Owner and head pizzaiolo of Jay’s Artisan Pizza in Buffalo, Joe Powers combines his Neapolitan training at the AVPN Pizza School in 2019 with a personal vision that has led his pizzeria to be ranked among the best in the United States and the world by 50 Top Pizza 2025.
Joe Powers’ journey into pizza began with a decisive trip in 2019 to Naples, the birthplace of pizza, where he attended the prestigious AVPN Pizza School. Under the guidance of master pizzaiolos, he refined his technique and developed the sensitivity needed to handle a living, ever-changing dough.
Just a year later, in 2020, he took over as owner and head pizzaiolo of Jay’s Artisan Pizza in Buffalo, New York. What was once a well-regarded local spot soon became, under his leadership, a national reference point for pizza lovers. His philosophy rests on a clear principle: respect for Italian origins combined with a forward-looking research spirit, with no compromises on quality.
Every pizza is built around meticulously sourced ingredients: San Marzano DOP tomatoes, artisanal Italian cheeses, and seasonal produce from small local farms in Buffalo. “Honor the craft, respect the ingredients, and let the pizza speak for itself” is the philosophy guiding his hand—a philosophy that has won over both guests and critics.
International recognition soon followed. In 2025, 50 Top Pizza ranked Jay’s as the 4th best pizzeria in the United States and the 14th in the world, describing it as “a neighborhood pizzeria that has become a reference point for the whole country…a neighborhood pizzeria with a contemporary spirit, where pizza research is expressed with personality and consistency”.
Today, Jay’s Artisan Pizza is consistently listed among the top pizzerias in the U.S. and globally. But beyond rankings, Joe Powers’ greatest achievement has been turning Buffalo into a crossroads for pizza culture—staying deeply connected to his community while engaging in an international conversation about what pizza can be.
