Cheektowaga and Depew do not get the pizza hype that Elmwood Village or Hertel Avenue do, and that is exactly why locals love them. These are old school, neighborhood pizza towns. The kind of places where a family has been running the same shop for fifty years, the sauce is a little sweet, the pepperoni cups and chars, and the person answering the phone knows your order. This guide is built from what neighbors actually recommend, not what a tourist map says.
Here is where to find the best pizza in Cheektowaga and Depew.
Key Takeaways
- Santora's Pizzeria in Depew traces its roots to 1927, making it Buffalo's oldest pizzeria and arguably America's sixth oldest.
- Joey's Pizza has been serving Depew, Cheektowaga, and Lancaster for over fifty years.
- Airport Pizza holds one of the highest ratings in Cheektowaga and is often called a hidden gem, known for its thick Buffalo style and standout wings.
- Zahz Pizza has over 1,800 reviews and is known for a sweeter sauce and a heavier crust.
- Mia Mangia in Depew gets reviews calling it probably the best pizza in the Cheektowaga area.
- The local style is Buffalo style pizza, with a thickish crust, sweet sauce, cup and char pepperoni, and a crispy crackly bite.
What Buffalo Style Actually Means Here
Before we get into the shops, it helps to know what you are ordering. Buffalo style pizza is not New York thin crust and it is not Chicago deep dish. It sits somewhere in the middle. A thicker, chewier crust with a crispy exterior, a sauce that leans sweet rather than acidic, and pepperoni that cups up and chars at the edges.
Santora's is a good reference point. The undercarriage is poofier than most Buffalo style pizzas but well browned, the crust has a blackened edge where the cheese turns crusty, the sauce is sweet, the pepperoni is charred, and the cheese stretches when you take a bite.
That is the style you are shopping for in Cheektowaga and Depew. If you want that, you are in the right place.
Cheektowaga Has the Old School Institutions
Airport Pizza is the one that keeps coming up as a hidden gem. The name undersells it. Reviewers call it the best pizzeria they have ever been to, praise the perfect, thick, Buffalo style sheet pizza, and rave about wings that are thick, juicy, and mouthwatering. One reviewer highlighted the sesame crust as a must try, and another noted the dining room is clean and welcoming and does not feel like a pizza place. It is the kind of spot where the owner comes out to say hello and the lunch specials are genuinely good.
Zahz Pizza is the volume play, with over 1,800 reviews and a strong rating. The consensus is a sweeter sauce and a heavier crust, which some people love and some people find unbalanced. One reviewer put it well, calling it excellent pizza with a delicious, sweeter sauce that is always ready on time and very consistent. If you like a sweet, bready pie, Zahz is your spot. If you want sauce forward, look elsewhere.
Roz's Pizzeria is the nostalgia pick. Nearly fifty years in Cheektowaga, and the reviews read like love letters. One regular said this is the pizza and wings they grew up with, and the phone number is permanently etched in their memory. The pizzas are praised for perfect crust and balanced sauce, and the steak subs get their own fan club. It is a local favorite, not a tourist destination, and that is the point.
Schifano's Pizzeria at 4923 Genesee Street is the Sicilian specialist. The large Sicilian with cheese, pepperoni, and mushrooms is the order. Thick, airy, crisp crust, topped with char and cup pepperoni every time. The blue cheese is highly recommended, and the fried bologna sub has its own following. It is mostly takeout with two small tables, and it is closed Sundays and Tuesdays, so check the hours before you go.
The neighborhood threads also add Tony's Pizzeria on Harlem, Doinos at Central and Harlem, Raymond's, Carbone's, and Johnny's on Union. This is a town with depth.
Depew Is Where the Legends Live
Santora's Pizzeria at 3440 Transit Road is the history play. Founded in 1927, it is Buffalo's oldest pizzeria and arguably the sixth oldest in America. The Depew location opened in 1970 and is the oldest Santora's spot still operating. The pizza is a great example of the modern Buffalo style, with a poofier undercarriage, blackened crust edge, sweet sauce, charred pepperoni, and that cartoon-like cheese pull. If you want to eat a piece of Buffalo pizza history, this is it.
Joey's Pizza is the neighborhood workhorse. With locations at 2640 George Urban Boulevard, 4538 Broadway, and 712 Maple Road, it has been serving Depew, Cheektowaga, and Lancaster for over fifty years. The menu is classic Buffalo, with pizza, wings, steak subs, baked parmigiana subs, and specialty pies made fresh daily. One neighbor specifically shouted out the Monday night special, a large for eighteen dollars. If you want a reliable Friday night pie without overthinking it, Joey's is the answer.
