Name: Menezes Pizza
Address: 445 Chili Ave, Rochester, NY, 14611
Telephone: (585) 328-3010

Pizzeria established in 1986, making classic hand-tossed pies from fresh dough with sauces made daily on-site. Also serves wings and subs.

Overview

Menezes Pizza is a family-owned pizzeria at 445 Chili Ave in Rochester, NY, operating in the 19th Ward neighborhood since 1986. Owners Freddy and Jill Menezes (pronounced "men-EZZ-ez") originally opened the business on Genesee Street before relocating to the current Chili Avenue location, which occupies a former Pizza Hut carryout building. Over its four decades in business, the pizzeria has become a fixture of the 19th Ward, employing neighborhood residents and building its customer base largely through word of mouth.

What They Offer

The menu centers on hand-tossed pizzas made from fresh dough prepared in-house using an industrial mixer and a dough retarder for slow fermentation. Pies are finished on the oven's stone deck, and the sauce is made from scratch on-site daily. Specialty pizzas include Buffalo Chicken and Steak varieties. Beyond pizza, the menu includes:

Wings available with Buffalo sauce or Rochester-style "R-Sauce"
Subs, including Buffalo Chicken and Cheeseburger options
Salads, burgers, and fries

Menezes offers takeout, delivery, and catering services. The restaurant accepts credit cards and has a private parking lot.

Known For

Menezes Pizza has long identified itself as the 19th Ward's neighborhood pizzeria, with strong ties to the surrounding community. The shop has participated in local events such as the Taste of Chili Avenue Festival and supports area nonprofits and community fundraising programs. Its scratch-made dough and daily house-prepared sauces, paired with stone-deck baking, reflect a production approach that has stayed consistent since the mid-1980s.

Location & Neighborhood

The pizzeria sits on Chili Avenue in Rochester's 19th Ward, a residential neighborhood on the city's southwest side. The stretch of Chili Avenue near the shop serves as a small commercial corridor for the surrounding community. A private parking lot is available on-site, making it accessible for pickup orders. The 19th Ward is one of Rochester's larger and more established neighborhoods, bordered by Genesee Street to the north and the city line to the west.