GG's, East Rochester

During my long hiatus from updating this blog, I never stopped wanting to try new pizzerias around Rochester, and I maintained a to-do list, which I updated any time I found out about a place I hadn't tried before. Although I would occasionally manage to cross one off the list, it wasn't often enough to prevent the list from getting longer and longer.

Now that I'm back to blog writing, I'm hoping to whittle down the list. My current goal is to visit at least one establishment a week. Last week, I got to work on that goal by ordering takeout from GG's Pizza in East Rochester, which came highly recommended by a friend and former coworker. 

Deciding what to order was a bit daunting, as they offer various specialty pizzas and 26 different toppings, as well as several options like well done, par bake (for reheating at home), square cut, thick crust, thin crust, etc.  

My first time trying a place, I try to keep it relatively simple, so I went with a large, half cup 'n' char pepperoni, half onions and green peppers. I did not specify any other options, and as to crust thickness the first time around I always want to try their default crust. 

Got it home in about 20 minutes, for family dinner. The three of us polished off eleven of the twelve slices (I'm not sure which of us was the slacker who only ate three.) 

As I mentioned, GG's offers thin and thick crust options, and this was indeed medium. Thick around the edge, quarter inch maybe inside the perimeter. 

I was a bit disappointed at the underside, which was heavily screen marked and a splotchy brown. It was firm but not particularly crisp underneath. But that was a relatively minor matter as the crust was quite good. 

My litmus test for pizza crust is, is it good enough to eat on its own? And this was. It was bready (which my autocorrect insists is not a word, but it is in my vocabulary), meaning it had the texture, aroma and flavor of freshly baked bread. 

The sauce was slightly sweet and applied in good balance with the crust. Another test that pizza has to meet is the balance test. The crust and whatever is on top of the crust, be it sauce, cheese, or other toppings, need to stay in balance. Now if you want to pile on the toppings and get five kinds of meat and extra cheese, go right ahead. I'm not about to tell you you're wrong. But that's not how I evaluate a basic pizza. 

The cheese was also good, nothing but processed mozzarella as far as I could tell, but it seemed to be a good quality cheese as it was nicely melted, without a lot of exuded fat. Pepperoni was crisp, and the onions and peppers were nicely done, and would have been quite at home on an Italian sausage sandwich.  

My takeaway was that this was a great example of Rochester-style pizza. Not that we have a particularly unique style of pizza; by "Rochester style" I mean, the style that came to be predominant around Rochester. A little thick on the crust, a little sweet on the sauce, a bit heavy on the cheese. In many ways, it's the template for what became American pizza. 

I'd certainly like to go back to GG's, to explore their other options, but as I said at the start I have a long list to get to, so it may be a while. Next time I might ask for the pie to be baked directly on the oven deck, to crisp up the bottom. A slice I reheated at home on a cast iron skillet was nicely crisp. I could also go with the par-baked option but generally I don't want to have to finish baking an entire pizza after I get home.

That, however, is a minor quibble in light of how enjoyable this was. For classic Rochester style pizza, I can well recommend GG's.

 GG's Pizzeria, 326 W. Commercial St., East Rochester

585-360-2050

Mon. - Thu.11:00 AM - 7:45 PM

Fri. & Sat. 11:00 AM - 8:45 PM

Sun. 12:00 PM - 7:45 PM

Roybidoux's

Some months ago, a reader informed me of a new place, Roybidoux's, on Long Pond Road. This site was formerly occupied by Alloco's, which I reviewed in February 2015. Looks to me like Alloco's might've gone out of business sometime in 2016.
I often check out new places by stopping in for a lunchtime slice, but Roybidoux's doesn't open until 4:30, so I had to wait for a convenient occasion to bring home a pie.
I got a large, with sweet (green) peppers and onions on half, beef pepperoni and sausage on the other half.
First check, the crust. Medium thick, screen marks underneath, medium brown, firm but not crisp. Some separation of the cornicione from the rest of the crust.
Toppings were fairly ample. The pepperoni was nicely crisp. The crumbly sausage was a bit dried out. I'd prefer bigger chunks of sausage. The veggies were fresh but softened, just the way I like them.
The cheese was well melted and creamy. Bonus points there. The tomato sauce was noticeable, but basic, with a good sweet/salty balance.
But back to the crust. On biting into the pizza, I found that the crust had a very fresh, bready aroma. My daughter, on the other hand, thought it seemed "raw."
I can assure you, it was not raw. I think where she's coming from is, she likes the toasty aroma and flavor of lightly charred pizza crust. As do I, but I also enjoy pizzas that smell and taste like fresh-out-of-the-oven bread. This was closer to that.
You can find out more about Roybidoux's on their website, so I won't go on at length, but they offer over 20 toppings, and 14 specialty pizzas. Of note, they do a 14-inch, 8-piece pan pizza, which I would like to try.
Beyond pizza, there are wings (11 sauces), pasta, hot subs, "huge" calzones, plates, burgers, fried seafood ... well, check out their menu. There is ample seating inside, they deliver, and you can order online.
Sorry, for all you ratings lovers, but I'm not giving this a grade. If anything, this makes me realize once again the limitations of simple ratings, alphabetic, numerical or otherwise. But I'll recap. Crust was medium thick and bready, though the underside was underwhelming. Toppings were generally good, but the sausage could've been better. Cheese was well melted. Bottom line, I would go back.

