Updated April 2020
Cup-and-char. Semi-sweet. Medium crust. Well-done. Don’t skimp on the cheese.
If you know, you know.
Buffalo-style pizza is unlike any other styles of pizza. It’s a nice happy-medium between a thicker casserole-like, deep-dish pizza you would find in Chicago, but not as thin and floppy as New York. Buffalo-style pizza is arguably better than the classic NY-style pizza, the most obvious reason being that you get more pizza with slightly thicker crust, while still maintaining a well-balanced flavors throughout.
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As for those meat-eating pizza lovers, cup-and-char pepperoni is an essential topping to a Buffalo-style pizza, allowing the grease to pool in the cups. I realize just how foreign this concept is when I talk pizza with non-Buffalonians who prefer their ronis flat.
The key here is that toppings must be paired with ample amounts of gooey cheese, semi-sweet sauce, and fluffy, yet slightly overcooked, medium crust—bringing in the sweet, spicy, and charred taste across the board to make some magic.
There’s a lot of fantastic local pizza shops serving their communities. Here are just some of the iconic Buffalo-style pizzas around town to check out…
Pizza & love,
Mandy
Want more pizza? Check out our other articles here.
1. Carbone’s Pizzeria – South Buffalo and Lovejoy
568 South Park Avenue Buffalo NY 14204 & 1126 E. Lovejoy St. Buffalo NY 14206
Carbone’s is the epitome of Buffalo-style pizza. Spicy pepperoni, a whole lot of cheese, plenty of sauce to avoid dryness, and the right amount of grease to make this pizza the kind of mess you want to be in.
2. Lovejoy Pizzeria – Lovejoy and Buffalo
1244 E. Lovejoy Street, Buffalo, NY 14206 & 900 Main Street Buffalo NY 14202 US
Hello, crunch. Lovejoy Pizzeria embodies that well-done, ever-so-slightly overcooked crust that we know and love. Pair that with a side of their wings and you’ll never feel more proud to be a Buffalonion.
3. Imperial Pizza – South Buffalo
1035 Abbott Road, Buffalo, NY 14220
Imperial Pizza brings both quality and value. This pizza does not come short on size or toppings. As a local favorite, you’ll be pleased with this classic Buffalo crust—crunchy on the bottom and fluffy throughout.
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4. Johnny’s Pizzeria – Cheektowaga
4841 Union Rd, Cheektowaga, NY
If you prefer your sauce-to-cheese ratio to be higher on the cheese end, Johnny’s is a solid option. Luckily, their medium, sturdy crust will hold its own by not letting all that cheese and toppings slide right off.
5. Bocce Club Pizza – Amherst and Williamsville
4174 North Bailey Avenue Amherst, NY 14226 & 1614 Hopkins Road East Amherst, NY 14221
A legacy pizza establishment in the area, Bocce Club Pizza has been satisfying Buffalo pizza lovers for several decades. This pizza does a great job balancing that charred taste from the crispy crust and pepperoni edges with the hints of herbs and spices sprinkled throughout.
6. Muscarella’s Pizza – Williamsville
5526 Main St #6702, Williamsville, NY 14221
It’s a challenge with Buffalo-style pizza to have a well-done crust and still have it be airy throughout. Muscarella’s Pizza makes it easy to eat their buttery, softer crust in every bite.
7. D’Agostino’s Pizza – Depew
576 Dick Rd # 60, Depew, NY 14043
Looking for the perfect cup-and-char pepperonis? D’Agostino’s does not come short on toppings and will place them in a flawless arrangement. Their thicker crust pizza will leave you feeling full and coming back next time.
8. DiPaulo’s Pizzeria – Tonawanda
571 Brighton Road, Tonawanda, NY 14150
Some Buffalo-style pizzas have the cheese and toppings go right to the edges, so there is no real dough-only end crust (maximizing real estate, obviously). DiPaulo’s Pizzeria does this approach, so if you’re that friend that doesn’t eat their end crust, this may be a great pizza option for you!
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9. Mustachio’s Pizza – Kenmore
2701 Elmwood Ave. Kenmore, NY 14217
If you hope for the sauce to be the hero of a pizza, Mustachio’s semi-sweet sauce can rise to the occasion. This pizza’s sauce is evenly distributed with the cheese, but the sweeter, herby flavors shine through to complement the mild cheese and spicy pepperoni flavors.
