperoni slice.
My immediate reaction was a bit of shock at the price - $3.75. I can get a pretty good slice around town, or even in New York City, for well under that. So if you're charging $3.75 a slice, it had better be good.
And it was good, but not that good. I was told that they had a special, two slices & a 20 oz drink for $7,which isn't bad, but I didn't really want two slices, or a drink, or to spend $7, so I declined.
On to the slice: I was asked if I'd like it rewarmed - that should always be asked, so that's a plus - and I said yes. I've learned that in general, even when they say a pizza has just come out of the oven, it's usually a good idea to get your slice rewarmed. Mine spent maybe another minute in the oven.
This slice had a dry, crackly bottom, with some screen marks.There was a light dusting of either corn meal or semolina flour - it was very light, so I couldn't tell. I don't have a problem with that. The slice also held up to the "fold test," meaning that I could fold it and hold it out straight, without the tip flopping down.
The slice was extremely thin near the tip, i.e. the center of the pie. Some oil had seeped through, also near the tip, but as I said, the crust was mostly dry to the touch. It was considerably thicker and more breadlike near the outer edge. The cornicione was nicely formed, with some light bubbling and blistering on top.
On the negative side, the cheese was a little overdone - maybe that was the downside of having the slice rewarmed - and it didn't seem like the greatest cheese. It hadn't melted so much as separated, and I wondered if the oil separating from the cheese was the source of some of the oil on the bottom of the slice. The pock marks on the cheese indicated that the solids and liquids comprising the cheese had separated from each other.
The pepperoni was pretty good. It was thin, crisp and a little spicy.
The slice was light on the sauce. It was there, but it was lightly applied, and frankly I had a hard time identifying it on my palate. There was nothing wrong with it, as such, it was just so much in the background as to be almost undetectable.
I'll let you peruse East End's menu for yourself, but it is interesting. No wings, but they do offer sandwiches, including prime rib sandwiches, and, under the heading "comfort food," sausage rolls, mac & cheese, and grilled cheese.

As for the pizza, this was not bad, overall, but in my judgment this slice was not worth the price. Maybe their late-night customers won't mind, but during the day, I can get pizza at least as good, not far away, for less. That said, and price aside, there were things to like about this pizza, and I hope they do well.

East End Pizza & Deli, 113 East Ave.
585-434-4280

Sun. noon - 11 p.m.
Mon. & Tue. 11 - 11
Wed. & Thu. 11 - 2 a.m.
Fri. & Sat. 11 - 2:30 a.m.

The Pizza Stop

I continue to search out new pizzerias, but as this blog is a record of my pizza experiences, allow me to do a quick post on an old favorite, The Pizza Stop, where I got a large cheese pizza the other day.
When it comes to toppings, as far as I'm concerned, you can't beat a simple cheese pizza. Especially with a New York style pizza, which is The Pizza Stop's specialty. Crust, sauce, and cheese - if they're all good, nothing else is needed.
And they're all good at The Pizza Stop. I'm probably repeating myself, but that's only because the pizza is consistently good at The Pizza Stop.
I'll say this again, too - to me, good pizza is all about balance, and The Pizza Stop gets that. The crust on this pie was dry to the touch underneath, with a few char spots, but not dried out inside, and it had some interior chewiness. It was evenly baked, which is also important - no overly blackened or pale areas.
The sauce had a straightforward tomatoey flavor, with a good balance of sweetness, salt, acidity, and herbs. The well-melted mozzarella was added in good proportion to the crust.
Since I've written about The Pizza Stop before, I won't repeat a lot of what I've already said about them. Just keep in mind that they moved a few months ago, just up the street, to more spacious quarters at 131 State Street. But the ovens moved with them, so you'll get the same great pizza you did at their former location. And I should also repeat that if you like a thick-crust pizza, don't think that The Pizza Stop is all about thin crust. Try The Pizza Stop's Sicilian and stuffed pizzas, both of which are also among the area's best.

