Popular Italian bakery reopens in new location in Rochester. Take a peek inside

Marcia Greenwood, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
·2 min read

An Italian bakery that in late 2022 was forced to close because it was drawing too many customers has a new home.

And customers have been returning in droves.

Forno Tony, formerly and very briefly located in a small plaza at East Avenue and Winton Road, reopened Dec. 30 at 1350 University Ave.

Despite the year-long absence, demand remains high for its Roman-style pizzas and Italian sweets, said Billy Gushue, who co-owns the business with his brother Ryan.

“We’ve been selling out before close, and it’s not like we’re making a small amount,” Gushue said.

Ryan Gushue fills customers orders at the newly opened Forno Tony.
Ryan Gushue fills customers orders at the newly opened Forno Tony.

Whereas the original spot was open only on Saturday, the new location is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

On the first two Fridays, the place was mobbed during the lunch hour. On both Saturdays, “We we’re bombed the whole time,” he said.

That sort of activity isn’t a problem at the University Avenue building (also home to the Black Button Distilling Tasting Room), but it was at East and Winton, where lines stretched out the door and into the plaza, leading to complaints from neighboring businesses and Forno Tony’s exit after only a month.

The bakery makes pizza two ways from a high-hydration, long-fermenting dough.

Billy Gushue pulls a steaming hot pizza from the oven as he works to fill the racks with pizzas for that day as the lunch hour approaches.
Billy Gushue pulls a steaming hot pizza from the oven as he works to fill the racks with pizzas for that day as the lunch hour approaches.

Pizza alla pala resembles flatbread.

“It’s really airy, and the outside is crispy,” said Gushue, who learned to make it at a pizza school in Rome, Italy.

The elongated pies, chewy on the inside, are topped either with olive oil (pizza bianca), a simple tomato sauce (pizza rossa), tomato sauce and cheese (pizza rossa with mozzarella) or filled with mortadella, an Italian deli meat (pizza bianca with mortadella).

Forno Tony also makes pizza in teglia (pan pizza) topped with zucchini (pizza con zucchine) or potato (pizza con patate). Both are drizzled with olive oil.

“We’re not really heavy with the toppings,” Gushue said. “We’re focused on the quality of the dough.”

Rows of Maritozzi displayed with other deserts.
Rows of Maritozzi displayed with other deserts.

The most popular treats are maritozzi, brioche buns filled with a lightly sweetened whipped cream, and cannoncini, or Italian cream horns, cream-filled puff pastry.

“Those two sell out very very fast,” he said.

The hope is to expand business hours at some point, but the Gushue brothers still work day jobs.

And “I don’t want to delegate too much,” Billy said. “We want to be comfortable that it won’t hurt the quality.”

There also are plans to add a few small tables and a coffee bar where customers can linger.

For now, they’re greeted by walls covered with soccer jerseys, sports banners and family photos, an aesthetic he likens to “your nonna’s basement.”

This story includes reporting by Tracy Schuhmacher.

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Forno Tony reopens in new location in Rochester NY