Story by Tracy Morin | Photos courtesy of Jay’s Artisan Pizza
He may look young, but Joe Powers already has years of restaurant ownership experience under his belt—this precocious pizzaiolo assumed ownership of Jay’s Artisan Pizza in Buffalo, New York, in 2021, at only 22 years old. Trained in Naples with the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), he isn’t afraid to honor tradition while experimenting and pushing boundaries, whether he’s highlighting Detroit-style pizzas alongside his Neapolitan classics or making the audacious decision to go phone-free at his buzzing pizzeria.
The approach is clearly working: Jay’s landed a spot on 50 Top Pizza’s coveted list in 2025 as No. 4 in the U.S. and No. 14 in the world. It remained in the U.S. Top 10 this year at No. 7, with the worldwide ranking still to come in September.
In this exclusive interview with PMQ (which took place shortly before the latest 50 Top Pizza ranking was announced), Powers talks about his beginnings in foodservice, how he has attracted international recognition for his craft, and how he adds a different pizza perspective within Buffalo’s well-established pizza-and-wing culture.
Related: 50 Top Pizza Names Best Pizzerias in the U.S. for 2026. Who Claimed the No. 1 Spot?
PMQ: Tell us about your background—how you entered the pizza industry, your training and the inspiration behind Jay’s Artisan Pizza.
Powers: I always knew I wanted to work in hospitality. I attended the hospitality program at Trocaire College in Buffalo, New York, and shortly after, I became one of the first employees at Jay’s Artisan Pizza. I originally started working in the front of house, but over time I became more interested in what was happening in the kitchen—especially pizza making, dough fermentation and the overall process behind it all.
That passion led me to Naples, Italy, where I attended the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) school in May 2019. While there, I trained alongside other pizzaioli and learned the craft, history and traditions behind true Neapolitan pizza. That experience completely changed my perspective and deepened my appreciation for the simplicity, discipline and culture surrounding pizza in Naples. A lot of what we do today still stems from that experience.
When I returned from Italy, I eventually purchased the restaurant in 2021, at 22 years old. Since then, we’ve continued to evolve. One of the biggest changes came in February 2024, when we completely refreshed our dining room and also rethought the overall guest experience and service style.
PMQ: How do you approach menu development?
Powers: Our menu is rooted in tradition, but we also love incorporating creativity and seasonality. We keep a core group of pizzas on the menu year-round, while also developing seasonal pizzas inspired by ingredients available locally in Western New York alongside products we import from Italy. Buffalo has such a short but beautiful growing season, so we really try to celebrate that while staying connected to traditional Italian ingredients and techniques.
Our Margherita pizza is probably our most popular, because it’s such a simple representation of traditional Neapolitan pizza. We also offer a Regina Margherita, inspired by the original Queen Margherita story, made with imported buffalo mozzarella from Italy that’s creamier and softer; it melts beautifully.
Seasonal creativity is one of the most exciting parts of what we do. Recently, we featured a Ramp & Sausage pizza with a local ramp puree, crispy sunchokes and smoked provola. We’ve experimented with more unique combinations, like a radicchio and melon pizza, using imported Italian melon and radicchio for a sweet-and-bitter contrast. We’ve also done a zucchini pizza with smoked provola and pistachio dukkah. Developing new pizzas is something our whole team enjoys collaborating on.
PMQ: Tell us about the decision to offer two different pizza styles.
Powers: We also offer Detroit-style pizza, which gives our team an opportunity to explore a more playful and creative side of the menu. While our Neapolitan pizzas are deeply rooted in tradition, the Detroit style allows us to experiment more freely with flavor combinations, textures and seasonal ideas.
Over the years, some of our most popular specialty Detroit squares have been inspired by both comfort food and seasonal ingredients. One of the most well-known was our Big Mac square, made with ground beef, housemade special sauce, housemade pickles, sesame seeds and cheddar cheese. On the other end of the spectrum, we’ve done lighter seasonal combinations, like a peach and stracciatella pizza with fresh basil during the summer months.
