11 New York Cold Cheese Slices Upstate Pizza Fans Swear By
If you’ve never tried cold cheese pizza, you’re missing out on one of Upstate New York’s most beloved culinary treasures.
This regional specialty—where fresh, cold shredded mozzarella is piled atop a hot slice—creates a magical temperature contrast that pizza lovers go crazy for.
I discovered this delicious oddity during a road trip through New York, and now I’m sharing my favorite spots where the cold cheese magic happens.
1. Lupo’s Pizza Perfection In Syracuse
Holy cheese mountains, Batman! Their cold cheese slice isn’t just a meal—it’s practically a religious experience for locals.
The genius lies in their perfect ratio: piping hot, thin crust pizza topped with a snowcap of cold, freshly shredded whole milk mozzarella that starts to melt just slightly from the heat below. The contrast between the molten sauce and the cool cheese creates this mind-blowing temperature tango in your mouth.
What’s truly magical is how the bottom layer of cheese gets all stretchy while the top stays cool and creamy. Their sauce has this slight sweetness that cuts through the richness, making it impossible to eat just one slice!
2. Di Bella’s Rochester Cheese Crown
Cheese avalanche alert! Di Bella’s in Rochester doesn’t mess around when it comes to their legendary cold cheese slices. My cousin dragged me here during a family reunion, and I’ve been dreaming about it ever since.
Unlike other spots that sprinkle cheese conservatively, Di Bella’s practically builds a cheese fortress on each slice. Their dough has this incredible chew factor—not too thick, not too thin—the Goldilocks of pizza crusts. The sauce packs a garlicky punch that perfectly complements the cool, milky cheese mountain above.
What makes their cold cheese slice extraordinary is how they add a sprinkle of oregano and fresh basil on top, giving it an aromatic boost that’ll have you sniffing appreciatively before each bite. The cheese quality is top-notch—never that pre-shredded bagged stuff!
3. Pasquale’s Buffalo Blizzard Slice
Cheese so cold it could survive a Buffalo winter! Pasquale’s Pizzeria has been slinging their famous cold cheese slices since before I could tie my shoelaces, and they’ve perfected the art form.
What sets Pasquale’s apart is their sauce—slightly chunky with visible specks of herbs and a hint of sweetness that balances the savory cheese. The crust has this magical quality where it’s simultaneously crispy on the bottom and chewy in the middle, providing the perfect foundation for their cheese masterpiece.
Last summer, I watched in awe as the owner demonstrated their signature cheese-piling technique—a circular motion that creates a perfect dome of cold, fresh mozzarella. The result? A temperature contrast that makes your taste buds do the cha-cha while your brain tries to process how something so simple can taste so extraordinary!
4. Louie’s Schenectady Cheese Tower
Knock-your-socks-off delicious! Louie’s in Schenectady serves up what locals affectionately call the “cheese tower”—a slice so generously topped with cold cheese that you’ll need both hands just to keep it all from tumbling off.
The first time I bit into Louie’s cold cheese slice, I made an embarrassingly loud “mmmmm” noise that turned heads. Their secret weapon is their slightly sweet dough that’s kissed by a wood-fired oven, creating these gorgeous little char bubbles around the edges. The sauce has a peppery kick that perfectly balances the cooling effect of their premium whole milk mozzarella.
Family-owned for three generations, Louie’s refuses to compromise on quality. Each slice comes with a little wooden pick to help keep that magnificent cheese mountain intact until you’re ready to dive in—a thoughtful touch that shows they understand the sacred architecture of proper cold cheese pizza!
5. Apizza Regionale’s Binghamton Cheese Cloud
Cheese so fluffy it defies gravity! Apizza Regionale in Binghamton crafts what I can only describe as a “cheese cloud”—an ethereal, pillowy mound of the freshest mozzarella that melts just enough to tantalize but stays cool enough to contrast with the hot slice below.
During my road trip through the Southern Tier, I stopped here on a whim and ended up staying for three slices. Their dough ferments for 72 hours, creating complex flavors that make even the crust edges worth fighting over. The sauce is made from locally grown tomatoes that burst with summery sweetness.
What truly sets Apizza apart is their finishing touch—a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes over the cold cheese. This simple addition elevates the entire experience, creating a symphony of flavors that dance across your palate with each bite.
6. Uncle Tony’s Utica Cheese Symphony
Mamma mia, what a slice! Uncle Tony’s in Utica orchestrates what locals call the “cheese symphony”—a harmonious blend of four different cheeses (mozzarella, provolone, pecorino, and a secret fourth) that creates a multi-layered cold cheese experience unlike any other.
My pizza pilgrimage brought me here last fall, and I still think about that first bite weekly. Their crust has this incredible sourdough tang that complements their slightly spicy sauce. The cold cheese blend isn’t just dumped on—it’s carefully arranged in a spiral pattern that ensures perfect distribution in every mouthful.
