The Best Pizza Joint in Every P5 College Town

[OttoMets]

Good to know that its just close to campus. I figured there were plenty of decent choices outside. I know he likes Dibellas subs, but that might be because they are properly large(15 inches?)... lol

Nahh. Doesnt like OIP. Didnt mind Toss N Fire(prefers wood/brick as well). Anything closer to campus?

Mario's is a 10-minute drive in DeWitt. Pavone's is a 15-minute walk downtown on South Warren (and they've got another one in DeWitt but I think the old one is better).

There's a place on East Brighton called New York Pizzeria, they deliver and are pretty good. Not as good as the others, but way better than anything on the Hill.

 

[shandeezy7]

Mario's is a 10-minute drive in DeWitt. Pavone's is a 15-minute walk downtown on South Warren (and they've got another one in DeWitt but I think the old one is better).

There's a place on East Brighton called New York Pizzeria, they deliver and are pretty good. Not as good as the others, but way better than anything on the Hill.

If it's the place I'm thinking of (since I lived in Clarendon Heights), I drove by there a few weeks ago and it looked closed to me - closed as in out of business.

 

[OttoMets]

If it's the place I'm thinking of (since I lived in Clarendon Heights), I drove by there a few weeks ago and it looked closed to me - closed as in out of business.

Damn, didn't realize that.

 

[RandomGuy]

This sums it up best.

Thats a riot! Please tell me there is one about putting pineapple on a pizza. If calling deep dish a pizza is the 1st pizza sin? Pineapple is a strong #2

 

[chugg21]

As a born and raised New Yorker and a Chicagoan for the past 22 years I declare the deep dish to be pretty good but not even remotely close to the greatness of NY pizza

I'm in agreement. I really enjoy a good deep dish but certainly prefer for a big New York slice I can fold and shovel down on the move.

 

[Bulldog04]

Does anyone smoke(then fry) their wings at home? Your best tips welcome.

As far as pizza, my best is always cooked between 2 stones, as close to 900 degrees as possible. Cooked directly on the stone, done in about 2 minutes. Definitely recommend if you can cook that hot.

My buddy edog has the best setup possible. Green Egg to smoke the wings and hit em on the grill for a second. The green egg has changed bbq wings forever and it’s incredible way to do them. Highly recommend

 

[RandomGuy]

 

[RandomGuy]

My buddy edog has the best setup possible. Green Egg to smoke the wings and hit em on the grill for a second. The green egg has changed bbq wings forever and it’s incredible way to do them. Highly recommend

Does he heat the grill as hot as possible? Or a little lower to crisp the skin?

I'll smoke/hang drumsticks. Smokey and crispy. Mmm...

 

[Nahson]

Does East Aurora really not have open container laws? My wife and I went to 42 North over the holiday break in December when we had serious cabin fever. Sat outside in their patio. Freezing out but alcohol helped with that. One of the first restaurants I went to after the shutdown last year when outdoor dining was allowed to resume was The Roycroft. Can't visit East Aurora without stopping by Vidler's either.

Yeah, you can walk down the street funneling beer if you really wanna.

 

[sutomcat]

Good to know that its just close to campus. I figured there were plenty of decent choices outside. I know he likes Dibellas subs, but that might be because they are properly large(15 inches?)... lol

Nahh. Doesnt like OIP. Didnt mind Toss N Fire(prefers wood/brick as well). Anything closer to campus?

As far as I know, the only coal fired oven in the area is at the Avicollis in Fayettteville. It is a pretty new place that I have not been to. It is a bit of a drive.

Avicolli's Coal Fire - Fayetteville, NY

Specialties: A family-owned Italian restaurant that serves fresh coal fired pizza, as well as gourmet Italian dishes.

www.yelp.com

Here are the purported brick oven choices. I would not recommend San Remo.

Good luck.

