These Nine Spots In The Utica/Rome Area Make The Best Garlic Pizza

As great as pizza is with marinara and cheese and the works, sometimes it's a great choice to switch up the flavors. Garlic pizza is one of the best ways to do that, while still keeping those toppings you love so much.

The question was asked in numerous restaurant reviews on Facebook: Who has the best garlic pizza in the Utica/Rome area?

These restaurants had the most comments by far with raving reviews.

** Please note: these were based on comments, the author did not come up with this list.

Do you know the origin of pizza and when it was first documented in history? It's one for the memory books for sure, and according to History.com, it became officially popular in Italy.

Pizza has a long history. Flatbreads with toppings were consumed by the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. (The latter ate a version with herbs and oil, similar to today’s focaccia.) But the modern birthplace of pizza is southwestern Italy's Campania region, home to the city of Naples.

Our pizza here sure is great, but how about our Riggies?

If you go anywhere outside of Central New York and mention "Riggies" - people are bound to look at you like you have seven heads. It's a staple for us. Whether you make them yourself, or dine out at your favorite restaurant, Riggies are everywhere,

The definition of Riggies, according to Wikipedia: an Italian-American pasta dish native to the Utica-Rome area of New York State. Although many variations exist, it is a pasta-based dish typically consisting of chicken, rigatoni, and hot or sweet peppers in a spicy cream and tomato sauce.

Looking for some new places to try Riggies at? We complied an A to Z list for you here.