Buffalo Places 3 Pizzerias Among America's Best

Do you know anybody who doesn't like pizza? It's probably the most universally liked food there is and Buffalo has its share of some of the best pizza places on the planet.

The Daily Meal is a popular website that discusses food and drink thru articles, videos and special reports and it annually rates the top pizza places in the country. This year Buffalo placed three pizzerias in the Daily Meal's 101 Best Pizzas In America.

#100 Pepperoni, La Nova (Buffalo, New York) Buffalo and Amherst locations

La Nova is a Buffalo legend, and is celebrating more than 50 years in business. Sure, it’s gotten its name out there by doing everything from sponsoring local pro sports teams to giving away thousands of T-shirts, but the pizza is also spectacular. There are at least 21 toppings to choose from and 19 set specialty pies, including square pies, thin-crust pizzas, and “The Big Joe” 30-inchers, but stick to their classic round pie, which (in typical Buffalo fashion) is loaded with more sauce and cheese than you might think necessary as well as an ample amount of pepperoni, which curls up into little “cups” and chars slightly as it cooks (thus the distinctly Buffalo pizza term “cup and char”). Consider leveling-up your crust for free with sesame seeds, onion, garlic, Cajun spice, or Parmigiano-Reggiano. And order barbecue wings, too — La Nova is famous for inventing this style in the 716 as well.

#93 Nduja, Jay's Artisan Pizza (Buffalo, New York) - Delaware Ave., Kenmore

Jay Langfelder became known in the 716 because of the pies he was slinging out of his O.G. Wood Fire food truck, which he drove with an oven inside that weighed a ton. Jay said the “O.G.” stood for “one goal,” making the best modern American Neapolitan pizza but the truck meant limitations. When his brick-and-mortar opened in late 2017, he had the setup needed to meet his high expectations and leave behind the OG name to become Jay's Artisan Pizza.

There are nine 12-inch pies made with imported Italian mozzarella and cooked in a 900-degree wood-fired oven. There’s the obligatory marinara and Margherita pizzas. The quattro formaggio and Amanda (fontal, gorgonzola, chile flakes, and homemade chile honey) are holdover favorites from the truck. But the Nduja, with garlic, basil, fresh mozz, fontina, red onion, Berkshire ‘nduja and Calabrian chile honey… oh, yeah. These aren’t strict Neapolitan pizzas — Jay uses ingredients like California tomatoes instead of San Marzanos — but if you’re looking to trade Buffalo’s signature cup-and-char for leopard-spotting, you won’t find anything more legit. Be sure to check his Instagram for his (usually) once-weekly Detroit-style pies.

#84 Pepperoni Pie, Bocce Club Pizza (Buffalo, New York) 2 Amherst locations

Going strong since 1946, Bocce Club was founded by Dino Pacciotti shortly after he returned from World War II and is today run by his son, Jim. The pizza recipe hasn’t changed much: Dough is made from scratch and hand-stretched daily, sauce is made fresh, and the cheese is 100 percent whole milk mozzarella. The place has kept up with the times, though: It was the first Buffalo pizzeria to offer takeout in corrugated boxes (1955), and the first to offer half-baked pies to finish cooking at home (it ships them nationwide). As for the pizza, it’s beyond reproach, and sets the standard for Buffalo pies against which all others are judged. We suggest you stick with the Original Bocce Pizza with just sauce and cheese, topped with high-quality pepperoni that curls into the familiar “cup and char.”

Bocce has always been one of my favorites. I love the sauce and especially like the pepperoni. And it's a favorite of the relatives when they come to town. It's always the first stop after I pick them up at the airport.

Jay's Artisan Pizza? Never heard of it, but if it ends up ranked as the 93rd best pizza place in AMERICA, I better get over there and try some.

As for LaNova….sorry, I've never been a fan. I've gone in there for slices....we've ordered LaNova at the radio station....and it's just never satisfying. LaNova tastes too "manufactured" to me...just an assembly-line pizza. There's no heart and soul in it....just another pizza going out the door.

One place I love and ranks in my Top 3 is Lock City Pizza in Lockport. Formerly known as Pontillo's, I love the crispy crust...actually I love everything about it, but it's a completely different pizza from Bocce....sauce, crust, even the pepperoni they use. Lock City Pizza is a Lockport-area favorite, but outside of Niagara County I'm guessing there aren't too many people who have ever heard of it. It's worth the drive to Davison Road in Lockport to try it