Top 10 Best Brick Oven Pizza in Syracuse, NY - October 2023 - Yelp

Top 10 Best Brick Oven Pizza in Syracuse, NY - October 2023 - Yelp - Apizza Regionale, Toss 'n' Fire Wood-Fired Pizza, Meier's Creek Brewing - Inner Harbor, Vicino’s Brick & Brew, Pastabilities, The Preserve At 405, Abbiocco by a mano, Avicolli's Coal Fire, Avicolli's Restaurant, Maxwells

www.yelp.com

 

[dollarbill44]

Am I the only person here who prefers Chicago style? I was in Chicago for a conference one time, arrived the afternoon before. I walked to the original Giordanos (so the sign said), sat at the bar, ordered a large supreme and drank good beer for about 3 hours while watching baseball and chatting with others. It was a great night. Preferred Chicago style ever since.
I lived in northern NJ for 24 years and worked in the City for 20. I like NY style too (I like any pizza style that is well made). I just prefer the deep dish.
(I will duck and cover now).

 

[djorange1989]

Am I the only person here who prefers Chicago style? I was in Chicago for a conference one time, arrived the afternoon before. I walked to the original Giordanos (so the sign said), sat at the bar, ordered a large supreme and drank good beer for about 3 hours while watching baseball and chatting with others. It was a great night. Preferred Chicago style ever since.
I lived in northern NJ for 24 years and worked in the City for 20. I like NY style too (I like any pizza style that is well made). I just prefer the deep dish.
(I will duck and cover now).

I think you are yes . I like Giordano’s however. If you come back out here, try a place called Art of Pizza, you will not be sorry having their stuffed pizza or pan pizza

 

[IthacaMatt]

Good to know that its just close to campus. I figured there were plenty of decent choices outside. I know he likes Dibellas subs, but that might be because they are properly large(15 inches?)... lol

Nahh. Doesnt like OIP. Didnt mind Toss N Fire(prefers wood/brick as well). Anything closer to campus?

DiBella's subs are the best in town. Hands down, not even close.

Wegmans used to be good, but has lousy condiments, no Russian dressing, no horseradish or horseradish sauce. The sweet peppers are not sweet, and have not been for years. The tomatoes are sliced so thin that they are translucent. The rolls are great, the meat is fresh, but they could be so, so much better.

 

[Stevenson]

I know it’s not even close to being the best, but I love Varsity pizza

 

[RandomGuy]

As far as I know, the only coal fired oven in the area is at the Avicollis in Fayettteville. It is a pretty new place that I have not been to. It is a bit of a drive.

Avicolli's Coal Fire - Fayetteville, NY

Specialties: A family-owned Italian restaurant that serves fresh coal fired pizza, as well as gourmet Italian dishes.

www.yelp.com

Here are the purported brick oven choices. I would not recommend San Remo.

Good luck.

Top 10 Best Brick Oven Pizza in Syracuse, NY - October 2023 - Yelp

Top 10 Best Brick Oven Pizza in Syracuse, NY - October 2023 - Yelp - Apizza Regionale, Toss 'n' Fire Wood-Fired Pizza, Meier's Creek Brewing - Inner Harbor, Vicino’s Brick & Brew, Pastabilities, The Preserve At 405, Abbiocco by a mano, Avicolli's Coal Fire, Avicolli's Restaurant, Maxwells

www.yelp.com

Thanks for the tips.

There's a brick oven place near me. They served it to me with a knife and fork. WHAT? They put so many toppings on it, it turned into a soupy Chicago style MESS, entirely defeating the purpose of a brick oven pizza. No way could I ever recommend. Their plain cheese is very good, but once they add toppings they destroy it by trying to do you a solid with overloaded toppings. Your either Pizza, or what they call pizza in Chicago. You can't be both.

 

[shandeezy7]

Thanks for the tips.

There's a brick oven place near me. They served it to me with a knife and fork. WHAT? They put so many toppings on it, it turned into a soupy Chicago style MESS, entirely defeating the purpose of a brick oven pizza. No way could I ever recommend. Their plain cheese is very good, but once they add toppings they destroy it by trying to do you a solid with overloaded toppings. Your either Pizza, or what they call pizza in Chicago. You can't be both.

I would say Apizza Regionale and Toss & Fire are the two best brick oven pizza spots in Cuse. The first place on that list - The Brick Oven - is actually the pizza place located inside some Delta Sonic locations. I've never had it, but I figured that was worth a disclaimer.