Roybidoux's,
1742 Long Pond Rd., Rochester, NY 14606

Tuesday - Thursday 4:30 PM - Midnight
Friday & Saturday 4.30 PM - 1:00 AM
Sunday 4:00 PM - Midnight
Monday closed

John and Mary's, Batavia

A few weeks ago I was in the Batavia area, so I stopped in to John and Mary's for a slice. I've seen the name before, but knew little of the history or the details of this place, which has several Buffalo-area locations.
The Batavia location apparently opened in 2014, but according to one site, John and Mary's traces its origins back to a hot dog stand opened in 1952 by John and Mary Guida. I don't see any connection to the Rochester-area Guida's pizzeria chain, and my pepperoni slice was dissimilar from the pizza I've had from Guida's.
This slice, which I had rewarmed in the oven, was on the thick side. From the appearance of the underside, which was a spotty mix of golden-brown and paler areas, it looked to have been baked in a pan. It was faintly oily to the touch, which also suggests the use of a pan.
The bottom surface wasn't overly oily (although it did leave a sizable oil mark in the box, so maybe the box had absorbed some of the oil), but it was more crunchy than crisp. When dough is baked directly on a hot oven deck or pizza stone, it tends to get crackly crisp. On an oiled pan, it tends to develop more of a crunch, especially where the dough is in directly contact with the pan.
On top, the mozzarella cheese was nicely melted. It was generously added, in good balance with the thick crust. I liked its smooth, stringy-stretchy texture, though it didn't add much flavor. A bit of Provolone or Romano would've been a welcome addition.
The sauce wasn't skimpy, but it was a relatively minor player. Some of it had been absorbed into the top of the crust. What remained seemed to be a pretty straightforward, slightly sweet tomato sauce, but honestly I couldn't much taste it. The wide slices of pepperoni were good and crisp, and added a nice flavor punch.
Turning to the menu (available on their Facebook page), John and Mary's ten specialty pizzas incorporate toppings that aren't among the nine a la carte toppings. The Hawaiian pizza, for example, includes ham, but ham is not listed among the extra toppings that you can request on a basic cheese pizza. I'm not sure how they would handle it if you asked. Hopefully it wouldn't turn out like the diner scene in the Jack Nicholson classic Five Easy Pieces.
Aside from pizza, J&M does wings, burgers, salads, tacos and fried seafood. They also offer "subs" and "hoagies." The main distinction appears to be that "subs" include lettuce, tomato, cheese and dressing, while "hoagies" do not, although they may include other items. So for instance a steak sub comes with lettuce, tomato, etc., while a steak hoagie comes with cheese, fried onions and sweet peppers. (Just read the menu.) There are daily specials, and they deliver all day, every day.
My pizza slice was reasonably good. The crust was OK, although I confess I tend to prefer the crackly, toasty, slightly charred variety over the golden brown, pan-baked type. But plenty of places do it like this, so presumably many people like it this way.
That aside, the cheese was good, the pepperoni was crisp and flavorful, and the components were well balanced. It was a solid, if unspectacular, example of WNY pizza. I'd give it a C.

John & Mary's Restaurant, 3711 W. Main St. Rd., Batavia
(585) 343-2101
Sat. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

GioVanna's, Geneseo

On a recent Sunday, my wife, daughter and I went to the Abbey of the Genesee in Piffard, which is just west of Geneseo. This is the place where they bake Monks' Bread. It's an active, living monastery, where the brothers devote their lives to the monastic life, which means round-the-clock work and prayer.
Regardless of your religious beliefs, it's a beautiful place to visit. Guests are welcome to sit in on services, or just to wander the grounds. It's a beautiful, peaceful place. (Plus the gift shop often has bread or other baked goods you won't find at other retail outlets.)
Afterwards, we had lunch at GioVanna's in Geneseo. I thought I had done a post on GioVanna's before, but I guess not.
GioVanna's had been located in the Genesee Valley Plaza, a few doors down from the Geneseo Wegmans. That's when I visited it before. It's owned and operated by John Pontillo and his wife Jennifer, and yes, they are part of the Pontillo family for whom the local chain was named. But this is not a part of the Pontillo's chain.
Recently, GioVanna's moved across the street and down the road. In doing so, they added a lot more seating (from about 12 to 100), and a wood-fired pizza oven.
On our visit, we sat at the bar, where we could watch our pizzas being prepared. We ordered two pies, a "Pizza Bruschetta" and a "White Traditional."
GioVanna's actually has two pizza ovens, one wood-fired and a conventional gas oven. I asked John about this, and he told me that if you want a wood-fired pizza, you need to specify that when you order.
I can understand the thinking behind that. They wanted to add wood-fired pizza, but they also need to please their long-time customers. But it seemed a little odd that we weren't advised of this when ordering, either by our server or on the menu.
I learned of this in time to change our order, so I asked for our pies to be one of each.
Our bruschetta pie was baked in the wood-fired oven. It was topped with garlic olive oil sauce, mozzarella, diced Roma tomatoes, onions and fresh basil.
The crust was thin, with an underside that was on the light side in color, with a few dark brown spots. The crust was firm on the surface, chewy, and a bit oily underneath. It wasn't excessively oily, but enough that my wife and I both noticed it. Perhaps some of the olive oil on top made its way to the bottom, or maybe it was just oil in the dough itself. But certainly the crust didn't have a "fried" flavor or texture, which can happen when the dough is baked on an oily surface, like a pan. And again, it was nothing excessive, just noticeable.
I liked the flavor, which was similar to that of a Margherita, with the addition of mild onions. Finely chopped basil provided a good accent over that of the diced tomatoes.
The "White Traditional" was baked in the gas oven. It was topped with mozzarella, ricotta, broccoli, spinach, and "garlic flavor." I'm not sure what to make of that last-listed ingredient, but I didn't notice it until I was preparing this review, so I didn't get a chance to ask.

