The pizza we know and love today has a rich and fascinating history that spans thousands of years and crosses multiple continents. From ancient flatbreads to the modern global phenomenon, the evolution of pizza tells a story of cultural exchange, innovation, and the universal appeal of this seemingly simple dish.
Ancient Beginnings: The Precursors to Pizza
The concept of placing toppings on flatbread dates back thousands of years. Archaeological evidence suggests that ancient civilizations in the Mediterranean, including the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, all created early versions of flatbreads with various toppings.
In ancient Egypt, flatbreads were topped with herbs and oils as part of celebratory meals. The Greeks created "plakous," a flatbread flavored with herbs, onion, garlic, and cheese. The Romans developed "placenta," a sheet of dough topped with cheese and honey, and "focaccia," a flatbread that bears a striking resemblance to modern pizza bases.
These early flatbreads served a practical purpose beyond taste: the bread acted as both plate and food, making it an efficient meal for working people. Soldiers in ancient Persian armies were known to bake flatbreads with cheese and dates on their shields over open flames.
The Tomato Revelation
Despite these ancient origins, pizza as we know it couldn't exist until the tomato arrived in Europe. Native to the Americas, tomatoes were brought to Europe in the 16th century following the Spanish colonization of the Americas.
Initially, Europeans regarded tomatoes with suspicion. Many believed they were poisonous due to their relationship with other nightshade plants. This fear wasn't entirely unfounded—the acidity in tomatoes could leach lead from pewter plates, causing lead poisoning among wealthy Europeans who used such tableware.
It wasn't until the late 18th century that tomatoes became widely accepted as edible in Italy, particularly among the working class in Naples who couldn't afford pewter plates. This set the stage for one of the most significant developments in pizza history.
Naples: The Birthplace of Modern Pizza
By the late 18th century, Naples had become a thriving waterfront city with a large working-class population. These lazzaroni (working poor) needed inexpensive food that could be consumed quickly. Pizza—flatbread with various toppings—fulfilled this need perfectly.
Street vendors and informal restaurants began selling pizza specifically catered to workers' needs. These early pizzas featured simple toppings like garlic, lard, salt, and cheese. Later, they incorporated anchovies, fish, and herbs. With the acceptance of tomatoes in Italian cuisine, tomato-topped pizza became a staple in Naples.
These Neapolitan pizzas were quite different from what we might recognize today. They were primarily sold by street vendors who would cut portions to match customers' budgets or appetites. The focus was on affordability and convenience rather than gourmet appeal.
Pizza Margherita: A Royal Endorsement
Perhaps the most famous story in pizza history centers around Queen Margherita of Savoy's visit to Naples in 1889. According to popular legend, the queen had grown tired of French haute cuisine and requested a selection of local dishes.
Pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi prepared three different pizzas for the royal visit. The queen's favorite featured tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil—ingredients that represented the red, white, and green of the Italian flag.
This pizza was named "Pizza Margherita" in honor of the queen, and Esposito's creation has become the archetypal Neapolitan pizza. While some food historians question details of this story, there's no doubt that royal approval helped elevate pizza's status from street food to a respected culinary tradition.
A letter of thanks from the royal household to Esposito is still displayed at Pizzeria Brandi in Naples today, though some historians debate its authenticity.
Pizza Crosses the Atlantic
The first significant wave of Italian immigration to the United States began in the late 19th century. Between 1880 and 1920, more than 4 million Italians immigrated to America, with the majority coming from southern Italy, including Naples.
These immigrants brought their culinary traditions with them, including pizza. Initially, pizza was made only in Italian households and sold in Italian neighborhoods. The first documented pizzeria in America was Lombardi's, established in 1905 by Gennaro Lombardi on Spring Street in New York City.
For several decades, pizza remained primarily within Italian-American communities. However, following World War II, American soldiers returning from the Italian campaign brought back a taste for pizza, helping to popularize it beyond Italian neighborhoods.
