With this beautiful spring weather we’re having in WNY, we made the most of a recent day and headed up to Niagara Falls to get some fresh air. Truthfully, I have never visited the American side of the falls before! I’ve only been on the Canadian side, so it was nice to have a new experience. We also did a brief walk through the Niagara Gorge Trail with Devil’s Hole. We truly are so fortunate to have access to such beautiful waterways, parks, and trails so close to home – it’s one of my favorite parts about living in New York State in general.

Nonetheless, with lot of walking and sightseeing comes finishing the day with a nice meal! Since we were in the Niagara Falls area, I wanted to pick up pizza from a local place on our way back home to Buffalo. We chose Mr. Ventry’s Pizza on the Boulevard (Niagara Fall Boulevard). I’ve heard of Mr. Ventry’s before and just haven’t had a chance to visit yet! This worked out perfect with our plans for the day.

We did takeout from Mr. Ventry’s, but when I went to pick it up I realized they have dine-in as well. I wasn’t aware that they had dine-in since I don’t live near there nor pass it often – it was so lovely inside! If we didn’t just come from a hike we would definitely dine-in, as it had a casual, but tasteful space.

The takeout counter was separate from the restaurant area which is good for guest privacy, and it was a seamless experience. The staff was sweet and they seemed to be very busy! It’s always a good sign when you pick up pizza from a new place that they’re busy – means you’ve likely got a winner.

Point blank, this pizza was gone in about 45 minutes!! We crushed it. It was on the more affordable side at $16 (I typically find pizza in WNY is around $20). I figured since it was cheaper in price (not quality), it would be slightly smaller than other Buffalo pizzas. Don’t get me wrong, it was not overly small by any means, just slightly thinner crust and a slightly smaller pie, which is why we were able to eat this whole thing. Also, we hiked for several hours and were starving haha.

I’d say this pizza would fall into the classic Buffalo-style category. The only difference is it was slightly thinner than most. It still had the same texture crust with a soft middle crust and crisped edges. When handling a slice in your hand, it definitely did not have as much of a flop or mess as a thicker Buffalo-style pizza. This is because the thicker crusts have more weight to them, causing a floppier handle. Mr. Ventry’s pizza crust held it’s own being on the thinner, sturdier side.

As for the taste, it was solid! I always love that first bite moment, where you and the person you’re sharing a pizza with make eye contact after the first bite and give a nod of approval. My husband and I definitely shared our signs of approval! This pizza was comparable to other Buffalo-style places for sure.

The cheese and pepperoni were cooked right to my preferences. I would say this cheese was more on the crispy side, with many brown spots. It was sturdier than other cheeses that slide off, likely due to it being cooked thoroughly. And you all know I am a cup-and-char aficionado, and this pizza knocked that right out of the park. These flawless curled pepperoni cups with blackened rims were picture-perfect. My kind of love language.

I definitely would go back to Mr. Ventry’s if I’m in Niagara Falls again and I would love to dine-in next time! These are the kind of small businesses I love supporting and encourage others to as well.

Pizza & love,

Mandy