The crust on this one was noticeably thicker, what I would call medium thick. There was just a bit of what I took to be cornmeal on the bottom. It was again firm, with a deep brown color underneath.
John informed me that he uses different dough recipes for the two different ovens. The primary reason is the difference in temperature. The wood fired oven gets close to 700 degrees. I didn't ask, but conventional gas pizza ovens typically run at about the same temperature as a home oven, in the low to mid 500s. In general, the WF pizza dough is made to be stretched thinner and baked more quickly. The "regular" crust was more of a traditional, Western NY style crust, no doubt reflecting the Pontillo family's deep roots in the area's pizza scene.
With abundant mozzarella and ricotta, the White Traditional was a was definitely a cheese lovers' pie. The al dente broccoli and wilted spinach were cooked enough to bring out their flavor, but they retained their bright green color. The overall flavor was enjoyable but mild, although I found that a shot or two of red pepper flakes and Parmesan livened things up quite nicely.
GioVanna's menu extends to pasta, hot and cold subs, a Fridays fish fry, calzones, grilled boneless wings and more. I know they plan to have a full bar, but I didn't notice if that had happened yet.
I'd like to go back and try a red pizza. With 30 toppings to choose from, the possibilities are virtually endless.
But would I get it wood fired, or not? That is the question. And frankly, I'm not sure. For me, both crusts were good, and there was no clear winner. The WF crust wasn't quite as charred or "leopard spotted" as some (although thankfully neither was it burnt), but it was enjoyably chewy, and the slices went down easily. The regular crust was well baked and more breadlike. So I guess I'll have to wait and see what I'm in the mood for at the time.

GioVanna's Pizza & Pasta, 4153 Lakeville Rd., Geneseo

(585) 243-2929

http://www.giovannaspizzaandpasta.com/

Sun. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Big Jay's, Thurston Road

Thanks to a reader, I became aware of a recently opened pizzeria on Thurston Road in Rochester, Big Jay's. It occupies a small storefront in a building that houses a few other small businesses.
On my way home from work recently I stopped in for a couple of slices. Since I wasn't going to eat them immediately, I didn't have them rewarmed.
Perhaps I should have. The slices weren't bad, but they were underdone. The bottom, which was crisscrossed by screen marks, was pretty pale, with just some light browning. The crust was thin, with a thicker cornicione about an inch wide. The underside was firm but not crisp, with a trace of oil near the tips of the slices, i.e., near the center of the pie.
On top,  the mozzarella was melted but a bit coagulated, meaning that it tended to pull apart, rather than melt together.
Sauce often takes a back seat to the crust and cheese, but not so here. The sauce had a medium-thick consistency, and was generously applied. I found it a little more sweet than I'd like, but that may just come down to a matter of personal taste.
Getting back to the crust, this was one of those crusts that made me think of how much better it could've been. The crust was not too interesting, until I worked my way to the edge. The cornicione had a fresh, bready aroma, and a chewy texture, with air holes spread uniformly throughout.
I wish that the rest of the crust had been as good. It seemed underdone, not like raw dough, but more like dough that had been baked at a relatively low temperature. Flabby and uninteresting.
I saved one slice, and reheated it the next day in a toaster oven, at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. That resulted in a browner underside, but the crust also got more brittle. The cheese melted nicely, though, and the thin slices of pepperoni got a little crisp along the edges.
Big Jay's offers pizza in four sizes (S, M, L, and sheet), with ten toppings. Interestingly, you can order beef or pork pepperoni (perhaps to cater to customers' religious concerns?). They do seven "deluxe" pizzas, including Philly steak, seafood, and Buffalo chicken.
Aside from pizza, you can get hot and cold subs, including steak subs. Calzones, wings (six sauces) finger foods and sweets round out the menu. 
This wasn't bad, nor was it great. Frankly, it was a little below average. But it was the kind of pizza that makes me think, it's got potential. And I think Big Jay's is worth a revisit. I could see this pizza being considerably better with a few tweaks; maybe a longer, cold rise time, a hotter oven, better cheese, or some other adjustments. But it's worth checking out.

