What’s happening in the Western New York food scene

Buffalo is no Naples, but the region’s Neapolitan pizza is starting to gain some national recognition.

Jay’s Artisan Pizza (2872 Delaware Ave., Kenmore) and Florian’s Pizzeria (650 Main St., East Aurora) were both named to a list of the country’s 50 best pizza restaurants created by the online Italian pizza guide 50 Top Pizza. Jay’s ranked No. 6 and Pizzeria Florian, which has been open for just five months, ranked No. 44.

“It’s nice to be recognized for all the hard work we’ve put in,” said Jay’s owner Joe Powers.

The two pizzerias are closely related. Jay Langfelder opened and operated Jay’s Artisan Pizza, where he gained popularity for his wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. He sold the business in 2020 to Powers, who had worked at Jay’s since he was a teenager. Langfelder trained him in the art of Neapolitan pizza — a thin crust topped with seasonal and local ingredients — which Powers continues to make. Powers has climbed the ranks of the Top 50 Pizza list over the past four years.

Langfelder opened Florian’s Pizzeria with his wife, Amanda Jones, in June after spending the last few years in the catering business (including making pizzas for Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s wedding). Florian’s pies are Neapolitan-inspired, but they also incorporate elements of other Italian and New York pizzas. Langfelder has been named to the list before, when he owned Jay’s, but Jones said they were shocked to be on the list so soon after opening.

50 Top Pizza is an international media company founded by an Italian journalist in 2017 that annually ranks pizzas in the United States and around the world. Its inspectors (people with no professional involvement in the food industry) create a list of nominees and then anonymously dine at each potential pizzeria, judging the food and service. Langfelder, Jones, and Powers all attended an awards ceremony at Chelsea Market to receive their awards on June 25.

“I’m sure for other people who aren’t in the restaurant business or pizza business, it’s not a big deal, but for us, it’s a huge deal to be recognized nationally, especially in New York State, where we tend to get overshadowed by New York City,” Jones said. “It shows how much good food there is in Buffalo nationally … they’ll see that Buffalo is a city worth visiting for its food scene.”

Italian tappo (338 Ellicott St.) is offering lunch service for the first time since Covid. Tappo owner Phil Limina said he’s open to seeing if the lunch crowd comes back. “We want to kind of test what’s out there,” Limina said. A $10 lunch special with a smaller portion, salad and soda is available through at least the end of summer.

Aguacatesa new spot featuring authentic Mexican cuisine and margarita towers, opened June 24 at 3450 McKinley Parkway (formerly Buffalo Wild Wings). This is the third Aguacates location in the area, owned by restaurateur Jose Castaneda. Castaneda also recently opened La Fiesta Cantina in Allentown.

Prix ​​fixe dinners, which feature multiple courses and are offered at a fixed price, are an adventurous way to sample local cuisine. Grange Community Kitchen (22 Main St., Hamburg) continues its summer series of prix fixe tapas on July 7 with a menu featuring breaded Spanish ham and cheese croquettes, grilled octopus and olive oil cake topped with sherry cream.

Champagne, charcuterie and cactus lovers can enjoy Graze at the Gardens, a picnic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 7 on the lawn in front of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens (2655 South Park Ave.). The Grazeful Gatherer, a local charcuterie caterer, will provide snacks, while the Bubble Bar will serve sparkling wine.

Here’s what’s new at Taste of Buffalo, including 10 restaurants and 15 featured chefs.

Hamburg’s new Foxglove Pub has closed abruptly after being open for nearly a week.

A multi-use space with food vendors and a public market is expected to open in 2026 near Canalside.

The owners of Luxor Steak & Lobster (3199 Main St.) are asking the city of Buffalo to allow them to reopen a month after a man was shot outside the restaurant.

A new central food center for preparing fresh, healthy meals, as opposed to processed foods, for the 28,000 children in the Buffalo Public School District is running behind schedule.

The New York State Legislature has passed a bill that allows distillers to ship directly to consumers, helping to expand their customer base.

Have an idea for a future column? Send your suggestions and questions to [email protected].