Amante Pizza — Restaurant in New York

"Oh, wow." People's eyes looked up at me. "Oh my goodness,..." "What, Chris?" My brother asked. "These...." I trailed off and looked down, wide-eyed, at the wings on my plate. "What?" One of my friends asked, confused and curiously. "Are they.....?" My brother asked. I nodded, unable to say anything else with my mouth full of food. "Better than Papillons?!" Another friend who had known me for a long time asked. They could not believe it and neither could I.

....

Allow me to start at the beginning. My name is Chris, and I'm a lover of hot wings. Hot wings are my favorite food. They have been my favorite food since I have been age 7. Today, having celebrated my birthday only 4 days ago, I am now 44. I have spent my whole life eating hot wings. After I first tried him at age 7 I couldn't seem to get enough. At every place we ever dined out at in order for me would always include hot wings if the eatery we were at had them anywhere on the menu, and even when a menu didn't include them sometimes I would ask for them anyway with hope.

You do the math, 7 to 44. I have had a lot of hot wings in my life. I've had a lot of good ones, a lot of really great ones, and yes, a lot of really terrible ones. ... Although I tend to eat even those that the dog won't even chew on, because one of my mantras is "I have never met a bad hot wing".

I am also a soft purist, I never use dipping sauces that don't already come on the wing, this includes things like ranches and blue cheese, simply because I believe that wings flavor, complexity, and taste should come from the sauce they were bathed in alone.

So over the years I have always ordered hot wings from every location possible, even when traveling across the United States I would always stop in every city and try their hot wings.

Finally, when I was about age 19, I tried the hot wings at a place called Uncle monkeys, and they blew me away, they were by far, my top hot wing that I have ever tried..... The best hot wing I had ever tried my life to that day.....

...... For about 3 years.

You see, at age 23 I visited a place called Papillons bar in arizona. This bar no longer exists so don't worry about me giving advertising to other places, but back when I was 23 it existed, and the wings were absolute perfection. I was so engrossed with eating the wings I didn't even bother paying attention to karaoke night that was going on around me.

Suffice to say, those wings were the best, and I knew they would be hard to beat.

Again, do the math, I am 44 now and I tried papillons when I was 23. That means for over 21 years, 21 years of continuing to eat hot wings, trying new places hot wings, eating new places hot wings, discovering new places hot wings, I have never in my life found a place yet that was better than Papillons.

In that time period I have had almost double the amount of wings that I had up until that time period. And most of them were actually good, most of them were okay, some of them were not quite up to par, one or two sets were pretty bad, and there have been quite a handful that have come close to dethroning papillons in my mind. Yes, a handful have come close, but in the end, papillons left such an impression on me, that even 21 years later I could still remember how amazed I was and how delicious those wings were. It just couldn't be beat. I said to myself, there's just no beating it. Not e

At least, until tonight

It's just like I told my friends then at the dinner table, going back to the beginning of this story, with their wide eyes they couldn't believe it either, but I finally, and all of my wandering and journeying and tasting, I finally had tried hot wings that, in my opinion, were better than Papillons.

Amante pizza, officially, it's my opinion for the best hot wings I have ever tried in my entire life.

,... And trust me, I...

If you live in or around Troy, New York, and haven't experienced the culinary masterpiece that is Almantes Pizza, you are truly missing out on one of life's greatest simple pleasures! Forget everything you thought you knew about pizza, because Almantes is here to redefine your expectations with every glorious, cheesy, perfectly crafted slice. This isn't just pizza; it's an experience, a tradition, and frankly, my new obsession.

From the moment you walk through their doors, you're greeted by the comforting aroma of freshly baked dough, simmering sauce, and melting mozzarella – a symphony for the senses that instantly tells you you're in for a treat. The staff is always welcoming, efficient, and genuinely friendly, making you feel right at home whether you're grabbing a quick slice or ordering a full feast for the family.

Now, let's talk about the pizza itself, because that's where Almantes truly shines. Their crust is simply divine – a perfect balance of crispy on the outside, delightfully chewy on the inside, and with just the right amount of golden-brown char that hints at its brick-oven perfection. It holds up beautifully to even the most generous toppings, never getting soggy or flimsy. This isn't just a vehicle for cheese and sauce; it's a star in its own right.

The sauce is vibrant and fresh, with a rich tomato flavor that's clearly made from high-quality ingredients. It's perfectly seasoned, not too sweet, not too tangy, just pure pizza perfection that complements every topping without overpowering it. And the cheese! Oh, the cheese. It's always melted to gooey, bubbly perfection, stretching in glorious strands with every bite. The quality is evident, providing that quintessential savory, satisfying richness that makes pizza so irresistible.

I've tried a variety of their pies, and each one has been a revelation. Their classic Pepperoni is a masterclass in simplicity, with perfectly cupped, slightly crispy pepperoni slices that deliver a burst of flavor. Their Supreme is an organized chaos of deliciousness, loaded with fresh veggies and savory meats that harmonize beautifully. And if you're feeling adventurous, their specialty pizzas are innovative and incredibly tasty – I highly recommend asking for their daily special!

Beyond the pizzas, their wings are crispy, juicy, and coated in fantastic sauces, making them the perfect companion to a pie. Their subs are piled high with fresh ingredients, and their salads are surprisingly robust and fresh. It's clear that Almantes takes pride in all their offerings, not just the pizza.

What truly elevates Almantes from good to great is their consistency. Every single time I've ordered, the quality has been unwavering. You know you're going to get a phenomenal meal, prepared with care and served with a smile.

In a city with many pizza options, Almantes Pizza stands head and shoulders above the rest. It's the kind of place that makes you look forward to your next meal, a local gem that deserves all the praise it gets. If you're in Troy and craving real, authentic, utterly delicious pizza, do yourself a favor and head straight to Almantes. Your taste buds...

My partner and I order from here a lot because she's gluten free and it's one of the only places that has a gf pizza that isn't super exorbitant and delivers. They always deliver ahead of schedule and we've never had any issues with them.

The other day we ordered after a long day of being outside in the cold. The order came a little later than usual, but still well within the timeframe we were given. The gf pizza -- the most important part of the order and the reason we order from Amante -- was perfect. The stuff that I, the glutinous one, ordered, was completely wrong.

When the delivery guy dropped everything off he apologized for being late and explained he'd had issues with the orders at the previous delivery. I'm assuming this poor dude just got handed a bunch of mis-matched orders and was left to his own devices upon discovering the orders were amiss.

I ate the food I was delivered and enjoyed it and continued watching TV. Amante's called a while later and were insistent on sending another guy out to bring the stuff I ordered. Thing is, at this point it was very late, I'd already eaten, and frankly the thought of someone coming out to deliver a thing without getting tip (while being a front-line worker during a pandemic and likely not receiving hazard pay -- also I didn't have any cash) really bummed me out. I declined and assured them they still had my business anyway. The guy I spoke to on the phone was super insistent and really wanted to make things right. Having worked in the service industry and food service for a long time, I really appreciate that. I've been in the exact same position before and handled it with far less aplomb. We settled on a free desert the next time I order. Fine by me.

Ultimately Amante -- and all the other grocery store workers, gas station employees, and the front and back of house at every restaurant out there that's struggling -- does more for you and your community than 99.9% of all the politicians that purport to represent you. Despite getting something other than what I ordered, this whole experience only made me respect Amante even more. I expect to be ordering from here for as long as I live...