BUFFALO, N.Y. (June 9, 2022) – A local pizza institution and a fast-growing upscale burger chain now have outposts at Buffalo Niagara International Airport in partnership with hospitality and entertainment company Delaware North.
The restaurants – Buffalo-based Bocce Club Pizza and national franchise BurgerFi – opened May 27 in the airport’s post-security food court area.
“We are thrilled to provide more food choices for our travelers, said Kim Minkel, Executive Director, NFTA. The added dining offerings from a local favorite and nationally recognized food brand will improve the customer experience at our airport that prides itself on customer service, these enhancements are a big part of why the BNIA was recognized by J.D. Power as the best medium sized airport for customer satisfaction.”
Bob Wilson, group president of Delaware North Travel, Patina Restaurant Group and U.K. operations, said: “Bocce Club Pizza and BurgerFi each bring distinctive elements to our dining program at Buffalo Niagara International Airport – and a shared philosophy around fresh ingredients and expedient service. These two restaurants will complement each other very well and provide the variety travelers desire.”
Bocce Club Pizza was founded in 1946 by Dino Pacciotti on Hickory Street in Buffalo. When Pacciotti acquired the club, it featured outdoor bocce-ball courts and served drinks and sandwiches inside. He soon found an old pizza oven in the basement and started experimenting.
Pacciotti developed his own unique pizza recipe – and Bocce Club Pizza was born. In 1959, he moved into the current flagship location on Bailey Avenue in Amherst. Today, under the leadership of Pacciotti’s son, Jim, Bocce Club Pizza has six locations in Western New York, including the addition of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
“We’re excited to give travelers a taste of Buffalo’s best pizza,” said Jim Pacciotti, Bocce Club Pizza owner. “We’re looking forward to working with Delaware North to deliver an authentic experience, using only the freshest and most natural ingredients – from 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese to dough made from scratch and hand-stretched daily. We know our secret recipe is also in trusted hands.”
BurgerFi was founded in 2011 by gourmet chefs committed to serving the highest quality fresh food in an eco-friendly environment. The company sources its natural Angus Beef from the leading ranches in the country and features signature burgers and items such as the award-winning quinoa-based VegeFi® Burger; Cage-Free, All-Natural Chicken; and Wagyu Beef Hot Dogs.
The brand’s high-quality food offerings have resonated with customers across the Southeast and has fueled its expansion across the nation. Since its inception, BurgerFi has grown steadily into two countries, 22 states and Puerto Rico, and continues to expand, bringing the better-burger experience to new guests around the world.
“A delicious cheeseburger and fries are just what travelers need to kick-start or end their vacation,” said Patrick Renna, president at BurgerFi. “This opening marks our entry into the Buffalo market, and we’re thrilled to deliver a better burger experience to all our friends up in the north as we continue our expansion throughout the Eastern Seaboard.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Delaware North cut the ceremonial ribbon to celebrate the opening of Bocce Club Pizza and BurgerFi at Buffalo Niagara International Airport on June 9. Officials on hand included (from left to right in the foreground) Kim Minkel, executive director of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority; Tom Waldron, chief operating officer of Delaware North Travel; Jim Pacciotti, owner of Bocce Club Pizza; Tyrone Nabbie, Delaware North’s joint-venture partner; and Monica Wallace, who represents the airport in the NYS Assembly.