Big Jay's Pizzeria, 340 Thurston Road
585-527-0291

Mon. - Sat. 11 am - 11:30 pm, Sun. noon - 9:30

Curbside delivery, $15 minimum, delivery charge based on area

Neapolitan Brick Oven Pizzeria, Naples

Thanks to a reader, I recently learned of a place offering pizza in Naples, NY, that I hadn't been aware of.
This isn't it. But the reader's tip led me to find this place. Let me explain.
I've been to, and reported on, Luigi's, which is a basic, small-town pizzeria and sub shop in Naples. When a reader tipped me off about another place in Naples offering pizza, Roots Cafe, I started doing some online research. In the course of that, I discovered four establishments in Naples that do pizza: Luigi's, Roots Cafe, Middletown Tavern, and Neapolitan Pizzeria.
Eventually, I hope to report on them all. But following a recent Saturday morning hike at Conklin Gully, a/k/a Parish Glen, I had to pick one, and I stopped at Neapolitan Pizzeria. I was sweaty, dirty, and tired, and I wanted to get home and shower, so I wanted a pizza to go. And of the three places I hadn't been to, it seemed like the best for a takeout order, as well as the most pizza-oriented.
There was one person working behind the counter, who turned out to be the owner. Chef Derek opened the place in 2014. After years of experience in the restaurant business, including a long stint as head chef at a local golf club, Derek decided that Naples was ripe for a top-notch pizzeria, and that he wanted to be the man to do it.
Following some extensive tours of pizzerias elsewhere, New York City in particular, Derek found a suitable place on Main Street in Naples. A new wood-fired oven was installed by Empire Masonry, whose efficient dome design ensures a long, hot fire without the need for a lot of tinkering.
Derek keeps the oven temp at around 650. That's 100 degrees hotter than the max on a typical home oven, but well below the temperatures maintained at some wood-fired pizzerias.
Derek acknowledged that he could get his oven hotter, but he's straddling a line between customers who just want "regular" pizza and those looking for what they perceive as more "artisanal." But I think he's walking that tightrope very well.
I wanted to try the Margherita, but I knew my daughter's preference for "meat lovers" pies. Chef Derek was able to do both on one pie. I was afraid that splitting a pie into two such different styles might compromise one side or the other, but the results were quite good.
My pie was on the thin side of medium, with an underside that was lightly blackened and dry to the touch. The slices were firm underneath, but pliable; not crackly crisp, but not floppy either. The dough had a bready flavor, and the well-formed cornicione was well worth eating in its own right; there were no "pizza bones" left behind from this pie.
On top, the meat side was well-laden with mozzarella, pepperoni, ham, sausage, and bacon, atop a layer of mildly seasoned tomato sauce. The Margherita side was likewise generously topped with slices of fresh tomato, nicely melted fresh mozzarella, and shredded fresh basil.
Neapolitan offers pizza in 9, 12, 14 and 18 inch sizes, with 29 available toppings and four sauces. I will, at some point, try the Peruvian Pepper (H-Bomb) sauce. Specialty pizzas, which cost a little less than a la carte, include the "Buttery Pig," topped with fresh mozzarella, caramelized onion, and pancetta.
Derek frankly admitted that he was a little nervous when opening Neapolitan Pizzeria. Who wouldn't be, opening a new place? But business so far has been good. They get some wintertime traffic from skiers in Bristol, up the road, but the core business will continue to be local. And the local response has been positive. I'm not surprised. This is good pizza.

Neapolitan Brick Oven Pizzeria
120 North Main St., Naples, NY

(585) 374-9400
Tue. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sun. noon - 8 p.m.
Closed Mon.

Ruck's Pizza, Lima

Just when I've nearly run out of pizza places to try, a new one comes along. One of the latest is Ruck's Pizza Kitchen in Lima. It's near the crossroads of 15A and 5 & 20.
Apparently Ruck's opened in 2014, but I only recently learned of its existence. I assumed it had gone into the now-closed Mark's location, but it's actually a door or two down, closer to the intersection.

I stopped in around lunchtime on a recent Saturday and got a pepperoni and a Buffalo chicken slice. They were pretty big, and one would have been enough to satisfy my hunger after a morning hike, but I wanted to sample a couple different varieties.
The crust was medium thick, a little charred on the pepperoni slice, paler on the Buffalo chicken slice. It's been my experience in general that the crust on Buffalo chicken pizza tends to come out a little different from that on "regular" pizza, so that didn't surprise me.
The pepperoni slice was heavy on the cheese, and a little oily underneath toward the tip, i.e. the center of the pie. I liked the crust overall, which was reasonably crisp and bready.
This was a fairly weighty slice, mostly due to the mozzarella cheese. It was laid on in a thick melted blanket. The texture straddled the line between stretchy and chewy.

The thin slices of pepperoni were crisp along the edge, as they should be. The tomato sauce was slightly sweet and mildly seasoned. Overall, a good, basic slice of pizza, typical of the Rochester style.
The Buffalo chicken slice was wider than the pepperoni slice. I don't know if the pies were sliced differently or if it was just luck of the draw. But it was nearly a quarter pie, whereas the pepperoni slice looked to be about a sixth.
As I mentioned, the underside was relatively pale, but it was mostly dry to the touch, and it had a nice, chewy interior. On top, the slice was topped with small chunks of chicken, a thin layer of mozzarella, mild Buffalo sauce and a swirl of blue cheese dressing. It was good, but if I were to order a whole pie, I'd probably ask for at least a medium-hot wing sauce. But for a slice with the flavor of Buffalo wings, this was a pretty good example.
Ruck's offers pies in 10, 14 and 18 inch sizes, plus sheets. You can easily customize your pizza, with thin, "regular" and thick crust, red, white or "pink" sauce, and 20 toppings to choose from. They also do 18 specialty pizzas, including a "585" (basically a garba- I mean "trash" - plate on a pizza), and "Ruck's favorite," the "Golden Boy," with "Golden BBQ sauce," chicken tenders, steak and cheddar.
They also do hot and cold subs, wings, calzones, salads, quesadillas, fish fry, and a few more items. In short, Ruck's pretty much covers the basics, and then some, for a local pizza joint.
I was generally happy with these slices. They were well made, flavorful examples of Rochester style pizza.
I have in the past avoided rating Buffalo chicken pizza, largely because the whole approach to that style varies so much from one place to another. As for the pepperoni slice, it was pretty good. Some charring, breadlike crust, crisp pepperoni and a good balance of cheese and sauce. Not quite at the top of my local list, but good enough to rate a B.

