La Hacienda Brighton Review – Tonawanda, NY
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Pizza Review Joe liked La Hacienda Brighton in Tonawanda so much that he came back three times. He tried a classic cheese pepperoni, the house Brighton pizza and a dessert pizza that earned the highest score he says he’s ever given.
Pizza #1: Cheese pepperoni (8.5)
The large 16-inch cheese pepperoni came to $25.50, and it looks like a true Buffalo pizza with big slices and plenty of cup and char.
- Pepperoni: Cooked to perfection: cupped, charred and delicious.
- Cheese: Creamy and flavorful. Joe says Buffalo cheese is far superior to what he gets on his side of the border.
- Sauce: Smooth and not sweet.
- Crust: Somewhere between medium and thick, with nice browning underneath.
Joe compared it to the La Hacienda he reviewed in Niagara Falls years ago, which he remembers as a thinner, Niagara Falls-style pie. A slightly thinner crust is the one thing that would push this one higher.
Pizza #2: The Brighton pizza (8.6)
The Brighton pizza ($30.44 for a large 16-inch) is a five-cheese pizza with mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, Monterey Jack and Romano. Joe has had pizzas with too much cheese before, but this isn’t one of them. It’s saucy and seasoned, and you can tell there’s more than mozzarella going on. The only thing holding it back: the crust wasn’t quite as crunchy as the cheese pepperoni.
Pizza #3: The cannoli pizza (9.5)
Joe had never seen a cannoli pizza before. The large 16-inch ($30.44) comes topped with sweet cannoli filling, chocolate syrup, mini chocolate chips and powdered sugar on a lightly cooked crust. Staff told him it was award-winning, and after one bite he understood why. It’s sweet without making your teeth hurt, and Joe said it beats 95% of the cannoli he’s ever had.
The verdict
La Hacienda Brighton makes a dependable Buffalo-style cheese pepperoni and a great five-cheese house pie. Save room for the cannoli pizza, though. It’s the reason to make the trip.
Ranking note: Best Pizza Buffalo ranks every pizzeria by Joe’s score for a standard cheese pepperoni, so La Hacienda Brighton is listed at 8.5.
Find La Hacienda Brighton
Tonawanda, NY