Mia Mangia Pizzeria might be the most passionate pick. One reviewer wrote that they and their wife think this is probably the best pizza in the Cheektowaga area, and they are harsh critics. Another called it hands down their favorite pizzeria in Buffalo and singled out the Big D Supreme and Chicken Wing Dip Pizza as legit specialties. It is open late, which makes it a solid option when you are eating dinner at 9:30.
Riva's Pizza at 3488 Walden Avenue is the fresh ingredient pick. One reviewer wrote that they just received the best pizza from Riva's, with fresh ingredients and a perfect crust. Another called the sauce the best they have had and said the wings were done to perfection. It is a neighborhood spot with a loyal following and reasonable prices.
D'agostino's Pizzeria at 528 Dick Road has a devoted fan base and a semi sweet sauce with smoky pepperoni and generous portions. It is a long running neighborhood pizzeria, and reviewers note that people travel from afar for it. One caveat, there are some recent hygiene complaints in the reviews, and phone ordering can be spotty, so it is worth reading the latest reviews before you commit.
The neighborhood threads for Depew also add Pizza Heist, called out multiple times for being cheap and good, along with Grasso's, Papa's on Lake and Como, Johnny's Pizzeria, Joe's French, Pizza 151, and Pizza Dele. This is a town that takes its pizza seriously enough to have a dozen strong opinions.
The Pattern Is That Locals Value Consistency
Read enough of these reviews and a pattern emerges. The pizza people love in Cheektowaga and Depew is not the fanciest or the most Instagrammable. It is the pizza that is consistent. Roz's has the phone number permanently etched in a regular's memory. Mia Mangia is always consistent with sauce that is to perfection. Zahz has had the same staff for all the years a reviewer has been eating there. Airport Pizza has customers who have been ordering since they were a kid.
That is the real local guide. Find the place that has been doing the same thing well for decades and become a regular.
FAQ
Q: What is the best pizza in Cheektowaga?
A: It depends on what you want. Airport Pizza is the highest rated hidden gem, with thick Buffalo style, sesame crust, and outstanding wings. Schifano's is the Sicilian specialist, with cup and char pepperoni every time. Roz's is the nearly fifty-year nostalgia pick with perfect crust and balanced sauce. And Zahz is the volume play, with over 1,800 reviews, a sweeter sauce, and consistent quality.
Q: What is the best pizza in Depew?
A: Santora's is the history pick, Buffalo's oldest pizzeria, founded in 1927, with a great modern Buffalo style pie. Mia Mangia gets the most passionate reviews, with one local calling it probably the best pizza in the Cheektowaga area. Riva's is the fresh ingredient favorite. And Joey's is the reliable neighborhood workhorse with a Monday night special.
Q: What is Buffalo style pizza?
A: A thicker, chewier crust with a crispy exterior, a sauce that leans sweet, and pepperoni that cups and chars at the edges. Santora's is a good reference, with a poofy undercarriage, blackened crust edge, sweet sauce, charred pepperoni, and a cheese pull that stretches.
Q: Where can I get Sicilian pizza in Cheektowaga?
A: Schifano's Pizzeria at 4923 Genesee Street is the Sicilian specialist. The large Sicilian with cheese, pepperoni, and mushrooms has a thick, airy, crisp crust and is topped with char and cup pepperoni every time. Note that they are closed Sundays and Tuesdays.
Q: Is Santora's really the oldest pizzeria in Buffalo?
A: Yes. Santora's was founded in 1927, which makes it Buffalo's oldest pizzeria and arguably America's sixth oldest. The Depew location on Transit Road opened in 1970 and is the oldest Santora's spot still operating.
Q: Where are the best wings to go with my pizza?
A: Airport Pizza gets raves for thick, juicy, mouthwatering wings. Sal's Lounge in Depew is a wing destination, with garlic Parmesan and Honey Cajun as the favorites. Schifano's blue cheese is highly recommended if you are a dipper.
Q: Are these pizza spots good for takeout or dine in?
A: Mostly takeout. Schifano's has only two small tables. D'agostino's is also best for takeout. Airport Pizza has a clean, welcoming dining room. And Sal's Lounge is a sit-down neighborhood bar with a relaxed atmosphere.
Q: What is the Monday night special in Depew?
A: Joey's Pizza on Broadway has a Monday night special, a large pizza for eighteen dollars, according to a neighborhood recommendation.
Q: Are there any late-night pizza options?
A: Mia Mangia in Depew is open until nearly midnight daily, which makes it one of the later options in the area. Most of the old school spots close by 9 or 9:30 PM, so plan accordingly.
Q: What is the most underrated pizza spot in Cheektowaga or Depew?
A: Airport Pizza is the one that gets called a hidden gem most often. The name makes people drive past it, but the pizza and wings are consistently praised. Riva's in Depew is another under the radar spot with a fiercely loyal following.
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