Savoring America: A Slice of Pizza Culture

Across the United States, pizza morphs into regional masterpieces, each with its own story, toppings, and crust. From the foldable New York slice to the hearty Chicago deep dish, grab some parmesan and red pepper flakes packets and join us on a flavorful journey through the land of pizza pies.

New York Style

New York-style pizza is characterized by its large, thin, and foldable slices. It typically has a hand-tossed, crispy yet chewy crust and is often topped with a simple tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

• Unique Features: Thin, foldable crust with a slightly chewy texture. Often hand-tossed and baked in a deck oven.
• Popular Toppings: Low-moisture mozzarella, pepperoni, mushrooms, and sausage.
• Origins: Originated in Naples, Italy, in the mid-1700s. It was later brought to New York City by Italian immigrants who established pizzerias in the early 1900s. The style evolved over time to feature a thin, foldable crust and generous toppings.

Chicago Deep Dish

Chicago-style deep dish pizza is known for its thick, buttery crust that forms a deep dish. It is topped with cheese, followed by various ingredients, and finally topped with chunky tomato sauce.

• Unique Features: Thick, hearty, and filling. The crust can be buttery and flaky.
• Popular Toppings: Sausage, green peppers, onions, and mozzarella.
• Origins: It is believed to be developed in Chicago in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno, but recent reports by Chicago Tribune note that the deep-dish pie had likely been on the menu at Rosatis Authentic Chicago Pizza since it opened back in 1926.

Neapolitan Pizza

Neapolitan pizza originated in Naples, Italy, but it has gained popularity in the US as well. It has a thin, soft, and chewy crust, typically made with only a few simple ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and olive oil.

• Unique Features: Cooked in a wood-fired oven at high temperatures (up to 950°F) with minimal toppings to let the dough really shine.
• Popular Toppings: Fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil.
• Origins: Born in Naples, Italy, around the 18th century, but this thiner style pizza could be traced by further but there is some debates around if pizzas are pizza if they don't have tomato sauce. As tomatoes were not native to Europe and were not reliably available until the 18th century.

Sicilian Pizza

Sicilian pizza features a thick, rectangular crust that is often airy and fluffy. It is topped with tomato sauce, cheese, and various toppings, and it's usually cut into square or rectangular slices.

• Unique Features: Closer to a focaccia texture, the dough is slightly oily, spongy but has a soft interior that is also somewhat airy. This style typically has a light sauce coverage which is usually consider
• Popular Toppings: Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, oregano, and garlic.
• Origins: Originates from Sicily, Italy, where it was traditionally made on long pieces of focaccia bread was called “sfincione”, which translates to “thick sponge”. The pizza has a thick, chewy crust and is often topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.

Detroit Style

Detroit-style pizza is characterized by its rectangular shape and thick, crispy crust that is light and airy on the inside. The crust is often baked in rectangular pans, and it is topped with tomato sauce and Wisconsin brick cheese, which caramelizes around the edges.

• Unique Features: The crust is crispy on the edges due to the pan’s shape. It’s often baked with cheese directly against the pan, creating a caramelized cheese crust.
• Popular Toppings: Pepperoni, brick cheese, and tomato sauce on top.
• Origins: Developed in Detroit in the early 20th century. This style features rectangular steel pans that give the pizzas their iconic shape and textures, which was inspired by the automotive parts trays that were originally used for pans in 1946.

St. Louis Style

St. Louis-style pizza has a thin, cracker-like crust that is unleavened and crisp. It is cut into squares or rectangles, known as "party cut," and it's traditionally topped with Provel cheese, a processed blend of provolone, Swiss, and white cheddar.

• Unique Features: The crust is unleavened and crisp. It’s topped with a unique cheese blend called Provel (a mix of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone).
• Popular Toppings: Provel cheese, Italian sausage, and green peppers.
• Origins: Originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the mid 20th century by Amedeo Fiore, who was a famous tenor who decided to open a small pizzeria in St. Louis near the Chase Park Plaza Hotel.

California Style

California-style pizza is known for its creative and innovative toppings. It often features non-traditional ingredients such as avocado, goat cheese, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and other fresh, local produce.

• Unique Features: Inventive toppings like arugula, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and avocado.
• Popular Toppings: Grilled chicken, artichokes, and pesto.
• Origins: Emerged in California around 1980 by famous chefs Ed LaDou and Alice Waters. They had found success emulating New York style pizza crusts but utilizing local produce from California,

New Haven Style

New Haven-style pizza originated in Connecticut and is characterized by its thin, coal-fired crust with a charred, crisp texture. It is traditionally topped with tomato sauce, oregano, garlic, and clams (known as "white clam pizza"), but other toppings are also popular. 

• Unique Features: The crust is blistered and chewy, with a pronounced smoky flavor.
• Popular Toppings: Clams, garlic, and oregano.
• Origins:  Also known as apizza, this style originated in New Haven, Connecticut, in the early 20th century. Frank Pepe is credited with creating this style at his iconic restaurant Pizzeria Napoletana.

Greek Style

Greek-style pizza is a unique interpretation of the classic Italian dish. While it is not as widely available as traditional Italian pizza, it can be found in Greek or Mediterranean restaurants.

• Unique Features: Characterized by its thick, chewy crust that is often baked in a shallow pan, leading to a crispy base. They are often brushed with olive oil, enhancing its flavor and texture.
• Popular Toppings: Feta cheese, kalamata olives, onions, green peppers and tomatoes.
• Origins:  Its origins can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome, where flatbreads were topped with fresh ingredients.

Quad City-Style 

Quad City-style pizza is a micro-regional delight found where Illinois and Iowa meet along the Mississippi River. It boasts a thick, chewy crust, slightly nutty flavor, and unique toppings.

• Unique Features: It has a dark crust due to the inclusion of malt syrup paired with a slightly spicy tomato sauce with an abundance of toppings which are placed under a large heaping of fresh mozzarella.
• Popular Toppings: Loads of crumbled fennel sausage and fresh Midwestern mozzarella. 
• Origins: Hailing from the Quad Cities region of eastern Iowa and western Illinois, this style developed in the mid-20th century. While there are disputes on who exactly created the first one of this style, the Maniscalco brothers are typically credited for its invention. They both opened separate restaurants that served this unique style; Paddock Club in Rock Island, Illinois and Tony's Pizza in Davenport, Iowa. 

Have a slice day!

In the heart of every pizza lies a tale—a narrative spun from flour, sauce, and cheese. As we traverse the pizza map of America, we encounter more than mere slices; we discover cultural legacies, culinary rivalries, and shared moments around communal tables. From the bustling streets of Little Italy to the quiet pizzerias of the Midwest, each regional style whispers its secrets. So, grab a slice, savor the flavors, and let the symphony of crust and toppings remind you that this (usually) circular canvas can be made into many different types of masterpieces.