The 2017 Pizza Tournament of Champions

The tournament bracket and results from our Pizza Tournament in June 2017.

Photo source: Arthur Bovino

Remember three months ago and our ridiculous Chicken Wing Tournament of Champions? Of course you do, it was a twitter phenomenon that reached over a million people in just two weeks and saw 60,000+ votes cast for various bars and restaurants around WNY.  Polls were retweeted by a Gronkowski brother, Khalil Mack, Buffalo News writers, ESPN analysts and hundreds of diehard fans.

Well we are back with a new tournament and this time it’s all about Buffalo style pizza. Most of you know what that means: messy, sweet-er sauce, charred pepperoni that cup, slightly thicker crust. If you want more detail, USA Today wrote a piece about ‘Buffalo style’ pizza last September.

This is not a poll for “the best pizza in Western New York”, this is about finding “the best ‘Buffalo-style’ pizza in Western New York”. We’ve decided to omit NY style and the hip ‘wood-fire’ pizzas to level the playing field. It’s not perfect but in our opinion, it’s the right call.

The rules are the same. 64 Restaurants/Pizzerias enter and only one will leave. Every day we’ll have four polls that will run from 8am (ish) to 10pm. The winner goes on to the next round. Below you’ll find the full bracket and the schedule.

Group A

1. La Nova (Multiple) vs 16. Sunny’s (Lockport)

2. Lovejoy Pizza (Multiple) vs 15. Pesci’s Pizza (Williamsville)

3. Bella Pizza (Multiple) vs. 14. LT’s Old Tyme Pizza and Subs (West Seneca)

4. Pizza Oven (Lockport) vs. 13. Tony’s Pizza (Cheektowaga)

5. Amherst Ale House (Getzville) vs 12. Vito’s Avenue Pizza (North Tonawanda)

6. LA Pizza Club (Hertel) vs 11. Desi’s Pizzeria (Kaistertown)

7. Wise Guys (South Buffalo) vs 10. Sports City Pizza (West Side)

8. Pizza by Molino’s (Kaistertown) vs 9. TC Wheeler’s (Tonawanda)

Group B

1. Picasso’s (Multiple) vs 16. Chuck’s North St Pizzeria (Allentown)

2. Just Pizza (Multiple) vs 15. Capelli’s (Orchard Park)

3. Artone’s (South Buffalo) vs. 14. Yum Yum’s (Cheektowaga)

4. Nino’s Pizza vs. 13. Favorite’s (Lewiston)

5. The Now Pizzeria (Hamburg) vs 12. Lock City (Lockport)

6. Abbott Pizza (South Buffalo) vs 11. Di Marco’s (Kenmore)

7. Sammy’s Pizzeria (Niagara Falls) vs 10. Mineo’s (South Buffalo)

8. Avenue Pizza (Multiple) vs 9. Zahz (Cheektowaga)

Group C

1. Bocce Pizza (Multiple) vs 16. Brunner’s (Boston)

2. Leonardi’s (Amherst) vs 15. Diva’s Pizza (South Buffalo)

3. Carbone’s (Multiple) vs. 14. Wurlitzer Pizza Company (North Tonawanda)

4. Bob and John’s La Hacienda (Multiple) vs. 13. Good Guys Pizza (North Tonawanda)

5. Edie’s (Hamburg) vs 12. Dough Bois (Buffalo)

6. Santora’s (Multiple) vs 11. Ricotta’s (Orchard Park)

7. Partner’s Pizza (Multiple) vs 10. Pizza Works Etc (Amherst)

8. The Pizza Heist (Lancaster) vs 9. Chick-N-Pizza Works (Multiple)

Group D

1. Imperial Pizza (South Buffalo) vs 16. LaPorta’s (Williamsville)

2. Franco’s Pizza (Multiple) vs 15. Besta Pizza (Getzville)

3. Ricota’s (Multiple) vs. 14. Maria’s (Angola)

4. Mister Pizza (Buffalo) vs. 13. Metro Pizza (East Side)

5. Casa Di Pizza (Buffalo) vs 12. John and Lannie’s Pizza (Sanborn)

6. Blasdell Pizza (Multiple) vs 11. Leo’s Pizzeria (Multiple)

7. Pasquale’s (Multiple) vs 10. Grasso’s (Depew)

8. DiPaulo’s Pizza (Tonawanda) vs 9. Mattina’s (Amherst)

Results:

FINAL FOUR (Saturday, 6/24/17)

• 3. Bella Pizza defeated 1. Picasso’s vs  – Results

• 3. Carbone’s defeated 2. Franco’s Pizza vs  – Results

THE FINAL (Monday, 6/26/17)

• 3. Bella Pizza defeated 3. Carbone’s – Results