Buffalo Rising Online

Mar 27th 2008, 11:12am By Todd Schoepflin

It had been a long time since I’d taken the Grant Street exit off the 198. But when I did so the other day and came to the intersection of Grant and Amherst, I noticed a new business tucked in the corner of the strip plaza, in the spot once occupied by Mighty Taco. When I saw the name--Joe’s New York Style Pizzeria & Restaurant--my first reaction was skepticism. “New York Style” is such a bold declaration, promising to distinguish the product from other local pizzerias in some special way. But being a pizza junkie, I had to give their pizza a try. And I am pleased to report that the two pepperoni slices I tried were delicious. The slices were large enough to be folded (I learned the art of folding pizza during the brief period of time that I lived on Long Island and in New York City). I ordered the slices to go, with the plan to eat them at home. But the pizza didn’t stand a chance. It looked so good that I couldn’t wait. So I drove home with one hand and devoured my pizza with the other. Side note: I am convinced that driving while eating pizza is more dangerous than driving while using one’s cell phone.

Joe’s opened a few months ago on New Year’s Eve, and offers more than pizza. I actually went back the following day to try the baked ziti. Maybe you’ve encountered baked ziti that is nothing more than a ton of pasta caked with burnt mozzarella cheese. This was not the case at Joe’s. Their ziti features a blend of ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, and let’s just say I’ll be ordering it again sometime. As for what I’ll try next, that’s a tough call, but the lasagna and calzones are definitely in the running.

As I write about a pizzeria, a pet peeve comes to mind: You have a craving for a slice, you walk into a place, and no slices are available. Or worse, there are two slices sitting under a heat lamp looking as though they are three days old. Against your better judgment you order them, and being that they taste disgusting, you never return to the pizzeria. This pet peeve does not apply to Joe’s. The two times that I visited there was an ample supply of slices that appeared as though they had just left the oven.

I’m always looking for the next great slice of pizza. Having come across Joe’s by chance, I’m wondering if I’m not aware of any places that are off the beaten path. Any suggestions, dear readers?


Joe’s New York Style Pizzeria & Restaurant
345 Amherst Street (corner of Grant), Buffalo, 14207
716.447.0165