Buxton’s Pizza opens its first brick-and-mortar location

DERRY — After four years of operating out of a food truck, Buxton’s Pizza has set up shop in a permanent location.

Buxton’s Pizza is open for business, serving up owner Josh Buxton’s take on Neapolitan pizza, Italian classic dinners, and local beer and wine.

The restaurant opened at 158 Rockingham Road on Valentine’s Day, and had an incredibly successful first few weeks, says owner Josh Buxton.

“It’s like cars just lined up,” Buxton said, adding you can see the headlights beaming into the restaurant through the windows. “It’s crazy. It’s just like all the people are waiting in their cars to come in and get pizza.”

The restaurant is small, only 30 seats, with a menu to match. There are 10 pizza options and 10 plates, a mix of appetizers, salads, and entrees all sized for sharing.

The centerpiece of the restaurant is the propane pizza oven manufactured in Italy and asembled in New York. At full temperature, it can cook a pizza in 90 seconds.

What does not get used during the dinner service becomes left overs used in the specials the next day. Buxton said he’s had special arancini, rice balls stuffed with cheese and deep fried, made from leftover beef bolognese.

He’s working on making a dessert that would use pizza dough that would normally be thrown out, turning into a doughnut stuffed with mixed berries.

Buxton’s waste management doesn’t stop with food waste, either. When he opened the restaurant, Buxton decided to not use any plastic.

“It’s all cans, bottles, and glass, so it’s all super recyclable,” Buxton said. “There’s water in the carafes that we’re refilling, and refrigerating.”

The food is simple, classic, Italian fare, Buxton said. His pizza dough is made by hand, fermented for three days, and topped with a sauce made from high-quality tomatoes and salt. Three desserts are made by his mother on rotation.

“My great-aunt actually grows about 30 different basil plants,” Buxton said. “She grows all my basil right now.”

His mother and great-aunt aren’t the only family represented at Buxton’s. The walls are lined with paintings made by Buxton’s family, photograph portraits of his wife’s ancestors, and pottery thrown by his great-grandfather.

There’s a photograph of his uncle in a general store that was located in Windham. The bar top is made from repurposed bowling alley lanes from the alley where Buxton first made pizza professionally.

Even making pizza comes back to family. Growing up, he spent a lot of time with his great-aunt. Together, they would make pizza and it became a comfort to him.

Now, Buxton is bringing that connection to the community. He said there will never be a television in his restaurant, and carefully designed the space so people can talk across tables.

He is planning to bring picnic tables to the side of the building and to hopefully do late-night experiences featuring his twist on old-school pizza shop favorites like pizza rolls.

For now, Buxton is happy to serve up some of his not-quite Neapolitan pizza and family dinners. He hopes the food can start conversations.

“It’s a place to experience your food,” Buxton said. “It’s all about making those connections. I want you to share everything.”

Buxton’s Pizza is open Wednesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.