BUFFALO, NY — We all know by now that Buffalo, New York, is the home of the buffalo wing. But, almost 20 years before hot sauce met chicken wing, another Buffalo tradition was born at Bocce Club Pizza.
Owner Jim Pacciotti said a Buffalo-style pizza has a sweeter sauce than your New York City pie. That sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese are spread all the way to the edges of a thick, chewy crust with a crispy bottom. Pacciotti has kept the same recipe since it was created by his father, Dino, in 1946.
“Dino, my father came back from the war in 1946. He had an opportunity to buy an existing place called the Bocce Club, which was actually a place where men played bocce ball,” said Pacciotti. “He found a Blodgett pizza oven in the basement. [He] Started experimenting with pizza, and here we are 74 years later."
Bocce Club Pizza now has three locations. The original location is no longer standing. Pacciotti's main location, on Bailey Avenue, expects to serve 144 pizzas per hour during the Broncos playoff game on Sunday.
If you feel like you're missing out on Bocce's cheesy treat, you can go to their website and have a traditional, Buffalo-style pizza delivered overnight to Colorado. No joke. Just visit their website and click on "Nationwide Delivery."
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