Ruck's Pizza Kitchen

7294 W. Main St.
Lima, NY
585-582-6552

Mon. - Thu. 11 - 9, Fri. & Sat. 11 - 10, Sun. noon - 8

Five 50º, Dewey Ave.

Over the course of writing this blog, I've written a few posts about Checker Flag, a now-defunct pizzeria at 1481 Dewey Avenue in Rochester, at the corner of Ridgeway. Checker Flag was best known for its dollar slices, which weren't bad, for the price.
Now comes Five50º, named, I assume, after the oven temperature. As the full name -- Five50º Pizza and Chicken -- implies, it's not just, or even primarily, a pizzeria. Five50º serves a range of items, many of them fried.
There's nothing particularly remarkable about Five50º, but it gives me occasion to say a few words about - what shall I call them? - inner-city pizzerias.
This particular neighborhood is on the lower end of the income scale. And I've learned through experience that the pizza in economically poorer neighborhoods tends not to be as good as in more affluent areas. Its main virtues are that it's fast, cheap and hot. 
Having said all that, the slice I got recently at Five50º was not bad. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad.
Just inside the front door is a heated display case, containing an array of items to go, many of which consisted of fried chicken parts, of one sort or another. And pizza, available by the slice.
I got a pepperoni slice. It was reasonably good, and for two bucks, I had no major complaints. The crust was thin-to-medium thick, and while the bottom was more brown than charred, it was firm, and wasn't oily or soggy. The well-formed edge was reasonably bready, and not just a throwaway "pizza bone."
As a whole, the slice was decent, with a blanket of well-melted, gooey cheese, a proportionate layer of slightly sweet tomato sauce, and thin-sliced pepperoni. All in all, it was one of the better-made examples of the kind of pizza you get at these to-go places. I don't mean to damn it with faint praise, but it was a reasonably good slice.
As I said, Five50º offers a range of items. Pizza comes in medium, large and sheet sizes, either red or white. They have seven meat toppings and seven vegetable toppings. They also do calzones, burgers, wings (seven sauces), hot and cold subs, fried chicken, and a few sides, as well as freshly baked cookies, and cheesecake.
As far as a rating's concerned, I think it's fair to say that this slice was, overall, of average quality. Nothing I'd go out of my way for, but it was OK, with a well-baked crust, nicely melted cheese, rounded out by a proportionate layer of sauce and decent pepperoni. So I'll give it a C.

Five50º Pizza and Chicken, 1481 Dewey Ave. (at Ridgeway)
254-2550, 254-2522

Mon. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - midnight, Sun. 1 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Akron, NY Part I: PizzaBella

I took advantage of my recent visit to the Perry's Ice Cream plant in Akron, NY to hit a couple of pizzerias in town.
Conveniently, they are located on the same block, on the north side of Main Street. First up was PizzaBella.
My cheese slice was a New York style, thin-crust pizza. And it was a good one.
The underside was spottily browned, but not quite blackened. It was crisp, and a little crackly along the outer edge. The crust was a little chewy, and very thin, but firm. I got some nice toasty notes from underneath, but there wasn't much interior to speak of. The narrow cornicione was crisp.
On top, the sauce and cheese likewise stuck to the NY-style profile - lightly seasoned tomato sauce, and a well-melted layer of mozzarella, with a few pockets of sauce poking through. The pizza was very well balanced, with the crust, sauce and cheese in good enough proportion to complement but not overwhelm each other.
PizzaBella offers 15 pizza toppings, and 14 gourmet pizzas. The latter range from an "Old Fashioned" with tomato sauce, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese, to a "Godfather" topped with tomato sauce, pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, green pepper, onions, black olives and mozzarella. They also offer several white pizzas.
PizzaBella is a convenient place to stop for takeout, but it's also a full-service restaurant. Aside from pizza, you can get wings, salads, burgers, wraps, hot and cold subs, calzones and tacos. For more substantial fare, PizzaBella offers several pasta dishes, chicken or sausage cacciatore, and eggplant or chicken Parmigiana. They also serve wine and beer in the dining room.
Akron, which is about 55 miles west of Rochester, is more within the Buffalo metro area than in Rochester's. So I'll not give it a grade. Aside from its neighbor pizzeria just up the block (which I'll review soon), I simply don't have enough experience of pizza around there to say whether it's truly one of the best, or "just" above average.
But make no mistake, this was very good pizza. I could pick a few nits, I suppose - the underside was a bit more browned than charred (which affects the aroma and flavor as it hits your palate, although there you start getting into matters of personal preference), and the crust was so thin that it lacked much of an interior (though to its credit it was not floppy), but I would definitely go back, and if you're in the area, it's well worth stopping for.
Lastly, I should mention that PizzaBella is going to be moving down the street, to 66 Main Street, in a few months. Just keep that in mind.

