When a shoe manufacturer decided to move his factory to a rural location in New York state, he had to provide living accommodation for the employees he needed to take with him. He called the village Endicott after the shoe company and his business entered into a boom era that would see it become the world's largest shoe manufacturer. As his business grew, Endicott also expanded to keep in line with the housing needs of his work force and those of other businesses like IBM that had relocated to the area. In just a few short decades, Endicott's population count had risen from a mere two thousand to top twenty thousand in the 1950s. Not everyone was content to work their whole lives in the shoe or technology industries. Some, of Italian descent, dreamed of producing pizza and so made the ambitious move to open the first pizzerias in Endicott.

Endicott in New York is known for Old World Italian pizza

It's great that Endicott is known for old world Italian pizza. Why? Because old world Italian pizza is one of the best all-round, no pun intended, pizzas there is. Old world Italian pizza is the traditional thick crust pie that Italian families and chefs have been cooking since the Roman army marched all over several different continents. There weren't takeaways in those days though, so everyone pretty much had to make their own. Thick crust pizza when it's not dressed to the nines with extra topping ingredients is a relatively simple bake, but one that requires skill and practice to get perfect. The dough has to be proved properly to make sure the finished pie doesn't end up like a heavyweight lump of lead, the sauce has to be seasoned correctly so it's not too sweet or too acidic and if the right cheese isn't used, it just won't melt to the right consistency. Sounds simple, but it's not.

Best Delivery Pizza in Endicott, New York

When you want to get the best delivery pizza in Endicott you have to order from a pizzeria that knows how to cook old world pizzas the old world way. The pizzeria in Endicott that knows exactly how to bake old world pies is The Original Italian Pizza. The Original Italian Pizza has a premises on Washington Avenue which in itself comparts that old world trattoria appeal. Inside, it's like a little piece of Italy that's been transported to New York state, cracked floor tiles and hand-written signs included. What stands out most in this Endicott pizzeria, though, is the dedication they apply to making pies. If you've never had a Sicilian or a pizza roll, you should definitely try one from here.

Best Takeout Pizza in Endicott, New York

If you've spent a couple of hours in the Mercereau Park or have been knocking the ball out of the park at the Main Baseball Field and got a whiff of pizza cooking, it could well have drifted over from a couple of streets away. If you're following your nose and hoping to get a take-out pie, you're in luck as the aroma probably wafted over from Tony's Italian Grill which is where they bake the best take-out pizza in Endicott. Tony's Italian Grill is located on East Main Street and is something of an Endicott institution as they've been operating there since 1977. What makes Tony's Italian Grill a stand-out pizzeria in Endicott is the fact they cook their pies in a brick oven. That's just about as an authentic a way of baking pizzas as you can get, other than wood-fired, and it definitely does add more flavor to the finished pizza. Try one of their Bianca Rosa pies and you'll be totally hooked on authentic Italian pizzas.

Best pizza near Endicott, New York

Binghamton

To give the youngsters in the family a special day out you don't need to go any further than Binghamton which is less than eight miles from Endicott. In Binghamton you'll be able to take them to the Ross Park Zoo where they'll see more than seventy different species of birds and animals, many of which are part of conservation survival programs. Follow that with a visit to the Discovery Center of the Southern Tier which is a science and nature museum with lots of interactive exhibits that will get them interested in the world around them. You'll be on a total winner if you finish the day with a pizza at Michelangelo's on Court Street.

Montrose

While there's not a great deal to do in Montrose itself there's still a good reason to make the twenty-five mile drive across the state border into Pennsylvania, and that reason is the Salt Springs State Park. The Salt Springs State Park encompasses four hundred acres of Pennsylvania's prettiest countryside which contains three centuries old hemlock trees and the Fall Brook ravine where there are several stunning waterfalls. While there you can take a look at the Wheaton House which is a renovated farmhouse that's now part museum, part interpretive center and part gift shop. As well as going hiking alone along the park trails you can also take guided nature tours. If you want to stop off and eat pizza before going home, try Oip Montrose on Grow Avenue.

Afton

Afton is a small village in New York state's Chenango County that, while it doesn't have any cultural offerings, is bordered by five incredible state forests. No matter which you chose to go hiking through the trees in, whether it be Bumps Creek, Melondy Hill, Beals Pond, Beaver Pond or the Bobell State Forest, it'll be a peaceful getting-back-to-nature experience that will relax you more than any spa day. If they're not enough, head a few miles further east and you'll be able to take your pick from around half a dozen state parks, all of which have unique features. For some waterside tranquility, the Oquaga Creek State Park is unbeatable. When you're ready to tuck into a pizza it'll be time to go back to Afton and drop by Gavin's Pizzeria on Main Street.