I Don't Understand This Central NY Food Obsession

It’s well known by now that I have just moved to Central New York. I am looking forward to exploring all that this area has to offer. This not only means the search for interesting locations but also experiencing things that are held sacred to this area. As an outsider trying to get in, I do have some questions.

What is tomato pie?

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I had never heard of it before someone walking through the halls stopped and made me an offer for a piece. It seemed to be in a pizza box, but I was told it was most definitely not a pizza. When it was offered to me, I recoiled in fear as it seemed to be bleeding. It reminded me of red Jell-o atop a large, cooked piece of dough. Seeing sauce evenly cut rather than haphazardly smeared was jarring, to say the least. I hid my terror while politely declining this generous offer and retreated back into the studio to find out more about this local food item.

I consulted a friend who had once lived in the area. I was promptly told that tomato pie was basically, at its core, a pizza with no melted cheese and a heavier emphasis on the bread. I asked if it was like Chicago Style deep dish. I was promptly admonished for even speaking such a sacrilegious thought. Chicago Style hides the melty cheese and Utica Tomato Pie forgoes that together in favor of sprinkling grated Romano over the top. And it's not round (this is an important distinction among many others).

After thorough schooling, I have come away wiser in my understanding. Now all that is left, is the taste test.

New York State's Craziest Pizzas From Krave It

New York is truly the pizza capital of the world. Here in Upstate and Central New York, our pizza beats even the classics of New York City. Where can you find the craziest pizza or crazy pizza toppings in New York State?

The team at Cheapsim set out on a food quest like no other- to find some of the most unusual pizzas in America for their list of “The Craziest Pizzas in Every State.” If you want to sample New York States, you'll have to make the trip to New York City, specifically Bayside New York.

Krave It Sandwich Shop and Eatery is located at 40-15 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY 11361. You can check out their menu online. We wanted to highlight some of their dishes here for you:

25 Underrated Places To Order Upside Down Utica Pizza At

When you go to order this pizza, where do you generally order from? To expand your horizons from the two amazing spots listed above, we dove deep into social media. On all sorts of local food group pages, we asked the simple question: Other than O'Scugnizzos or Joes, what are some top underrated places to get Upside down pizza at?

Here's a list of 25 underrated upside down pizza places to check out: