The Case for Buffalo Chicken Pizza (With Ranch Dressing)

Consider, for a second, the American South. For every few decisions that leaves us Yankees scratching our heads, the folks below the Mason-Dixon on occasion land on a key cultural contribution. One of those is the prevalence of ranch dressing on the side — with practically everything. Go to a restaurant in North Carolina or in Texas, and you can find ranch distributed as freely as ketchup. You get ranch with crackers, ranch with pizza, ranch with wings. It’s a pretty solid combo with just about any dippable entrée, in fact.  

Now, if ranch hegemony has tickled your interest, you have a chance to try it in a powerful combination right here in Lower Manhattan. 

Pizza Etalia (20 Beaver St.) makes a killer Blazing Buffalo Chicken pizza pie, combining all the joy of ranch, wings and pizza together. The pie is made with buffalo sauce, chicken, ranch and fresh mozzarella. It’s a white pie, which means no red sauce: only ranch as a base. The combination will likely get you hooked on the piquant salad dressing. So, go ahead. Have a little side of ranch with the next regular pizza you order, as a treat. Then dip your crust in it.