OT: Best Pizza in CT

[karstenkibbe]

'It's not pizza:' Utica's Tomato Pie Day to celebrate iconic Upstate NY food

"Tomato pie - in Utica - is yeast dough covered with red sauce and, in some cases, topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan-style cheese. Some recipes stray further off the simple course - a brush of basil olive oil or, daringly, some caramelized onions and a handful of olives. But nobody, just nobody, puts mozzarella on his or her tomato pie in Utica. And almost everyone bakes it in a sheet pan..."

“Upside-down pizza, aka Utica Pizza, is made with tomato sauce on top of the cheese. It's backwards from your normal pizza, but there is some logic behind it. By putting the cheese on the bottom, in theory, it prevents the tomato sauce from making the crust soggy.

The recipe for upside down pizza first appeared on the streets of Utica over 100 years ago. O'Scugnizzo Pizzeria was founded in 1914 by Eugeno Burlino. It started with just tomato pie, but then the whole concept of dough, toppings, cheese, THEN sauce has been a favorite for generations of Central New Yorkers.”

23 Underrated Places To Order Upside Down Utica Pizza At

Only in Upstate New York is it completely normal to order Upside Down Pizza. Where are some places you wouldn't think about to order from? Here's 23 places.

lite987.com

 

[Husky25]

Nope 95% of greek places cut squares on a large

Here perhaps. Not in Massachusetts.

 

[HCCForever]

As does Rhode Island: Explaining the Rhode Island pizza strip: What is it and why does it exist?

Not sure about cold sauce on a pizza when I first buy it. I have certainly eaten many room temperature slices the next morning.

I can certainly attest to the love of sauce in an Italian household. My mother used to start her sauce on a Saturday afternoon for Sunday dinner. It would end up nice and thick and full of sausage and hamburger pieces. A favorite treat was a simple sauce on bread meal on Saturday nights. Sometimes you would even sneak in some sausage.

 

[Rocktheworld]

They do the tomato pies in Philly too. There's a reason it hasn't taken off nationally, most people like cheese and they like their pizza hot.

I can totally see it being upside down. That’s how Chicago and Detroit styles are done, and I’m perfectly happy with those styles when done well. It’s the room temp factor for me. Not only does it not seem appetizing; but based on what I know about dairy, at the point that it becomes room temp after baking, it’s already getting close to spoiling, no?

 

[Rocktheworld]

RIP to a UConn staple.

This is so monumentally sad. I can’t say I’m totally surprised, because it was always a kinda crummy spot. Mainly good for drunk late night. But man they used to make massive, delicious pepperoni breads for $4 that I would get sometimes twice a week. I reached the fattest state of my life that year. Sad to see the multi-generational spots closing down one by one. I feel like Ted’s and DP Dough are two of the last holdouts; fortunately I don’t see them closing. Wings Over Storrs is still there, right?

 

[superjohn]

I can totally see it being upside down. That’s how Chicago and Detroit styles are done, and I’m perfectly happy with those styles when done well. It’s the room temp factor for me. Not only does it not seem appetizing; but based on what I know about dairy, at the point that it becomes room temp after baking, it’s already getting close to spoiling, no?

Utica tomato pies are like Philly tomato pies it's just bread and sauce, it's not eaten hot. Utica tomato pies do a sprinkling of parm or romano on top like deep dish but it's not the upside down style like deep dish with mozzarella cheese under the sauce. It would have more in common with New Haven tomato pies, bread and tomato sauce. At least in New Haven they serve it hot. I think tomato pies in Utica and Philly are supposed to sit out for a couple hours before eaten then they refrigerate it's not eaten.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Utica tomato pies are like Philly tomato pies it's just bread and sauce, it's not eaten hot. Utica tomato pies do a sprinkling of parm or romano on top like deep dish but it's not the upside down style like deep dish with mozzarella cheese under the sauce. It would have more in common with New Haven tomato pies, bread and tomato sauce. At least in New Haven they serve it hot. I think tomato pies in Utica and Philly are supposed to sit out for a couple hours before eaten then they refrigerate it's not eaten.

Gotcha I was confused and just thought “tomato pies” was a kind of catch-all for pizzas with sauce on the top

 

[superjohn]

Gotcha I was confused and just thought “tomato pies” was a kind of catch-all for pizzas with sauce on the top

It's confusing. The famous place in Utica that @karstenkibbe was talking about does their pizza upside down with mozzarella on the bottom and tomato sauce on top. That's different from Utica tomato pies and Philly tomato pies but they still seem to call it tomato pie. It looks like they originally made them with just bread and tomato sauce like the other places but added mozzarella under the sauce somewhere along the line.

 

[Kolumbo]

If a pie doesn't have cheese baked on, is it even a pizza? Might as well order up fried dough. Don't get me wrong, I love fried dough.