PizzaBella's Italian Bistro, 42 Main St.
Akron, NY 14001

(716) 542-1122

Mon. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 4 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Tomaso's, Mount Morris

I have occasion to pass through Mt. Morris from time to time. When I travel, my eyes and brain have become attuned to spotting pizzerias, and some months ago, I spotted a new place, Tomaso's Trattoria. It wasn't open yet, but every time I'd pass through town, I'd give it a look. Not open. Not open. Not open.
Eventually, I figured it just wasn't going to happen, but one day, the lights were on, and there were people inside. Pizza!
I've never been to Italy, but I gather that there, a trattoria is a relatively informal restaurant that offers takeout. But here in the U.S., such terms tend to get thrown around rather loosely, so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a clean, well-lit, but fairly typical pizza/sub shop, with some tables in front and a counter in back. So I'm not sure Tomaso's would qualify as a trattoria in Italy.
But that's just an observation. In the end, I don't really care what they call themselves, as long as the pizza's good. I got a couple of cheese slices to go.
The medium-to-thick crust was pretty evenly browned underneath, dry to the touch, with a light dusting of what I think was corn meal (it could've been semolina, but I think it was too coarsely ground for that). It was crisp, if not quite crackly. The texture and flavor were pretty average, unobjectionable but unremarkable. Some chewiness, some toasty notes, no noticeable defects.
The slices were topped with a thick tomato sauce, with a detecatable flavor of herbs - oregano and basil among them, I believe. The cheese seemed to be straight mozzarella, and was spottily browned on top. It was just a tad overdone, for my taste, and had started to pull away from the edge.
Tomaso's offers 17 pizza toppings (plus extra sauce or cheese) and eight specialty pizzas, including the "Meat Overload" (sausage, beef, pepperoni, bacon and ham) and, at the other end of the scale, a white spinach-artichoke pie. They also offer a 10-inch gluten-free pie.
Tomaso's menu includes hot and cold subs and wraps, wings, soups, and salads. Apparently they will also have ice cream, in season, and sidewalk tables as well.
You can read about Tomaso's background here. It's another entrant in the ongoing makeover of Mt. Morris, as detailed by the NY Times back in 2011, and by the RIT University News last year. Tbe whole thing is really quite an intriguing story.
To get back to the pizza, these were perfectly acceptable slices of pizza, but I can't say they were exceptionally good either. Considering the thickness of the crust, I would've liked a tad more sauce, and a chewier, less-well-done layer of cheese. Then we might be talking classic Rochester style pizza. As it was, they had some pluses and some minuses,
Since they couldn't have been open for too long when I stopped in (they apparently had their "soft" opening on Feb. 1), I'll forgo a grade here, but these slices were, on the whole, of average quality for the area.

Tomaso's Trattoria
40 Main Street
Mount Morris, NY
(585) 658-1045


Monday – Thursday 11:00am – 9:00pm

Friday & Saturday 11:00am –10:00pm

Sunday Noon – 8:00pm

Tolleson's, Fairport - CLOSED

This establishment appears to have closed since this post was originally published.
On a recent drive to the east side of town, I spotted Tolleson's Pizzeria, which opened last summer on Whitney Road in Fairport. The site has housed, I think, at least a couple of pizzerias over the years, so maybe this time will prove the charm.
On my first visit to a pizzeria, I often try to go with just a slice or two, but I thought I'd take a chance on a whole pie here. I got a large cheese pie (not too exciting, I know, but I was trying to keep my costs down).
On opening the box, the pie looked pretty good. I don't mind a thick, bready, well-baked "naked" cornicione, but the toppings here were applied right up to the edge, which is fine too. The edge was nicely formed, with some browned bits of cheese.
The underside bore a mottled pattern, with an underlying paleness dotted with darker brown spots. I noticed a few dimples, apparently from the pan that the crust had been in, and a dusting of flour. The edge was crisp.
On biting into it, the medium-thick crust was pretty good, if not outstanding. I could detect some raw flour on my tongue, not a lot, but enough to notice. I know it's common to use some form of grain to help a pizza crust slide around on, and off, the peel, but I don't like to notice it on my tongue.
The texture was pretty good, but better underneath than on top. The top side was a little gummy.  Not terribly so, but a little.
Having said that, I must mention that when I phoned in my order, I did ask that the pizza be ready about 45 minutes later, to allow for rush hour drive time from my workplace. Maybe they prepared it right away and let it sit unbaked, until closer to pickup time. Or maybe they baked it immediately and it sat on top of the oven until I arrived. I don't know. But it was a little bit gummy on top. I suspect that if I had arrived 15 minutes after ordering, things may have been different. I don't know.
Flavorwise, the pie was fine. It was a little light on both the sauce and cheese, but the crust was on the thin side, so the overall balance was OK. I detected some herbs, faintly. The pie was evenly baked, with some browning along the perimeter and none in the center. The cheese seemed to be straight mozzarella, and hit the right balance between chewy and stretchy.
Aside from pizza, Tolleson's does wings and a full range of other fried foods, plus salads and subs. In other words, it's your basic, reliable, pizza-wings-subs joint, and there's nothing wrong with that. They also offer gluten-free pizza.
This is a tough pizza to grade. The underside was pretty good; the topside less so, although some of that might be related to the time lag between my order, picking it up, and getting it home. The flavor was good, but the toppings seemed a tad skimpy.
Allowing for the effects of the drive home, and going back to the factors that go into my ratings, I'm giving this a C. Nothing wrong with it, I was happy to eat it, but it was, on the whole, of average quality for the area. Fortunately, the average quality of pizza in the area is pretty good, so that grade shouldn't be taken as a dig at Tolleson's. It was decent, just not exceptional compared to other pizzerias in the area.
As I've said before, I rate pizzas, not pizzerias. I think that Tolleson's is worth a visit, and I intend to go back. This particular pie gets a C.

