Sal’s New Classic Pizzeria Is An Oneonta, New York Smash

I'm sitting here in a daze, with a veritable smorgasbord of food from Sal's New Classic Pizzeria in front of me. I'm stuffed beyond recognition, but happy to be so. Sal's New Classic pulls no punches when it comes to quality and flavor.

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If you've been around for any amount of time in the last 46 or so years, you know Sal's is an Oneonta institution. How many of us darkened the downtown Oneonta shop's doorstep at all hours of the day and night while Joe Grigoli was behind the counter doing what he does best?

During the last couple of years, Sal's was sold to new owner Bobby Angilletta, and rebranded Sal's New Classic Pizzeria. Angilletta is no stranger to Oneonta pizza and food in general, a branch of his family owns Pizzaland, another local institution.

Angilletta's background is as a musician, specifically a drummer, and that translates to his food. His recipes are created and executed in the same vein as a song is written. Like Henry Rollins noting his love of Iron Maiden due to being able to hear all the instruments, Sal's New Classic's food is in the same vein. One bite, and you can taste the symphony of fresh ingredients working together.

Take their margherita pizza. It's so simple, yet so delicious. Signature sauce is topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil. Sal's New Classic's version is New York in approach, yet Neapolitan in flavor. Each bite is a light, well balanced flavor bomb. Their version reminded me why I like margherita pizza so much.

Then there's the wings. Try them with Sal's Sauce. It's the ultimate mashup of just about all of their sauces. Without giving too much away, it starts off sweet, and then settles into a bit of heat on the back end.

Don't forget dessert! At a pizza place, you might expect to see cannoli or zeppole offered. Sal's New Classic has done the unthinkable, and have created funnel fries. This is the fried dough you find at a county fair, cut up in the size and shape of French fries and cooked to perfection. They'll make you miss those summer carnivals.

You can learn more about Sal's New Classic Pizzeria by checking out their Facebook page.