 

[OttoMets]

I know it’s not even close to being the best, but I love Varsity pizza

Agree. It's not my favorite pizza, it's definitely not my favorite style of pizza, and I wouldn't recommend it to someone who's looking for great pizza. But what they do, they do well. And that's a halfway-thick pan pizza that's finished on the floor of the oven (out of the pan) and cooked great almost every time.

That crust goes perfectly with their sweet wing sauce as well.

 

[RandomGuy]

DiBella's subs are the best in town. Hands down, not even close.

Wegmans used to be good, but has lousy condiments, no Russian dressing, no horseradish or horseradish sauce. The sweet peppers are not sweet, and have not been for years. The tomatoes are sliced so thin that they are translucent. The rolls are great, the meat is fresh, but they could be so, so much better.

Hits Dibellas once a week. Said he found good wings, but still looking for better pizza. (It must be there...its NY. lol)

He had seafood in Cuse a couple times and said it was disgusting. Thats completely not fair, though, because there is salt water at the end of my street, and I used to bring home haddock and cod I caught that day. (And his Mom has a lobster license. Lol)

 

[CNYnVa]

Any real old timers here remember Tino's on the near north side back in the 60s? They had great pizza and good pasta. I think it closed long ago. Anyone know?

 

[NJCuse97]

I'd always found Varsity to be soupy. Johnny's was the best and now its gone... We used to see all sorts of SU "celebs" there. I went there with my roommate and bumped into a Gait, Matt Roe, and Bernie Fine in one sitting. In fact Bernie was there all the time and he used to bust my roomy for skipping class to eat pizza. I miss Johnny's

 

[IthacaMatt]

Hits Dibellas once a week. Said he found good wings, but still looking for better pizza. (It must be there...its NY. lol)

He had seafood in Cuse a couple times and said it was disgusting. Thats completely not fair, though, because there is salt water at the end of my street, and I used to bring home haddock and cod I caught that day. (And his Mom has a lobster license. Lol)

Best seafood in town is at Lemongrass, in Armory Square. Pan Asian, including sushi and Thai food on the menu, as well as steaks, seafood, etc. High end, very good. Best in town.

 

[CU44SE]

The one thing I miss from Syracuse food wise is the pizza. I absolutely despise Buffalo pizza. It’s tolerable now, but give me Syracuse pizza every day of the week. The only thing remotely close in Buffalo is zettis and ginos. We do have some pretty great brick oven places though.

As others have said, you can go anywhere in Buffalo and get fantastic wings. Except, ironically enough, anchor bar. I think they may be my least favorite wings in Buffalo. The only thing they have going for them is that they were the innovator. I have had way entirely too many crappy meals there.

East aurora is great, Bar Bill is probably my favorite place. The wing sauce is painted on; the flavor is great and I have my own mug for 1 dollar pints. (The Clarence one that just opened is unfortunately not as good quality).

 

[Day2]

He doesn’t like OIP? That IMO is the best in the general SU area.

Did someone say IMO’s?

 

[shandeezy7]

The one thing I miss from Syracuse food wise is the pizza. I absolutely despise Buffalo pizza. It’s tolerable now, but give me Syracuse pizza every day of the week. The only thing remotely close in Buffalo is zettis and ginos. We do have some pretty great brick oven places though.

As others have said, you can go anywhere in Buffalo and get fantastic wings. Except, ironically enough, anchor bar. I think they may be my least favorite wings in Buffalo. The only thing they have going for them is that they were the innovator. I have had way entirely too many crappy meals there.

East aurora is great, Bar Bill is probably my favorite place. The wing sauce is painted on; the flavor is great and I have my own mug for 1 dollar pints. (The Clarence one that just opened is unfortunately not as good quality).

100x yes. Zettis and Gino’s are the only worthwhile pizza joints. Bocce isn’t bad but Buffalo pizza is just so damn doughy.

 

[Hoo's That]

Why does it seem that there's a mandated minimum number of burned spots on pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven? I rarely, if ever, get actual black, carbonized burned spots on pizzas baked in gas or electric ovens from any place else. Local places, Domino's, Little Caesar's, Papa John's, it doesn't matter. Only the wood-fired is burnt. And to rain on another parade, pizzas from a wood-fired oven don't taste any better.