Tuesday, February 9 is National Pizza Day! It’s a day to recognize this warm and satisfying meal with stringy cheese and doughy crust that is often cited as a favorite among Americans. Luckily there are plenty of eateries where you can find one of these delicious pies in the Finger Lakes region. And many source the ingredients to make their pizzas from local farms while also offering menus that feature locally-made craft beers, wines, and other beverages. Read on for a short list of places that offer pizza made with local, seasonal ingredients that you can visit on National Pizza Day and beyond!
Apizza Regionale in Syracuse: This restaurant on West Genesee Street has the motto, “What’s good, When it’s good!” according to its website. This motto is inspired by the traditional Italian approach to cooking that focuses on using seasonal ingredients. This means Apizza partners with many regional growers and producers to make their pies, which are handcrafted in a woodfire oven from Naples, Italy.
REDD in Rochester: Richard Reddington, a Rochester native, started this restaurant. It was inspired by his travels throughout Europe as a young adult and his work as a chef for more than two decades in some of the best restaurants in the U.S.—this included being voted ‘Best Rising Chef’ by San Francisco Magazine, according to Redd’s website. At REDD, which is located at 24 Winthrop, you can find not only a seasonal menu with appetizing options such as prosciutto pizza with fontina, arugula, and parmesan, but also a wine list with local options such as the 2019 Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling.
Kindred Fare in Geneva: This eatery offers a menu and atmosphere inspired by farmhouse cooking. On its seasonal dinner menu is a grilled flatbread pizza made with organic, New York state flour along with beef & sage meatballs, tomato ragu, mozzarella cheese, toasted fennel seed, and black garlic. Kindred Fare’s Executive chef is a Geneva native and Culinary Institute of America graduate. The restaurant is committed to working with local ingredient suppliers who they “know and trust” according to its website.