The Pizza Stop, 131 State St., Rochester
(585) 546-7252

Monday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday, 2 p.m. - 8 p.m

Stromboli's

It's hard to believe that it's been that long, but I last reported on Stromboli Express in 2009. It's since moved and become Stromboli's Restaurant.
At the time of my last review, Stromboli Express was on the south side of the 100 block of East Avenue, between Scio and Chestnut Streets. In 2014, they moved across the street, to a new space with a little more room.
I recently stopped in and got a cheese slice and a Philly cheesesteak slice. I wouldn't ordinarily order a cheesesteak slice, but it was a daily special, I wanted something to contrast with the cheese slice, and it looked good, so I went for it.
Both were thin, and the slices were foldable but not floppy. They were a bit oily underneath. The cheesesteak slice was more so, probably because of the toppings, which comprised cheddar, mozzarella, onions, sweet peppers, tomatoes and shaved steak. It was tasty, although the beef was a little well done, for my taste.
The cheese slice - which was noticeably wider than the Philly slice - was a pretty good, more or less NY style slice. It too was a little oily underneath, on the bottom surface. The edge was drier and crisp but a little dry.
The flavor was good, with a nice balance of melted mozzarella, tomato sauce, and herbs. The sauce had a medium consistency. The cheese was well melted, but had exuded a bit of oil. Not bad.
I suppose at some point I should get a stromboli from Stromboli's. It's a close relative to pizza, and it is after all what they're named for. But aside from stromboli and pizza, Stromboli's offers calzones, subs, wings and pasta. Check out the full menu here.They've also got twelve specialty pizzas, which you can see here.
These were good slices, with some minor flaws. Primarily, a little too oily underneath. They weren't soaked through with oil - it was mostly on the surface - but I'd have liked them a little drier to the touch, and a little crisper. The crust here was more of a platform for the toppings than something worth seeking out in its own right. But nonetheless, the crust served that role well. I enjoyed these slices, which had good flavor and balance. I'd say they were better than average, so I'll give them a B.

Stromboli's Restaurant
130 East Ave, Rochester 14604

585-546-2121

Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sun. noon - 6:45 p.m.

Flour City Pizza, Lyell Avenue

Pizza places have come and gone at 1074 Lyell Avenue: Dom's, Mark's, Paradiso.
Next up is Flour City Pizza, which opened last month. I stopped by the other day for a couple of slices. I got one cheese slice and one pepperoni slice.
Both were thin, with dark brown bottoms and some charring. The cheese slice was more charred than the pepperoni. They were crisp - not shatteringly so, but crisp; when folded, the crust cracked a little, but did not break. The undersides were dry to the touch, with a light dusting of flour.
The slices were well balanced. There was a moderate layer of slightly sweet sauce, accented by a whiff of garlic (perhaps garlic powder) and a faint flavor and aroma of herbs, including, I think, some oregano.
They took a light touch with the cheese here, but I had no complaints about that. With a thin slice, I generally don't want a heavy blanket of cheese. There was enough here to play off the crust and sauce, but not so much as to predominate over the other components.
Besides slices, Flour City offers in 12" and 16" sizes, as well as sheets. Their toppings choices are extensive - five cheeses, six sauces, eight veggies, and eight meats. If you're ordering a pie, you can ask for thin or "original style" crust. I'm assuming these were thin. If they were original, then "thin" must be very thin indeed.
They also do hot and cold subs, burgers, dogs, fries and onion rings. No wings, apparently.
I was rather impressed, and pleased, with these slices. What made me even more pleased was the price - just five bucks for the two slices and a bottle of pop. Based on these slices, I'd say that Flour City Pizza is off to a very good start. Maybe they'll be the ones to make it stick at this location.
I've been avoiding assigning letter grades to places that have only recently opened. Sometimes I do that because the pizza had some flaws, and I don't want to saddle a new place with a bad grade while they're still working the bugs out and trying to get on their feet. That's certainly not a concern here, because this pizza was quite good, but for the sake of consistency I'll defer giving Flour City Pizza a grade until I've had a chance to go back. But I will say that these slices were at least above average, and well worth stopping for.