We enjoy having both styles on the menu, because they each offer something completely different. Neapolitan pizza highlights simplicity, tradition and technique, while Detroit-style gives us more room for creativity and allows guests to experience another side of what pizza can be.
PMQ: You’ve also made the interesting decision to not have a phone at your pizzeria. What was behind that decision, and how does it help you?
Powers: In 2023, we redesigned not only the restaurant itself, but also how we approach service. We shifted fully into a full-service restaurant model, which was heavily inspired by many of the pizzerias in Naples, where you sit down, enjoy the experience and are served at the table.
Because we’re a very small restaurant with only about 35 seats, we wanted our staff fully focused on hospitality and the guest experience rather than constantly answering phones. Moving away from phones has allowed us to streamline operations significantly. Guests can place orders directly online, select exactly what they want and schedule pickup times themselves, which has helped reduce mistakes and improve efficiency across the board.
It’s been a really positive decision for us operationally, but also from a hospitality standpoint. We’ve found that it allows our staff to be more present with the guests who are physically in the restaurant. We also try to make communication easy in other ways. Our website shares a lot about who we are and our philosophy.
PMQ: How do you stand out in Buffalo’s food scene, which has a long history of serving pizza?
Powers: When most people think of Buffalo, they think of wings, and pizza naturally comes along with that. Buffalo has such a strong pizza culture, and everyone has their favorite spot. I think what helps us stand out is that we introduced styles of pizza that were less common here at the time: traditional Neapolitan pizza from Naples and Detroit-style pizza. What we offer is very different from classic Buffalo-style pizza, and I think people appreciate being able to experience something new while still feeling it’s approachable and comforting.
Ingredient sourcing is one of the most important parts of what we do. We’ve built strong relationships with importers and local farms, and we’re constantly searching for products that can elevate what we serve. Every year, we attend the Fancy Food Show in New York City to discover new ingredients and inspiration that we can bring back to the restaurant. We care deeply about balancing authenticity with seasonality—importing products from Italy while also supporting local growers and producers here in Western New York.
Our dough process is intentionally simple and consistent. We make dough fresh every day and allow it to ferment at room temperature for about 24 hours. A lot of our philosophy is built around patience, repetition and respecting traditional methods.
PMQ: How do you get the word out about your restaurant, attract new customers and keep them coming back?
Powers: We really believe word-of-mouth has been our biggest form of marketing. We’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from the Kenmore and Buffalo communities, and we have many guests who return week after week. We also see a surprising number of guests visiting from Toronto, which is always really exciting and humbling for us.
Social media has also played a huge role in our growth. We spend a lot of time on Instagram, because food is such a visual experience, and people love sharing where they eat and what they’re enjoying. We’ve found that staying active digitally and consistently showing who we are has helped us connect with new guests while also building relationships with regulars.
Related: How 50 Top Pizza Selects the Best Pizzerias in the World
PMQ: How did you earn your high ranking on 50 Top Pizza, and do you have advice for other operators on how to build a winning reputation?
Powers: Since taking over the restaurant in 2021, we’ve continued to constantly reevaluate and improve every aspect of what we do while staying true to ourselves. We focus heavily on quality ingredients, consistency, creativity, hospitality and respecting the traditions behind Neapolitan pizza. To us, making Neapolitan pizza means continuing to tell the story that started in Naples over 200 years ago; we’re just doing it here in Buffalo, New York.
Being recognized by 50 Top Pizza as No. 4 in the U.S. and No. 14 in the world was incredibly meaningful for us. What makes the recognition unique is that the evaluations happen anonymously, similar to Michelin-style dining reviews, where inspectors visit restaurants without announcing themselves. That recognition has absolutely helped us grow, but more importantly, it’s been motivating for both me and our team. It pushes us to continue improving every day.
For other operators, I think the biggest advice is to stay committed to quality and consistency. Never let the ingredient side slip. Be creative, stay authentic to yourself, and use social media as a tool to tell your story. Most importantly, focus on creating an experience that people genuinely want to come back for.
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
