If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
In a recent poll, popular answers included tacos, burgers, steaks, and pasta. But the number one answer amongst more than 2,000 Americans?
You guessed it: pizza.
Whether it’s thin crust, deep dish, or somewhere in between, we just can’t get enough of that cheesy, doughy goodness. In fact, experts say the average American will put down about 6,000 slices during their lifetime — or about 15 slices every month!
The question now is, which types of pizza are best? Most importantly, which type of pizza is your personal favorite?
Join us as we count down seven different types of pizza from coast to coast.
1. Neapolitan Pizza
Let’s begin our list with the place where it all began. Although flatbreads with toppings have been around since ancient times, the credit for the modern pizza we know and love goes to Naples, Italy.
You might also hear it called “Napolitana” or Naples-style pizza. Its main features are a thin crust and simple fresh ingredients. A traditional Neapolitan pizza contains mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and the famous San Marzano tomatoes.
Traditionally, these types of pizzas are cooked at very high temperatures in a wood-burning oven. The focus is on creating a simple but harmonious flavor profile with basic ingredients.
2. New York Style Pizza
When Italian immigrants settled in New York in the 1800s, they brought their pizza-making traditions with them. And we’re grateful for that because the result is the magical and beloved New York-style pizza.
Like Neapolitan pizza, New York pizzas feature a relatively thin crust and basic ingredients of cheese and tomato sauce. The main differences are that they use more cheese (yay!) and are cooked longer at a lower heat. It’s also cut into large triangular slices that are easy to eat on the go.
Although New York-style pizza is thin, the crust is robust enough to fold in half. This makes it possible to eat your pizza anywhere without losing those precious toppings.
Bonus tip: You don’t have to be in New York to enjoy authentic New York-style pizza. Check out the Boise-based https://wiseguypizzapie.com/ for a taste of New York in the heart of Idaho.
3. Sicilian Pizza
Naples wasn’t the only Italian locale to develop an amazing type of pizza. The island of Sicily also boasts its own style of pizza that’s quite different from its Neapolitan counterpart.
The Sicilian-style pizza features a thick, chewy, delicious crust at least one inch thick. It’s smothered in a variety of toppings, including tomato or cream sauce, strong cheeses, vegetables, cured meats, and anchovies.
Fun fact: While most of the world cuts its pizza into triangles, Sicilian pizza is always cut into hearty squares or rectangles.
4. Chicago Style (Deep Dish) Pizza
If you think Sicilian-style pizza is thick, wait ’til you meet Chicago’s cake-like deep dish pizza. It’s baked in a pan instead of laid flat in an oven, which creates a crust at least several inches high.
Because it needs so much time to cook, chefs also do something unique with the toppings. On a Chicago-style pizza, you’ll find the cheese resting directly on the crust, followed by the other toppings. Last, the pizza is topped with tomato sauce, which acts as a protective layer while the pizza bakes.
Deep dish pizza is only for the seriously hungry, so bring a big appetite when you visit Pizzeria Uno (the premier place to try this type of pizza).
5. Detroit-Style Square Pizza
If Sicilian pizza and Chicago-style pizza had a baby, it would be the little-known (but incredibly delicious) Detroit-style pizza.
Originally baked in rectangular factory trays, this type of pizza is thick with inverted toppings, similar to Chicago-style pizza. It’s also cut into squares, similar to Sicilian pizza.
What makes it unique, then? It’s baked, not once, but twice. This ensures the cheese gets perfectly caramelized and gives each slice a wonderfully crunchy texture.
6. New England’s Greek-Style Pizza
Throughout the northeast, you’ll find a unique twist on the basic pizza pie: Greek ingredients!
Greek pizza features a thick, soft crust oozing with olive oil in the center and super crispy around the edges. The difference in texture results from baking the pizza in a shallow pan, rather than directly on a pizza brick.
You’ll also find a variety of delicious Greek ingredients for toppings, including feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers, and kalamata olives. If you’re craving a change from Italian-style pizza or boring American toppings, give Greek pizza a try!
7. California-Style Pizza
Our coast-to-coast tour wouldn’t be complete without a stop on the west coast. If you’ve ever stopped in at a California Pizza Kitchen, you already know that California likes to do things a little differently.
The basic ingredients are the same: a thin crust pizza with a base sauce and mozzarella cheese. However, California-style pizza uses fresh gourmet ingredients you don’t typically associate with pizza.
You won’t find any classic pepperoni or sausage here. Instead, you’ll find exotic offerings like smoked salmon, BBQ chicken, Peking duck, arugula, goat cheese, and more. Bonus points for originality, California!
Which of These Different Types of Pizza Is Your Favorite?
So, which of these popular types of pizza pleases your palate the most?
Do you crave traditional New York-style pizza? Do you love the thick chewy crust on deep-dish or Sicilian-style pizza? Or do you prefer the thinner, lighter crust of Neapolitan pies?
The good news is that there’s room in the world for all these different types of pizza. Perhaps there were even a few types on our list that you haven’t tried yet!
Has all this talk of pizza made your mouth water? Our site is dedicated to all things foodie, so stay right here and keep browsing for more great articles.
