A new pizza place has opened on Monroe Ave. Big deal, right? It is a big deal if you have an appetite on a budget, as Big Deal Pizzeria & Grill gives you an opportunity to satisfy both. Kevin Wratni opened his business next to Mark's Texas Hots on June 1, and says he has a product that will rival the other pizzerias on the street. First, the dough is cold fermented for 24 hours, and then hand tossed. Second, Wratni uses a stone deck oven versus a conveyor belt to bake the pizzas. Third, the portions are big. Really big.

We sampled myriad items when we visited and came away completely stuffed. Our smorgasbord included a calzone, wings, a Philly cheese steak, and mozzarella sticks. If it sounds like a lot, let me assure you that it was, and it provided for several meals.

The wings were your typical starter, the hot variety not as hot as I like it (my lips didn't even tingle), the blue cheese creamy and the celery crunchy. I'll know to order the wings crispy the next time, but they were still quite tasty. The mozzarella sticks were hot and melted just right, served with a side of sweet marinara. The real stars of the visit, however, were our entrees.

I was a little concerned when I saw that my calzone came inside a pizza box - even more so when I opened up the box and saw that there was more calzone than cardboard. This calzone was so large that it needed to be vented to allow everything to cook fully. Happily, size isn't the only thing to talk about, as the abundance of mozzarella and ricotta took over, and the pepperoni slices were thick and plentiful. This ended up being dinner, lunch, and dinner again due to the size, and it heated up like a champ.

The other entree, a Philly cheese steak, started and ended strong. From the way it was wrapped so that nothing fell out, to the hard crusty roll, this sub pleased. With every bite we could pick out each individual ingredient, giving us the distinct flavors of the meat and vegetables.

The Big Deal location also houses the bakery Bella Dolce run by A.J. Carapezza. I have been avoiding cannolis for almost a year after a previous disappointing experience, but decided to try one here. My wait was rewarded by a smooth filling encased by a perfectly crisp crust, liberally sprinkled with powered sugar. We also tried a cream puff, which the owner himself recommended. If his recommendation wasn't enough, a woman that just bought one was telling the room how she wanted to lick the to-go container clean and begged for the recipe. That's all it took for us to try it, and good thing too, because this was amazing. Creamy filling, rich flavor - I can see why you'd hate to waste a single crumb or drop.

Big Deal Pizzeria & Grill is located at 475 Monroe Ave. Hours are Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-4 a.m., Sunday noon-10 p.m. For more information call 544-2144 or visit bigdealpizza.com.

Lucca Pizza

As soon as you walk toward the cozy house that is home to Lucca Wood-Fired Pizza, you smell the comforting aroma of a wood-burning oven. What waits for you inside is a treat, a different type of pizza that should please the adventurous. Located in the former Slice of Napa space, Lucca has a menu about a quarter of the size of its predecessor, with a focus on pizza. Brother-and-sister ownership team Charlie Augello and Andrea Coene have a goal of bringing great slices to Victor in a comfy hometown atmosphere.

We tried the barbecue pizza and found the sauce to be a bit sassy, the cheese sharp and pronounced. The crust was razor thin, and while some might say burnt, I considered it slightly toasty and thought it provided an excellent smokiness you don't normally experience with a typical pizza slice. Another pie recommended by Coene was the fungi, topped with a mountain of mushrooms, spinach, prosciutto, and a drizzle of truffle oil. If this isn't enough to tempt you to visit, the wood-fired chicken wings just might do it. Coene says the wood fire adds a smokier favor to the wings, and as an added bonus, they're healthier since they're not deep fried.

Lucca Pizza is located at 90 W Main Street in Victor, and is open Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. For more information call 924-9009 or visit luccawfpizza.com.

Pizza notes

Bay-Goodman, a pizza brand with a long, tasty history in Rochester, has relocated to a new shop at 620 N Winton Road, near Browncroft. This new location has more seating, and don't worry, the original Titus location is still around as well. For additional information visit baygoodman.com, or call 288-0730 (Winton) or 338-1150 (Titus Ave).

Big Daddy's Pizza Pit & Grocery is also new on the pizza scene. Located at 1157 Culver Road, Big Daddy's has some interesting specialty pizzas like a Mr. Potato Head Pizza, (potatoes, bacon bits, and cheese) or a lasagna pizza (ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses topped with seasoned beef and tomato sauce). Big Daddy's is open Sunday-Wednesday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m.-2 a.m., and Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-3 a.m. For more information call 654-5051.