 

[Kolumbo]

It's confusing. The famous place in Utica that @karstenkibbe was talking about does their pizza upside down with mozzarella on the bottom and tomato sauce on top. That's different from Utica tomato pies and Philly tomato pies but they still seem to call it tomato pie. It looks like they originally made them with just bread and tomato sauce like the other places but added mozzarella under the sauce somewhere along the line.

Sounds right

History​

O’scugnizzo Pizzeria was founded in 1914 by Eugeno Burlino. He only sold tomato pie (a pizza without mozzarella cheese) and they only cost a nickel. He was then succeeded by his son, Angelo “Chops” Burline, who made O’scugnizzo what it is today. 101 years later, O’scugnizzo is still in business in the beautiful city of Utica and is now run by his son’s Steven and Michael Burline.
In 2015, O’Scugnizzo Pizzeria was declared the 2nd oldest Pizzeria in the country.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Off topic, but it’s about damn time our logo is available for the important stuff. Perfect timing too bc I just bought a new Weber.

Connecticut | Gridiron Metal Works

gridironmetal.com

 

[Ratso]

If a pie doesn't have cheese baked on, is it even a pizza? Might as well order up fried dough. Don't get me wrong, I love fried e

If a pie doesn't have cheese baked on, is it even a pizza? Might as well order up fried dough. Don't get me wrong, I love fried dough.

View attachment 87998

in new jersey, everyone gives me a weird look whenever I call it fried dough. strictly funnel cake down here.

 

[Ratso]

Utica tomato pies are like Philly tomato pies it's just bread and sauce, it's not eaten hot. Utica tomato pies do a sprinkling of parm or romano on top like deep dish but it's not the upside down style like deep dish with mozzarella cheese under the sauce. It would have more in common with New Haven tomato pies, bread and tomato sauce. At least in New Haven they serve it hot. I think tomato pies in Utica and Philly are supposed to sit out for a couple hours before eaten then they refrigerate it's not eaten.

santucci’s in south philly is right out the oven upside down style. meant to be eaten hot.

but trenton tomato pies are by far the best

 

[huskymedic]

santucci’s in south philly is right out the oven upside down style. meant to be eaten hot.
View attachment 87999

Spent a few nights a month @ Santucci’s on North Broad during 2015-2017. Their Uncle Joe Coke Stromboli is awesome. A side of fried long hots w/ their garlic bread was also a must have.

 

[Ratso]

Spent a few nights a month @ Santucci’s on North Broad during 2015-2017. Their Uncle Joe Coke Stromboli is awesome. A side of fried long hots w/ their garlic bread was also a must have.

great name! you forgot his cousin frankie muscles marinara

 

[TXHuskyFan]

in new jersey, everyone gives me a weird look whenever I call it fried dough. strictly funnel cake down here.

We have only funnel cake. Not the same as fried dough from the CT carnivals, not even close.

 

[karstenkibbe]

santucci’s in south philly is right out the oven upside down style. meant to be eaten hot.
View attachment 87999
but trenton tomato pies are by far the best

Trenton tomato pies, especially those baked in the epicenter of the style - Robbinsville, NJ - are a very close second to New Haven apizza among my favorite pizza styles.

 

[Deepster]

Sounds right

History​

O’scugnizzo Pizzeria was founded in 1914 by Eugeno Burlino. He only sold tomato pie (a pizza without mozzarella cheese) and they only cost a nickel. He was then succeeded by his son, Angelo “Chops” Burline, who made O’scugnizzo what it is today. 101 years later, O’scugnizzo is still in business in the beautiful city of Utica and is now run by his son’s Steven and Michael Burline. In 2015, O’Scugnizzo Pizzeria was declared the 2nd oldest Pizzeria in the country.

That drawing is not anything like the depressing dilapidated building set in the middle of barren closed down factories and vape stores. I'm telling you, unless you fall out of a plane and land in the parking lot, there is NO reason to go here.

 

[superjohn]

That drawing is not anything like the depressing dilapidated building set in the middle of barren closed down factories and vape stores. I'm telling you, unless you fall out of a plane and land in the parking lot, there is NO reason to go here.

That's how a 110 year old pizza place is supposed to look and I love that kid's hair.

 

[Deepster]

That's how a 110 year old pizza place is supposed to look and I love that kid's hair.

Have you been there?

 

[superjohn]

Have you been there?

No

 

[Ratso]

Sally's w/o a doubt.

sally’s is as good as any other pie in new haven. it’s not better, all internet hype. when i was a kid, driving into wooster st. sally’s was the toughest to get into. overrated

 

[Dove]

Nope 95% of greek places cut squares on a large

Four pieces are triangles btw.

 

[Deepster]

Four pieces are triangles btw.

Shut up, Dove.

 

[hayman522]

Tony's Pizza in Willimantic!

Actually, I'm sure that place is long gone, but that was the family place growing up and I remember it fondly. I was 14 before I knew that pizza doesn't usually have little crustless squares in the middle.

Still there pizza not quite as good as before. Been going there since 1979.