Uncle Tony himself (yes, he’s real!) told me they shred their cheese blend fresh every 30 minutes to maintain optimal texture and temperature. This attention to detail creates a cold cheese slice with depth and complexity that puts ordinary pizza to shame. The slight saltiness of the pecorino cuts through everything, creating perfect balance!
7. DeFazio’s Corning Artisanal Cheese Mountain
Cheese piled higher than the Corning Museum of Glass! DeFazio’s Pizzeria serves what might be the most Instagram-worthy cold cheese slice in Upstate New York—a gravity-defying mountain of premium, hand-shredded whole milk mozzarella atop a perfectly blistered artisanal crust.
During my weekend getaway to the Finger Lakes, I stumbled upon this gem and ended up canceling my dinner reservations to go back for seconds. Their dough is made with imported Italian flour and cold-fermented for 48 hours, creating a crust with beautiful air pockets and a complex flavor profile. The sauce is minimal but mighty—just enough to provide a tangy foundation for that glorious cheese peak.
The owner, Marco, told me they source their mozzarella from a small family dairy in the Finger Lakes region, ensuring peak freshness and that distinctive cold cheese magic. Each slice comes with a small fork—you’ll need it to tackle this masterpiece!
8. Fat Jack’s Albany Cheese Explosion
Boom! Cheese explosion in your mouth! Fat Jack’s in Albany doesn’t just serve cold cheese pizza—they create an edible work of art that locals line up for, even in snowstorms.
My first Fat Jack’s experience happened after a concert at The Egg, when a local insisted I couldn’t leave town without trying their signature slice. The crust is thicker than most—almost like a Sicilian-NY hybrid—providing a sturdy foundation for what can only be described as a cheese avalanche. Their sauce has this incredible roasted garlic undertone that adds depth without overpowering.
What makes their cold cheese truly special is the temperature contrast—they keep their cheese in a special cooler set just above freezing, so when it hits that piping hot slice, the bottom layer begins to melt while the top stays cold and creamy. The owner, Jack himself (a burly guy with a laugh as big as his pizzas), told me they go through over 200 pounds of cheese every weekend!
9. Rocky’s Saratoga Springs Cheese Treasure
Winner, winner, cheesy dinner! Rocky’s Pizzeria in Saratoga Springs might be better known for their racetrack crowd during season, but locals treasure their cold cheese slice as the real thoroughbred champion.
I discovered Rocky’s hidden gem during a summer spa weekend when I noticed everyone walking around with these distinctive pizza boxes. Their crust has this incredible flavor that comes from their 100-year-old sourdough starter (seriously, they named it “Grandma”). The sauce is chunky and garden-fresh, with visible bits of basil and oregano that complement the cold cheese perfectly.
Rocky’s unique twist? They add a light sprinkle of pecorino romano on top of the cold mozzarella mountain, creating a salty-sharp finish that elevates the whole experience. The cheese is shredded into longer strands rather than small pieces, creating this gorgeous, messy eating experience that’s worth every napkin you’ll go through!
10. Joe’s Ithaca College Student Favorite
Budget-friendly cheesy paradise! Joe’s Pizzeria near Ithaca College has been saving students from dining hall monotony for decades with their legendary late-night cold cheese slices that somehow taste even better after midnight.
During my college reunion weekend, I dragged my friends to Joe’s at 1 AM for a nostalgic cheese fix. Their slices are massive—practically the size of your face—with a thin, foldable crust that somehow manages to support an improbable amount of cold cheese. The sauce has this sweet-tangy balance that cuts through the richness perfectly.
What makes Joe’s special is their “cheese vault”—a dedicated refrigerator set to the perfect temperature for cold cheese application. The owner, Joe Jr., told me they go through this elaborate cheese-cooling process to ensure the optimal melt-to-cold ratio. Students have been known to stumble in after finals and order what they call the “brain freeze”—double cold cheese that requires two hands and zero dignity to eat!
11. Tommy’s Binghamton Cheese Masterpiece
Cold cheese slice so good it should be illegal! Tommy’s Pizzeria in Binghamton has been serving up what locals affectionately call the “cheese masterpiece” since 1973, and it remains the gold standard for cold cheese aficionados.
I made a special detour on my last road trip just to experience Tommy’s legendary slice. Their crust is thin but sturdy, with this incredible crisp-chewy texture that provides the perfect foundation. The sauce is bright and vibrant, made from tomatoes they import from a specific region in Italy (Tommy wouldn’t tell me exactly where—family secret!).
The pièce de résistance is, of course, the cold cheese—a carefully calibrated blend of whole milk and part-skim mozzarella that creates the perfect texture and melt rate. Tommy’s grandson Marco now runs the show, but he assured me the cold cheese technique remains unchanged—right down to the three-fingered pinch method they use to apply each handful of shredded dairy goodness!