Flour City Pizza
1074 Lyell Ave., Rochester
585-458-0634

Mon. - Wed. noon - 1:30 a.m.
Thu. - Sat. noon - 3:30 a.m.
Sun. noon - midnight

Joe's Brooklyn Pizza Review and $30 Gift Card Giveaway

While I always look forward to trying new places - and I've got more coming up, soon - at some point I always return to old favorites.
Which is why the other day I stopped into Joe's Brooklyn Pizza for lunch with a couple of friends.
I always have a tough time at Joe's, deciding between its classic, New York style thin-crust slices and its thick-crust Sicilian squares. Add on top of that the stuffed-crust pizza and it can be a real, if happy, dilemma.
This time around, I went with a thin-crust "old fashioned" tomato pie slice, and a thick-crust grandma's slice. The toppings are similar: both include tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, shallots, basil, and pecorino Romano cheese, but the grandma's pizza adds processed mozzarella. Sometimes I want two contrasting slices, like a red and white slice, or a minimalist and loaded slice, but this time I went with my gut, and this is what I wanted.
I don't think I can say much about these that I haven't said before, because Joe's is consistently good. But this blog is an account of my pizza experiences, so I'll describe them.
The thin slice was crisp but foldable, black-blistered but not burnt. The toppings both balanced the crust and blended together beautifully. The red sauce built a base of tomatoey sweetness, offset by a sharp edge from the cheese. Add aroma and flavor from shredded basil, garlic and thinly sliced shallots, and I was in pizza heaven. 
As good as that slice was, it had a strong competitor in my "grandma's" slice. Although "New York style" is often thought to be synonymous with "thin crust," thick, pan-baked, Sicilian-style pizza is commonly found in NYC, and Joe's produces a fine example.
At my request, they cut this slice in half, because I thought I might save half for later, but that proved unnecessary, as I ended up eating both on the spot. But that's why it looks like two triangular slices in the photo.
A lot of "sheet" pizza is soft or oily, or both, underneath. This was neither. The underside was crisp and crackly, and the interior was chewy and breadlike. The addition of mozzarella added an extra dimension of flavor and texture that helped balance the thicker crust.
I didn't sample my friends' pepperoni slices, but I've included a photo. They've accompanied me on prior trips to Joe's, and they were as happy as ever with their slices. In fact, as I look at the photo, I'm Jonesing for a pepperoni slice.
This barely begins to describe the pizza options at Joe's. They also offer Buffalo chicken pizza, BBQ pork pizza, and several white pizzas. I've reviewed some of them before, here, for example, but I may tackle more of them next time. They also offer wings, which I have yet to try. That's another one for my to-do list.
The best way for you to sample Joe's offerings would be for free, right? So enter now to win a $30 gift card from Joe's. The card is good toward anything on Joe's menu, and it's good at both Joe's locations. I haven't been there yet -- yet another item on my list -- but Joe's has opened a second location at the corner of Routes 31 and 250 in Fairport.
To enter, send me an email at ROCPizzaGuy@gmail.com. Put "Joe's" in the subject line. Please include your name and address in the message. I will NOT use your information for anything but the contest, or give them to anyone else, ever. You may comment on this post here on the blog, but that will not get you entered in the giveaway.
I'll pick a winner at random, using random.org, on Wednesday, June 10, a little after noon. So email me by noon on June 10 to get your entry in. Win or lose, do yourself a favor and get to Joe's. And when you go, do me a favor by letting them know that you read about them on The Rochester NY Pizza Blog.

Joe's Brooklyn Pizza, 1100 Jefferson Road, Henrietta
585-424-JOES (5637)

Perinton Square Mall, 6720 Pittsford-Palmyra Road, Fairport
585-364-0361


Mon., Tue. 11 AM - 9 PM
Wed. - Sat. 11 AM - 10 PM
Sunday noon - 8 PM