Kalzonies Chases Calzone Crown

By Anna Scheglov

Thai, Indian, Mexican, Vegetarian, and European- food of all varieties and ethnicities can be found in Ithaca, New York. But often overlooked, calzone restaurants are taking the lead, ramping up their recipes, cutting down on costs, and finding themselves in a rigorous competition for hungry customers. The newly opened Kalzonies, on W. Buffalo Street is such an eatery.

Kalzonies opened its Ithaca location Nov. 8 and has driven the competition in the calzone market ever since. Lisa and Mike Travis opened Kalzonies’ first location in Syracuse, but as their daughters grew older, they felt that Ithaca was a better environment for them.

According to Ithaca resident Christopher Parks, DP Dough has heavily dominated the calzone market until this point.

“DP Dough is the veteran calzone place of Ithaca,” Parks said. “I can’t think of any place before DP Dough that you could get calzones. It wasn’t really well known. When you think pizza, you don’t think of a calzone as a type of pizza.”

Justin Kontur, a sophomore studying hospitality management at Cornell University, is one of five delivery drivers currently employed by Kalzonies. He says that he’s already seen regular customers developing over the past three weeks, mostly from Ithaca College.

Kontur said approximately, “50 percent of deliveries every night go to Ithaca College, 20 percent go to Cornell, and the rest are just people in town.”

Parks, a loyal fan of DP Dough, tried Kalzonies the first weekend it was open and he was not disappointed.

“I think that Kalzonies could really give DP Dough a run for their money if [DP Dough doesn’t] step it up,” He said. “Whenever I think calzone, I think DP Dough, and I think everyone I know from town probably shares the same opinion. But the quality of DP Dough has just constantly gotten worse over the past few years. You go to DP Dough and the dough’s overwhelming and there’s not that much flavor, but you go here and it’s overwhelming with flavor but not so well contained. It’s a little bit messy, but sometimes you like messy.”

Lisa Travis with two of her daughters in the newly opened Kalzonies

Kalzonies calzones are about one dollar cheaper than DP Dough’s, and there are no additional costs for calzone sauces, sides, or toppings.

Lisa said though Ithaca is primarily a college town, she and her husband aim to serve everyone in the area.

“We’re trying to focus on town too, giving good service to everybody in here, and like businesses and stuff because they don’t go home for Christmas break and they are here all year around,” she said.

The biggest challenge, Kontur said, is Kalzonies’ location away from the Commons. But he said late night business is just as busy as the dinner rush.

“It’s pretty much steady throughout the night,” said Kontur. “There might be a slow spot around ten to twelve, but after twelve o’clock it’s about as steady as it is in the evening.”

“After everywhere else closes, that last hour, hour and a half we’re open, that’s one of our busiest times,” Lisa said.

This late-night rush may be attributed to the college students, but Kalzonies is not specifically trying to market to them. This may be the biggest difference between the established DP Dough and new Kalzonies.

Unlike Kalzonies, DP Dough is a franchise. Parks has actually been to a number of their locations.

“It’s oriented more towards college students,” he said. “Every DP Dough I’ve ever gone to has been in a college town. Some people are brand loyal to DP Dough but, personally, they need to step it up or I feel they’re going to lose with all the other competition in town.”

For Travis, the challenge of DP Dough’s competition isn’t daunting. She says business has been booming.

For a more detailed account from owner Lisa Travis, click below.