Rhode Island’s Beloved Pizza Strips Ranked Among America’s Worst Foods

This is wild to me.

Rhode Island, a state known for its unique culinary traditions, has found itself in a foodie controversy. On August 16, popular food exploration website TasteAtlas released a list that will ruffle feathers across the Ocean State.

Out of 100 of the worst-rated American foods, Rhode Island's beloved pizza strips ranked a shocking third.

TasteAtlas, which explores culinary delights from around the globe, described Rhode Island's pizza strips as a dish originating from local bakeries, not pizzerias as one might expect. The pizza strips consist of a thick, doughy base similar to focaccia, generously topped with a vibrant tomato sauce infused with fresh herbs like rosemary or basil. However, there’s one critical element missing — cheese. This lack of cheese has led to the dish being nicknamed "tomato bread" by some.

Get our free mobile app

Traditionally, pizza strips are baked in large trays, resulting in a thick crust. They’re typically served at room temperature and are a staple at kids' birthday parties and cookouts throughout Rhode Island and even parts of southeastern Massachusetts.

Despite its popularity, this hyper-local dish failed to impress the foodies at TasteAtlas, earning a low 2.5 out of 5 stars.

READ MORE: Cape Cod Resort's Special Suite Is a Rice Krispies Lover's Dream

Something about this ranking feels like a culinary injustice as pizza strips, or "party pizzas," are a staple dish in Lil' Rhody.

If you're wondering why pizza strips were voted so poorly: TasteAtlas' rankings are based on ratings from their audience, with rigorous measures in place to ensure authenticity. The 100 Worst Rated American Foods list, finalized on August 16, 2024, included 46,050 ratings, of which 41,492 were recognized as legitimate. While the rankings are not intended to be a definitive verdict on any dish, they aim to spark curiosity about lesser-known foods and instill pride in local culinary traditions.

Still, the fact that pizza strips were ranked worse than Boston brown bread, Harvard beets and even Rocky Mountain oysters has me scratching my head. The verdict may be out on pizza strips, but one thing is certain — Rhode Islanders are fiercely protective of their culinary heritage and are not about to let a low rating spoil their love for this classic treat.