Pizza Stop

123 State Street, Downtown Rochester
Visited April 25, 2011
Written by Tyler




Pizza Stop is widely regarded as having the best New York-style pizza, and perhaps the best overall pizza, in Rochester. I had been to Joe’s Brooklyn Pizza in Henrietta, which has family ties to Pizza Stop, the previous summer, but finally made my long-anticipated visit to the original the day after Easter following a downtown interview. It will not be my last visit.

I walked in amid a decent lunchtime crowd in the small pizzeria, with a decent handful of tables for those eating in. There was also quite a variety of slices available.

Pizza Stop appears to be solely a pizza joint, not offering subs, wings or anything else. It offers pizzas in many sizes, styles and with many toppings, but is mainly a place to grab a quick slice or two. The thin New York-style pizza is not my preferred style of pizza, but it’s impossible not to like Pizza Stop’s version.

I opted for a regular-sized Buffalo chicken slice and a thicker pepperoni Sicilian slice.

I started with the Sicilian slice, which was almost identical to the slice I got at Joe’s last July. It was quickly reheated in the oven after my order, giving it quite a toasty crunch. I normally like my pizza quite crispy, but this was actually just a bit too crisp on the outside crust for me.

The interior, however, was bready enough to make the slice pleasant to chew. I’m not a huge cheese guy, but there was just the right amount on this slice.

Along with the sauce, all of the primary components worked together well to produce a good slice, but I would have preferred a little more sauce and a little less crispiness to the slice.

While I did have some minor reservations about the Sicilian slice, the Buffalo chicken slice was just about flawless. What the crust lacked in thickness it made up for in quality. It was toasted just right and was complemented by the perfect proportion of cheese and Buffalo chicken pieces. None of the contrasting flavors drowned out any of the others, and made for possibly the most balanced slice I have ever eaten. Most of the Buffalo chicken slices I’ve eaten have been relatively soft and doughy, but this one was baked to a perfect crisp.

I accidentally deleted my photo of my slices, but I found some photos of similar slices online, courtesy of the Rochester Pizza Blog, which has raved about Pizza Stop to a different level than of any other pizzeria in the area.

I had heard that Pizza Stop had questionable customer service. There was a sign saying something along the lines of, “This isn’t Burger King, you don’t get it your way,” and they don’t blow you away with friendliness by any means, but there is nothing to complain about. The staff does its job, respects its customers and efficiently churns out high-quality pizza.

When I return to Pizza Stop or Joe’s, I will definitely get another Buffalo chicken slice, but I’m also very intrigued by the Grandma’s slice, which appears to come topped with a spiral pattern of fresh extra sauce on top of the cheese, along with oil, two cheeses and several herbs. Sounds right up my alley.

Make sure if you want to try Pizza Stop, you catch it while it’s open. It closes at 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, but is closed on the weekend.

Like I said, I prefer thicker and saucier pizzas, but that’s just me. A lot of people prefer the thinner New York-style, but everyone will probably love just about any pizza from Pizza Stop.

Ratings

Service/Atmosphere: Seems like a place very popular for a workday lunch, with the closest feel of being an authentic New York City pizzeria in Rochester.

Food: Perfect balance of all the components of a pizza, and baked to perfection.

Value: $6 for my two slices seemed fair.

Overall: You can tell Pizza Stop a passion for pizza, and its staff is well-aware how good its product is. After eating here, it’s not difficult to see why this place has such a great reputation.

Grade: B+, but consider it higher if you’re a NY-style pizza connoisseur or purist.

Zebb's Deluxe Grill and Bar

300 Center Place Drive, Greece
Visited Feb. 27, 2011
Written by Tyler




Zebb’s recently opened on the site of a former UNO Pizzeria on Ridge Road in Greece, joining the Zebb’s in Brighton as the second of this mini-chain to hit the Rochester area.

I had always heard good things about Zebb’s, but hadn’t previously eaten there. My high-school football coach joked he would leave our game against McQuaid to grab a burger there if we didn’t play well (for the record, we won handily).

After it opened in Greece, I finally got around to dining at Zebb’s one recent Sunday afternoon with my parents.

When you walk in, it feels like a big chain restaurant, similar to Applebee’s or Ruby Tuesday. But it’s actually not. There are six total locations, including two in the Buffalo area, and one each in the Syracuse and Utica areas.

It was kind of crowded, so we had a slight wait, but killed time by watching TV while my parents ordered drinks from the large bar.

The menu features mostly American classics, especially burgers. On this day, however, each of us was feeling like chicken – specifically chicken sandwiches on fresh-baked rolls.

I got a Cajun grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce. There was a decent dusting of Cajun seasoning and the portion was fairly large and tasty. The homemade roll made it one of the best (of many) grilled chicken sandwiches I’ve had in the area.

My mom ordered her grilled chicken sandwich with mozzarella cheese and mushrooms, while my dad opted for Chicken Cordon Bleu. They were also fairly pleased with their sandwiches.








There is also a free topping bar, but it didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary. We didn’t really utilize it.

They also each got fresh-cut fries, which they agreed were outstanding – perhaps the best part of the meal. I didn’t have any, but they indeed looked fresh, with a medium thickness and the perfect balance between soft and crispy.

Following our sandwiches, we couldn’t resist the fresh-baked cookies that greeted us upon arrival. I believe there are two varieties available, but the most popular is Chocolate Chunk, which can be purchased individually (85 cents each), in a six-pack ($3.99) or in a “Big Box” ($6.49).

We ordered a six-pack of the soft, gooey delights. It was evident right away why they are Chocolate Chunk and not Chocolate Chip. The cookies were so soft they stuck together a bit, but that’s fine with me because they were pretty good.

Overall I’d say Zebb’s does a good job. It doesn’t blow you away, but it’s a respectable All-American bar and grill. It feels like a big chain, but it’s not, and you can tell some of the menu items truly are freshly made.

Ratings:

Service/Atmosphere: No complaints on either end, and a good All-American feeling throughout.

Food: Good portion sizes and good variety, primarily featuring American items. Anyone with “fresh” in front of it is just that.

Value: No complaints. Portion sizes seem to fit the prices.

Overall: It doesn’t blow you away, but it’s better than going to an Applebee’s or Ruby Tuesday because you can tell Zebb’s puts at least some thought in to its products – more so than the national chains it emulates, at least.

Grade: B