Pretty much everyone, everywhere has heard of pizza. Honestly, what’s not to love about it? The sauce, the cheese, the delectable crust and limitless toppings…it really is the perfect food! One of the interesting things about pizza is that it’s so versatile that it can be quite different not only across different cities, but continents as well.
In honor of National Pizza Festival Month, we bring you Pizzas Across the World.
North America
There’s a lot of good pizza in North America. Here you will find everything from thin to thick crust, to even stuffed crust. San Francisco is an area with a lot of good pizza. What makes it so good is that many of the pizzerias use seasonal ingredients that are of high quality. If you are looking for even more pizza options, head to New York City. Popular pizza types include deep dish and pizza slices that are bigger than your head. There are pizzerias pretty much on every street corner. Famous places to get a slice including Grimaldi’s and Lombardi’s. Chicago is famous for deep dish pizza. Giordano’s stuffs the crust on their deep dish pies. Pequod’s, Lou Malnati’s, The Art of Pizza and Bella Bacino’s are also great places for Chicago style pizza.
South America
Not sure where to get pizza in South America? Head over to Brazil. The first pizzerias were opened here in the 1800s. There are close to 9,000 pizzarias in Sao Paolo alone, so pizza is big business here. If you do happen to go to one of Brazil’s many pizzerias, don’t be surprised if your pizza is served rodízio-style. This means that a waiter will bring you many different varieties of pizza to try. Popular toppings in South America include hard-boiled eggs, potato sticks and even beef stroganoff.
Antarctica
Even so those in Antarctica enjoy pizza. It has to be hearty and with a lot of variety. Pizza Margherita, topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese is a favorite. Pizza Vesuvius is another variety that the locals like. Seafood pizzas are popular in this region as well. Consisting of the very hot, Scotch-Bonnet pepper, it will definitely warm you up on the inside. Pizza’s are generally rectangular shape with a thick crust. Although we recommend trying the locals, you can order Domino’s in Antarctica.
Europe
If you are heading to Europe and looking for the best pizza, head on over to Italy. This country (Naples region,) is supposedly the birthplace of pizza which dates back to ancient Rome. Pizza from Italy looks similar to pizza in America. The biggest difference is the taste. There’s something about it that makes it some of the best pizza in the world. Perhaps it’s the years of experience they have had perfecting the pizza or just all the basil that they use or the ancient olive groves just around the corner. Additionally, you will find that they use little to no sauce on most pizzas in Italy but instead focus on their fresh tomatoes.. In London you can pick up a great slice of pizza in Harrod’s or at Pizza Pilgriams. in Greece one of the favorites is Hellenic pizza which has green peppers, onion, fresh tomato, pepperoni, Greek olives, feta cheese & oregano. In France you will find many pizza use creme fraiche vs. tomato sauce. In Spain & Portugal they use different types of chorizo and ham. In many coastal areas such as specifically Barcelona, you will find fresh seafood including lobster as toppings. In Russia you can order mockba which is a seafood pizza topped with tuna, mackerel, salmon, sardine and onions.
Asia
On the other hand, in Asia, when it comes to their pizza, the crazier the better. Abalone Sauce Cheesy Lava Stuffed Crust Pizza is definitely interesting. In addition, it consists of abalone sauces, crab roe dressing, chicken, crayfish and enoki mushrooms. Looking for something a little more plain? Your best bet is the Triple Cheese Pizza. It’s made with three thin crusts stacked on top of each other. Each layer has a different kind of cheese on it. If you can figure out how to eat it, you just might like it. One of the craziest pizzas, that doesn’t really seem like a pizza, is The Mizza. The crust actually consists of a thick patty of rice. However in Japan you may want to try Mayo Jaga which is pizza topped with mayonnaise, pancetta or bacon, onion, corn, paprika and potato. In Japan, another favorite pizza topping is eel. In India, picked ginger, minced mutton and panner (similar to cottage cheese,) is popular with the local.
Africa
The pizza culture in this continent is growing, especially in larger cities. The city of Johannesburg is home to the largest pizza ever made according to the Guinness Book of Records. It was a whopping 37.4 meters in diameter and was made with 1,102 pounds of flour. Pizza in Africa looks fairly similar to that in the U.S. and Europe.
Australia
In Australia the city of Melbourne is known for their pizza. Pizza cooked in wood-fired ovens with a thin, crispy crust is popular here. As a matter of fact, he most interesting thing about the pizza in Australia is the toppings. You can find everything from pumpkin to pancetta on their pizzas. One of the most popular is shrimp, pineapple and bbq sauce. Lastly if you’re feeling more adventurous you may want to try emu, crocodile or kangaroo pizza.
