Bakery Pizza – Part 1 – FeMike's (aka IronMikes) Blog

I’m not sure what happened to this article. It was originally published 8/14/22, but it’s gone from the blog, so I’m republishing it.

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I love to visit “true” Italian Bakeries. They are becoming more difficult to find. Here in Rochester, we still have a few, but when you look at their display cases, it’s more like an American Bakery with a few Italian-North American (US & Canada) items.

Early on in the blog, I defined my vision of a pizza “joint”. So, what is my criteria to be an Italian bakery versus an American bakery with a few Italian items?

It’s simple for me. If the bakery has fresh Italian bread and rolls, REAL pastry like sfogliatell (see link) and cornetto (see link), and true Italian cookies (see link) IT’S ITALIAN (well Southern Italian-American)! If the bakery has doughnuts, chocolate chip cookies, and muffins IT’S NOT!

There are two bakeries that my mind sees as my definition. One is Presti’s Bakery in Little Italy, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. There other is Pasticceria Sal De Riso in Minori, Amalfi Coast, Campania. Both are experiences, not just baked goods!

Additionally, another thing that separates an Southern Italian American Bakery from, say, Donuts Delight (which incidentally is owned by an Italian-American) is the availability of BAKERY PIZZA. If you search the term Bakery Pizza on Google, you will likely find local Italian Bakeries that also make and sell pizza.

If you don’t already know, the concept of a pizzeria really didn’t exist until the early 1900’s. Until that point, there were bakeries that used their ovens after their breads and rolls were cooked and used their left-over dough to sell pizzas. For the bakery, the pizza was/is a side hustle and not its central mission.

In my opinion, some of the best pizzas that I’ve had this GPS (Great Pizza Search) have been from bakeries. Perreca’s in Schenectady, NY is my favorite Bakery Pizza, and one of my favorites in general.

In late July 2022, we took a trip to Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada do ride bikes and try out some of their Rieslings. Both Niagara Falls, ONT and Niagara Falls, NY had large Italian immigrant populations (brute labor was needed to build the separate hydro power stations on each side of the Niagara River – see link). The Italian Bakeries grew as a result of that influx.

7/30/22 – Portage Bakery – Niagara Falls, ONT

Neighborhood – Niagara Falls, ON, Canada (about 1 block from the Falls)

Style – ”Benevento“ Style (looked like a Grandma/Sicilian Style or Tomato Pie)

Toppings – Cheese very sharp parmagian, Oregano (looked like it was sprinkled on after the bake since it sat on top of the sauce and cheese

Cheese – Salty (like you’d expect from a good parmagian)

Sauce – Tangy, Thin could use a little more

Cheese to Sauce Ratio – Sauce Amount – A little/Medium Cheese Amount – Medium (the low”ish” amount of sauce differentiated this from true Tomato Pie which is literally slathered in sauce.

Crust – Medium/Thick, Buttery, Spongy/airy, Chewy (Bakery Style, Dense but not hard or crisp)

Crust Cook – Soft

Comments – we purchased a 1/2 sheet so I had ample amount and time to eat it both cold and microwave warmed. I really loved this pie.

The bakery had the vibe of a 1950’s Italian Deli by the style, age, and the product arrangements on the shelf. Each of us had a cappuccino (made with Kimbo espresso – roasted and ground in NAPOLI) and a sfogliatell in the coffee bar portion of their establishment.

In addition, the owners are from Benevento, Campania which is about 30k (about 20 miles) up the mountain northeast of Napoli. We’ve been to Benevento, which is not too far from Avellino from which is where my father’s family is emigrated. I’m guessing that’s the reason why the sign said Benevento Style.µ ≤

Overall Rating – Good, almost great

Would I go back? – Yes

7/30/22 – DiCamillo’s Bakery – Lewiston (and Niagara Falls), NY

Neighborhood – Lewiston, NY

Style – Bakery Style Tomato Pie, Center Cut

Toppings – parmagian (or could’ve been Pecorino Romano), Freshness – No

Cheese – Strong (must have been a well-aged parmagian), Salty

Sauce – THICK, Tangy, Sweet, No chunks

Cheese to Sauce Ratio – Sauce Amount – A lot, Cheese Amount – A little

Truly the definition of Tomato Pie

Crust – Medium-Thick, Spongy/airy, Chewy

Crust Cook – Soft

Comments – eaten cold, immediately after purchasing while in our camper. Tasted like Grandma Loretta’s and Aunt Theresa’s but without the special ingredient in their (our) sauce.

Best since Perreca’s (another bakery) in Schenectady. Bakery pizza might be my favorite, even more than Neapolitan, hmm…that’s a big statement?

Will I go back? – Absolutely! whenever I head that way!

Overall Rating – Great

7/30/22 – La Farina Italian Bakery – Niagara Falls, ONT

Neighborhood – Niagara Falls, ON, Canada (about a mile inland from the falls)

Style – Bakery/Grandma Style

Toppings – Pepperoni (Italian Salame), Cheese (moozedell), Freshness – not really

Cheese – sparse, salty

Sauce- Thin, Faint

Cheese to Sauce Ratio – Sauce Amount – A little, Cheese Amount – A little

Crust – Medium, Buttery, Spongy, Bakery Style (Dense but not hard or crisp), very much a “floury” taste versus yeasty/fermented taste (maybe due to not much fermentation time, too fresh dough?)

Crust Cook – Soft

Overall Rating – Meh (which is not good…)

Would I go back? – for the bakery and market, but not for the pizza!

Comments – Eaten cold, Spicy Southern Italian Salame, very much only a hint of sauce. Seemed a little undercooked but dry, with little air.

The bakery and its market were great the pizza was only good BUT $9C ($6.75US) for a whole sheet pizza. Incredible price.

This was not very good pizza though. It is the type of pizza to eat when you don’t care about what you’re eating like when you’re on a drunk night out as college kids!

7/27/22 – Bricks & Barley Bar and Restaurant – Niagara on the Lake, ONT

Neighborhood – Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada

Beverage Pairing – Cave Vineyards (Canada Niagara Region) Dry Riesling

Style – Neapolitan

Toppings – Prosuit & Rocket (Arugala), Freshness – Yes

Cheese – a little on the light side

Sauce – Light Tomato, Balsamic Reduction Drizzle

Cheese to Sauce Ratio – Sauce Amount – A little, Cheese Amount – A little.

It’s obvious that the Arugula and Balsamic Drizzle were the stars of the pie. This is too bad in my opinion because a little more zing to the pie.

Crust – Thin with a slight puff at the cornicione, Very Crispy – although too crispy, almost like a cracker with condiments and not a pizza. The char was done well and tasty.

Comments

My biggest warning from this is that anyone can now easily by a Neapolitan woodfired oven. But just because you could buy it, does it mean you know how to use it. It seems like that bar spent more time trying to make foofoo pizzas versus good, regular pizzas.

The balsamic drizzle was good, but there was little else about this pizza that I’d consider wanting to go back soon. Ate at the bar and the bartender was excellent, a minor league hockey player in the winter. Staff also friendly. But not really a pizza place. It’s a bar that just happens to have pizza.

Overall Rating – Meh