Most People Didn't Know That Pizza Strips Were Invented Right Here In Rhode Island
By Beth Price-Williams|Published February 20, 2024
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
We eat pretty darn well in Rhode Island. But all of those good eats go well beyond some of the best seafood in New England. Rhode Island is all about innovation, even – and especially – when it comes to food. The world can thank our beloved little state for hot wieners, coffee milk, and clam cakes. A delightful snack, a delicious meal, a taste of home…whatever you want to call them, pizza strips were invented in Rhode Island, too, and they’re a favorite.
It’s probably fair to say that every Rhode Islander has had pizza strips at least once and knows they’re a Rhode Island original – but beyond our borders? Well, many may not even know these delightful treats that make the perfect quick meal or snack even exist.
Sure, you can find a knockoff of the pizza strip, often in New York and Pennsylvania and instead called tomato pie, but you won’t find anything quite like the original – baked pizza dough, cut into rectangles and topped with a generous helping of tomato sauce, hold the cheese.
Full disclosure: Some places will sprinkle Romano cheese on top of the pizza strips, but there aren't layers of baked mozzarella you'll find on a traditional pizza.
Since it’s not topped with cheese, you can keep the pizza strips at room temperature and enjoy them anytime throughout the day. Some say that a really good pizza strip is only good the same day, so keep that in mind when you bring yours home.
Exactly who invented pizza strips is a bit of a mystery, but one thing on which everyone can agree is that they got their start in Rhode Island’s bakeries.
Did you know pizza strips were invented in Rhode Island? Are you a fan of them? Where are your favorite places to get pizza strips in Rhode Island? Let us know in the comments! Then take a peek at 11 things that were invented in Rhode Island. After you’ve visited your favorite bakery for pizza strips, slip on a pair of comfy shoes and follow one of the best hiking trails in Rhode Island. You’ll find them all on AllTrails.