Tolleson's, 541 Whitney Rd. (near Baird Rd.), Fairport
(585) 203-1808
Mon. - Thu. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 10 - 11, Sun. 11 - 8

Also 419 N. Main St., Newark
(315) 332-8008

Tantalo's

A reader advised me last October to check out Tantalo's, which opened last year in the former site of a Pontillo's pizzeria in Greece.
I went there at lunchtime shortly after it opened, and the only slices they had available were Buffalo chicken slices. I got one (pictured in the bottom photo), which was OK, but not great. The crust was rather soft, and while the toppings were tasty enough, the chicken seemed a bit overcooked and the toppings just didn't come together that well.
But as I said, this was not long after they opened, so I figured I'd wait a while and go back.
Which I did, recently. And to judge by the two slices I got on this occasion, things had indeed improved.
This time, there were four selections, from which I chose a pepperoni slice and a white slice with broccoli, ricotta and tomatoes (the other choices were plain cheese and another white pizza with banana peppers and black olives).
These were a definite improvement over the time before, in my opinion. The crusts were on the thick side of medium, and after a brief rewarming, they were crisp and crackly underneath, yet still pliable and not brittle. I should point out that I don't think my earlier Buffalo chicken slice had been rewarmed, which
The undersides were browned,in a mottled pattern, with a light dusting of corn meal. The interior of the crust was chewy, well risen and well baked.
As for the toppings, the pepperoni slice was topped with nicely crisped cup & char pepperoni. The cheese was a bit overly browned, but it's always going to be a challenge to strike the balance between the cheese and pepperoni (might I suggest par-cooking the pepperoni before it's added to the pizza?). The sauce was a basic tomato sauce, with a good balance of sweet and salty. 
The white slice was flavorful, with a light coating of olive oil, topped with small chunks of broccoli and sliced tomatoes, overlaid by mozzarella and a few bits of ricotta cheese. The veggies were added before the cheese, which was a smart move, as it kept them moist. Pepperoni, I like crisp; veggies should retain most of their moisture.
Tantalo's offers 17 pizza toppings, and 13 specialty pizzas. Among the most interesting of the latter are the "Mama Mary's Greens & Beans Pizza," with sauteed greens, cannelini beans, sausage, mozzarella and Parmesan.
Beyond pizza, Tantalo's offers wings, which can be ordered with any one of some 13 sauces, and mac & cheese - which seems to be a trendy dish of late, although even as a kid I was never crazy about it - in a variety of combinations.
Tantalo's also offers an interesting lineup of hot and cold subs, and salads that go beyond the usual "chef's salad." For example, there's a beet salad with blue cheese, candied walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette. I've never been able to decide if I like beets or not, but that's intriguing. I'm waiting for someone to put them on pizza. I may even try that at home, much, I'm sure, to the dismay of my wife and daughter, who are decidedly in the anti-beet camp. And Tantalo's menu is the first I've seen since I don't know when to offer Waldorf salad, which immediately brings to mind an episode of the funniest sitcom ever made, Fawlty Towers.
If you've got room left after your pizza, sub or salad, Tantalo's has also got some decadent sweets, like deep-fried Twinkies or Oreos, or simple, freshly baked cookies.
My primary focus, of course, is the pizza. And this was good. Not so head-and-shoulders above other area pizzerias that I'd give it an A rating, but better than average. Nice crust, good toppings. So I'll give it a B.

Tantalo's Pizzeria, 3366 Latta Rd.
(585) 227-0080

Mon. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Sun. noon - 6 p.m.

Delivery available (min. order $12)

