Ceres was first settled by three families in the latter half of the 19th century who built their homes there and set to farming the flat terrains. The community remained a dispersed one consisting of nothing more than ranches and homesteads until the 20th century when the Southern Pacific Railway arrived in the town. During the same era an FSA labor camp was built in Ceres to assist with the rural rehabilitation of poor farmers from other parts of America. The effect of the camp along with that of the railway was to gradually increase the population of Ceres. As the neighboring city of Modesto became more industrialized and crowded people began to consider Ceres as an alternative place to live. Some of the agricultural land around Ceres was given over to the construction of housing and in the years between the 1970s and the 1980s, the population of Ceres doubled to number over thirteen thousand. Among those who relocated to Ceres during that period were the town's first Italian families who, instead of commuting, made the brave move of opening restaurants in the California town they had begun to call home.

Ceres in California is known for Thick Crust pizza

When you're in Ceres and ordering pizza you'll soon find out why Ceres is known for thick crust pizza. It's just about the only type of pie that you'll find on the menus of the pizzerias in Ceres and that's without fail. Not being able to get any pizza other than a thick crust is no big deal as thick crust is inarguably one of the best pizzas of all time. The chunky circular dough base slathered with a rich, herby tomato sauce and topped with cheese is a pizza that's been baked for centuries in Italy and for decades around the rest of the globe. No food dish stands the test of time unless it's outstanding and thick crust pizza, with or without extra toppings, certainly is.

Best Delivery Pizza in Ceres, California

To get the best delivery pizza in Ceres you need to order from a pizzeria that believes it's important to uphold their great reputation. One pizza company who believes wholeheartedly in doing that is Mountain Mike's Pizza. In Ceres, Mountain Mike's Pizza has a premises in the Whitmore Plaza on East Whitmore Avenue. It's a large pizza joint that's spacious and decorated along clean lines that fall in with this chain company’s standard décor. The pizzas here are masterpieces like the Pineapple Chicken Luau and the Robber's Roost which, once you've stopped tucking into yours, you'll be calling to tell your friends all about.

Best Takeout Pizza in Ceres, California

If you've let the kids off the leash for a couple of hours and they've been charging around the Smyrna Community Park or have been practicing their kickflips in the Ceres Skate Park, there's one thing you know they're going to be and that's hungry. If you're thinking pizza, good thinking as you're only a few minutes from where you can get the best take-out pizza in Ceres. To get the best take-out pizza in Ceres just head down East Whitmore Avenue until you find Bob's Take-n-Bake Pizza. The great thing at Bob's is you can either pick your pie up already cooked or take the ready prepared pizza home to cook in your oven. If you want a peaceful journey home and kids that aren't whining all the way, choosing the first option comes highly recommended.

Best Pizza near Ceres, California

Turlock

When you've only got a few hours free, Turlock is not a bad choice of place to visit. It's just ten miles south of Ceres and has a couple of interesting museums and a couple of great parks. Start your afternoon or morning out with a visit to the Carnegie Arts Center to have a browse around the exhibits there then go over to the Turlock Historical Society Museum. It's not huge by any means but has some fascinating displays related to local history. If you need to cool down then head for the Columbia Waterpark where you can sit under the spurting fountains for a while. If you prefer to have a picnic under some shady trees by a lakeside, grab a pizza to-go from Rico's Pizza on Main Street and take it to Donnelly Park where you can feed the ducks your leftover crusts.

Modesto

You could practically walk from Ceres to Modesto but driving the five miles between the two is a lot less strenuous. In Modesto you'll find the Great Valley Museum which has natural history exhibits and a planetarium as well as the McHenry Mansion and Museum. They might not excite any youngsters you have with you very much, but guaranteed Boomers Modesto, a family fun park, definitely will. For some outdoor time with less expense, the Tuolumne River State Park is ideal. The park is five hundred acres of countryside that extends alongside the river for seven miles. It's a good place to float a kayak or canoe or to get out a bicycle or hike the trails. When you're ready to eat, try a pizza from Nazario's Pizza and Grill on Standiford Avenue and you'll be pleased you did.

Stockton

Stockton is half an hour's trip north from Ceres and somewhere to go if you have both adults and kids to keep entertained. The youngsters will love the fun and colorful Children's Museum of Stockton where they'll be able to get to grips with lots of interactive exhibits on subjects as diverse as space, music and farming. The art collections, unless you have a budding Picasso in the family, will be of more interest to adults as will the Harney Lane Winery where you can take a tour through the vineyards and if you're of the right age, get to sample some of the produce. End the day with a game of disc golf in the Oak Grove regional Park before stopping for a pizza at Blaze Pizza on Pacific Avenue.