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"THE KING OF PIZZA"AS A YOUNGSTER NEAR NAPLES, ITALY, EUGENO BURLINO FIRST LEARNED THE ART OF PIZZA MAKING AS A BAKER'S HELPER. OPPORTUNITY KNOCKED IN 1914 WHEN EUGENO WAS OFFERED A BAKER'S JOB IN AMERICA. EUGENO HAD BIGGER IDEAS. WHEN HE WASN'T WORKING AT THE BAKERY HE MADE & SOLD HIS OWN LITTLE TOMATO PIES FROM A CART AT RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. ENOUGH PEOPLE DEVELOPED A TASTE FOR THE PIES TO ALLOW HIM TO START HIS OWN BUSINESS MAKING THEM FULL TIME. EUGENO CALLED HIS LITTLE TOMATO PIES "PIZZAS". THEY WERE ABOUT 6 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND THE ONLY TOPPINGS WERE CHEESE AND ANCHOVIES. THEY ONLY COST A NICKEL APIECE.THE BURLINO FAMILY OPENED UTICA'S FIRST PIZZERIA IN 1938 AT THE CORNER OF KOSSUTH AND JAY STREETS. THEY BEGAN MAKING THE 12 INCH PIES THAT WOULD MAKE THEM FAMOUS. THAT'S WHEN THEY ADOPTED THE NAME "O'SCUGNIZZO'S" (PRONOUNCED OH-SCOO-NEETS-OHS) WHICH MEANS SHREWD OR STREET SMART IN A LITTLE KNOWN ITALIAN DIALECT. THAT MUST BE TRUE, BECAUSE WHEN THE PIZZERIA MOVED TO BLEECKER STREET IN 1943, IT WAS STILL THE ONLY ONE IN THE CITY. IN 1956 EUGENO'S SON, ANGELO (CHOPS) BURLINO TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS. HE EXPANDED THE OPERATION TO A SCOPE & SIZE HIS FATHER COULD NEVER HAVE FORESEEN. CHOPS BOUGHT TWO TRUCKS AND BEGAN THE FIRST PIZZA DELIVERY SERVICE IN THE AREA. HE SOLD THE FIRST "BAKE AT HOME PIZZA" AND THE FIRST "SQUARE" PIZZA (STILL O'SCUGNIZZO'S TRADEMARKS TODAY). THESE INNOVATIONS, AND CHOPS UNIQUE STYLE AND LOVE OF THE CRAFT EARNED HIM THE DISTINCTION "THE KING OF PIZZA"! IN 1989 HIS SON STEVEN INHERITED THE O'SCUGNIZZO'S LEGACY.
STEVE HAS STRIVED TO KEEP THE PIZZERIA TRUE TO ITSELF BY USING THE SAME
RECIPES FROM GENERATIONS PAST, TO PRODUCE THE DOUGH, SAUCE, AND SAUSAGE
EVERY DAY. IN 1997 STEVE AND PARTNER BILL CONLEY EXPANDED O'SCUGNIZZO'S
ONCE AGAIN WITH A NEW STORE IN WASHINGTON MILLS. IN 2001 WE ENLARGED OUR
WASHINGTON MILLS LOCATION WITH A BEAUTIFUL NEW DINING ROOM AND BEGAN OFFERING
FRESH GROUND-BREWED TO ORDER EXPRESSO, CAPPUCCINO AND LATTE.
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