Alloco's, Long Pond Road

I've done several reviews of Martino's on Long Pond Road, some good, some not so good. But Martino's is no more (there is an unrelated pizzeria named Martino's in Webster, which remains in business).
In its stead comes Alloco's, which opened a few months ago. I stopped in the other day for a couple of slices.
One initial pet peeve - the pies for slices weren't out where I could see them. I always like to see what I'm ordering when I get a slice. That way I can see how fresh they look, or maybe one pie will just look more appealing than another on that particular day.
This visit provides another example. I asked for pepperoni, and that's what I got, but it appeared to me that these were cooked cheese slices that had some pepperoni slices added, prior to reheating in the oven.That's not the worst thing, but had I known that, I probably would've just ordered plain cheese. Adding toppings to a cooked slice and then reheating it simply doesn't allow the added toppings to integrate into the rest of the pizza, plus in the case of pepperoni, it doesn't get properly crisp.
But OK, this wasn't the end of the world. Aside from that, how was the pizza?
The crust was rather thick - if memory serves, thicker than Martino's - though pies can be ordered thick, thin, or "traditional." I assume this was traditional.
It had a dry, crackly bottom that was nicely browned, with a smattering of corn meal visible. Not the even, shiny golden brown you get with overly oiled pizza, but the shade that bread or pizza dough turns when it's in contact with a hot oven deck. I wouldn't exactly call it charred, but a thicker crust shouldn't necessarily be charred anyway, as it needs time to bake fully through.
While I found this crust fully baked, it was, unfortunately, a little gummy on top. Maybe it had sat a little too long with its toppings before going into the oven. There have been lengthy online discussions of the "gum line" phenomenon; Some folks have suggested that the act of slicing the pizza may itself create the appearance of a gum line. I don't think that was the culprit here, though.
I've probably made more of this than it deserves, and I won't speculate further. I will say that I've seen a lot worse than this, as far as gumminess is concerned, but I mention it in the interests of accuracy and thoroughness.  The outer edge, though, I'm happy to say, was nice and crisp, with a breadlike interior.
The cheese was fairly thick, and seemed to be 100% processed mozzarella. I removed the pepperoni from one of the slices (which was easy to do) to give you a better look at the cheese. It wasn't particularly smooth or stretchy, but neither was it mealy or overly chewy; pretty basic pizza cheese.
As was the sauce. It had a slightly sweet flavor, with just a hint of herbs in the background. Overall, the slices were well balanced among the various components.
So kind of a mixed bag here. The underside of the crust was well baked, but the gumminess up top detracted from things a bit. The toppings were certainly adequate, and were applied in good proportion to each other, but again I wasn't crazy about the pepperoni apparently having been added after the pie was baked.
Alloco's offers a wide variety of pizza toppings, and some interesting specialty pizzas, like a cheeseburger pie and a tater tot pizza. They also do subs, wings, breakfast items all day, seafood, pasta, and more. Download the full menu here.
Since Alloco's has been open for only a short time, I won't rate this pizza. It showed promise. The crust seemed fundamentally good, though the execution could've been a bit better. But the bottom line is, it was good enough to go back, and I hope to do so before too long.

Alloco's, 1742 Long Pond Rd.
585-426-8646 (426-TOGO)

Mon. - Thu. 8 a.m. - 11 p.m., Fri. 8 - 1 a.m., Sat. 10 - 1 a.m., Sun. 11 - 10

A Revisit to Two Ton Tony's

One of the challenges of writing this blog is keeping up with developments in the local pizza scene while still returning to old favorites. 
One old favorite of mine is 2 Ton Tony's in Irondequoit. The pizza's consistently good, and owner Tony Proietti is always a pleasure to converse with. He's passionate about his pizza, and he's always got a story or two to share, often involving his family's long history in the pizza business.
I stopped by 2TT's the other day at lunchtime. From among the several slices available, I got a pepperoni & banana pepper slice. These are big slices, and Tony sliced mine in half, down the middle, although that proved to be unnecessary, as I ate them both in one sitting.
Tony's slice-ready pies start out on a screen, but are baked in a stone deck oven. Unlike a lot of screen-baked and "mega" slices I've had, this one was crisp and dry on the bottom, not floppy, soft or oily. Upon folding, the surface cracked, but the crust remained intact. The interior of the medium-thick crust had a soft texture and a fresh-bread aroma.
Tony takes pride in using top-notch ingredients, which showed in the toppings. The cheese was nicely melted and silky smooth, and the sauce had a good balance of salt and tomatoey sweetness. I love the combination of pepperoni and banana peppers, and they made for one very tasty slice of pizza.
I'm also going to mention here a slice I got a couple of months ago or so that I never got around to reporting on until now. This was a slice of "Eileen's Dream," a white pizza topped with spinach, artichokes and ricotta. My go-to pizza will always be a red pizza, but I like a good white slice now and then, and this one caught my eye.
Without tomatoes, a white pizza needs a little something to give it some oomph, and this slice accomplished that, with tangy artichokes that nicely complemented the slightly bitter shredded spinach, and nuggets of ricotta adding some additional flavor and textural interest.
I don't know if I could ever go to 2 Ton Tony's and not have pizza, but there are other options (you can view and download the entire menu here). Tony has added a very popular Friday fish fry, which includes battered haddock, potato wedges, cole slaw, hush puppies and tartar sauce There are also several new choices in the sweets department, including a s'mores calzone filled with graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows. They're also now serving Perry's ice cream, which I've been a major fan of for years. After I finished my pizza, I had barely enough room for a sample of Perry's cannoli ice cream (which is not available in stores, by the way) - yum.

This section of Irondequoit remains a pizza hotbed - I think you could go to a different pizzeria every day of the week and never drive more than half a mile - but with 2 Ton Tony's continuing to turn out such consistently good pizza, I'm not sure you'd want to.

2 Ton Tony's, 545 Titus Ave. (at Hudson Ave.)
266-8669

Mon. - Thu. 11 - 9, Fri. & Sat. 11 - 10, Sun. noon - 9