Yesterday morning I had pizza for breakfast. To tell you the truth, I can’t remember the last time that I did that. What made me break into my former habit of grabbing a slice of pick-me-up pizza before heading out the door? I finally tried Zetti’s. After hearing all about how great their NY-style pizza was, I headed over the night before last to order a pie. At that point, Zetti’s had only been open on Elmwood for 72-hours. I figured that was just enough time to let them settle in before I came a callin’.
As I walked in, I couldn’t help but notice how bright and sparkling clean the corner looked. Like a firefly being beckoned to a streetlamp, I wandered inside. I slid right up to the counter and asked for a menu. The pizza gal smiled, handed me one, and I grabbed a seat on the windowsill to take a gander. Every time I tried to read, my eyes kept drifting upwards to the giant neon Zetti’s sign – the one that had drawn me inside to begin with. It was larger than life. As I settled in and adjusted to the surroundings, I noticed that everything there was larger than life. The slices on the granite-looking counter top were gigantic. There was a guy making pizza standing just a few feet away from me effortlessly throwing what looked to be a Super Mario-sized wheel of dough in the air. Zetty’s even had a larger-than-life personality behind the counter who eventually introduced himself as Pauly.
Between the mesmerizing neon sign, the hand stretched clouds of dough flying through the air and Pauly’s amusing antics, I almost forgot what I had come to order. I quickly headed over to the counter, ordered a pizza, and then returned to my post so as not to miss anything. Was I really enjoying myself in a pizza joint? The guy sitting next to me offered me a garlic twist (or something along those lines). As I ate the chewy morsel I continued to listen to what Pauly had to say. I must admit that I couldn’t understand everything that came out of his mouth, because he was running around and talking a mile a minute. But every once in a while he would stop, look at me and tell me exactly how much time I had left until my pizza was ready, before saying, “How do you pronounce your name again?” This was a real show.
By the time anyone realized that my pizza order had been mixed up (they put pepperoni on instead of onions), I didn’t even care. The pizza had cooked so quickly (being thin crust and all) that I was still ahead of schedule when you consider how long pizza normally takes to cook. “That one’s yours too,” Pauly told me as he pointed at the mistake. I told him that I really didn’t need two pizzas and he motioned a movement with his hands that I had only ever seen someone do in the movies. Did he just bless me? Eventually I met John Fusco, the owner of Zetti’s who is originally from The Bronx. After six years and three pizza operations, John had pretty much resigned that he would never see his family again. It was upon speaking with John that I finally understood what was going on at Zetti’s. These guys were not just working the business, they were living the business. The service area doubled as a showroom – it was as clean and spacious as a household kitchen. You know how when you go to a party and everyone congregates in the kitchen? That’s where you will find the hosts, the good food and drink and the lively conversation. John had taken this concept to heart and had replicated it in his pizzeria.
I can’t tell you the number of times that I have reminded my fiancé that pizza is for delivery, not for pick-up. She has always felt that a pizza (like many other foods) needs to be eaten hot out of the oven… no time for a pizza delivery guy to drive around half the city with your pizza congealing in the backseat. So when she is looking forward to a pizza, I know that I’ll soon be out the door and on my way. In the past, waiting for a pizza can be like waiting at the DMV for a driver’s license. You’re lucky if the pizza joint has one of the local TV news stations on so that you don’t have to feel like you’re stalking your pizza. Until last night I never realized that there was more to pizza than waiting for it and then eating it when you get home.
As for the pizza, I am happy to have finally had what many people consider the best NY-style pizza in the city. I’ve tried others, but I’ve never been impressed. This stuff was different. My pie was cooked to perfection. It was very tasty and I found myself rolling up the ends – something that would be impossible to do with a thicker style. It kind of reminded me of trying a street vendor’s pizza when I visited Paris – sans cracked egg on top! Three pieces totally filled me up and that surprised me because I thought that being so thin I would have eaten more. It’s the crust that is deceiving… the thin crust gives way to a big handle that fills you right up! That and the fact that each slice is the size of two normal slices.
Color me happy because now I have another pizza option in town. I have my Buffalo-style pizza that I grew up with and will always love… plus I have a newfound appreciation for New York-style pizza. I have a feeling that the gang over at Zetti’s is going to be keeping busy for a long time. I actually stopped in again last night and ordered an eggplant parm (third image), which was also very tasty! If there’s more to life than pizza, then these guys and girls have found it and are delivering in style on Elmwood Avenue. That alone is worth a visit.
Zetti’s Pizza and Pasta
976 Elmwood Avenue (corner of Bidwell)
Buffalo NY
716-882-2500