The Pizza Boom: Post-War America
The 1950s and 1960s saw pizza transform from an ethnic curiosity to an American staple. Several factors contributed to this explosion in popularity:
Pizza Chains
The first Pizza Hut opened in Wichita, Kansas in 1958, founded by brothers Dan and Frank Carney. Domino's followed in 1960, started by brothers Tom and James Monaghan in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Little Caesar's joined the market in 1959. These chains standardized and commercialized pizza, making it accessible across America.
Technological Innovations
Advances in food preservation, transportation, and cooking equipment made mass production of pizza possible. The development of frozen pizza in the 1950s allowed people to enjoy pizza at home without cooking from scratch.
Cultural Shift
Post-war America saw the rise of suburban living, car culture, and a new emphasis on convenience foods. Pizza fit perfectly into this lifestyle—it could be delivered, eaten without formal place settings, and appealed to the whole family.
Media Influence
Television shows and movies increasingly featured pizza, normalizing it as part of American life. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which debuted in the 1980s, famously made pizza their favorite food, further cementing its place in American youth culture.
Regional American Pizza Styles
As pizza spread throughout America, regional styles developed, each with distinct characteristics:
New York Style
Characterized by large, thin slices that can be folded lengthwise to eat. The crust is crispy along the edge but soft and pliable enough to fold. Traditional toppings are simple: tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Chicago Deep Dish
Invented at Pizzeria Uno in 1943, this style features a deep, thick crust formed up the sides of a round pan, creating a bowl-like shape. It's filled with cheese, toppings, and topped with sauce, requiring a knife and fork to eat.
Detroit Style
Baked in rectangular blue steel pans (originally automotive drip pans), this pizza has a thick, crispy, caramelized crust. Cheese is spread to the edges of the pan, creating a caramelized cheese crust, and the sauce is typically applied after baking.
California Style
Popularized by chefs like Ed LaDou and Wolfgang Puck in the 1980s, California-style pizza features non-traditional gourmet ingredients like goat cheese, arugula, and smoked salmon on a thin crust.
St. Louis Style
Features a very thin, cracker-like crust made without yeast, and the use of Provel cheese (a processed mixture of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone). It's typically cut into squares rather than triangular slices.
Pizza Goes Global
While America was developing its own pizza traditions, pizza was also spreading worldwide, adapting to local tastes and ingredients:
Japan
Japanese pizza often features seafood toppings like squid and shrimp, along with mayonnaise, corn, potatoes, and even nori (seaweed).
Brazil
Brazilian pizzas often come with minimal sauce and abundant toppings, including unique options like green peas, corn, raisins, and heart of palm. Dessert pizzas with chocolate, bananas, and cinnamon are also popular.
Australia
The "Aussie" pizza typically includes bacon and egg, mimicking the flavors of a traditional Australian breakfast. Barbecue sauce often replaces tomato sauce as a base.
India
Indian pizzas incorporate local spices and may feature toppings like paneer (Indian cottage cheese), tandoori chicken, or ginger.
The Neapolitan Renaissance
While pizza was conquering the world in various forms, a movement to preserve traditional Neapolitan methods was gaining strength in Italy. In 1984, the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (True Neapolitan Pizza Association) was formed to certify pizzerias that follow traditional methods.
Their strict guidelines specify everything from ingredients (type 00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella) to preparation methods (dough must be kneaded by hand or with approved mixers) and cooking (wood-fired oven at 485°C for 60-90 seconds).
In 2009, the European Union granted Traditional Specialty Guaranteed status to Neapolitan pizza, officially recognizing and protecting its traditional preparation method.
This traditional approach has experienced a global renaissance in recent years, with artisanal pizzerias opening worldwide dedicated to authentic Neapolitan methods.
Pizza in the 21st Century
Today, pizza continues to evolve while also honoring its roots. Several trends define contemporary pizza culture:
Artisanal Movement
Craft pizzerias emphasizing high-quality ingredients, sourdough fermentation, and wood-fired cooking have proliferated in urban centers worldwide.
Health-Conscious Adaptations
Alternative crusts made from cauliflower, chickpea flour, or gluten-free grains have emerged to meet dietary preferences and restrictions.
Technology
Online ordering, delivery apps, and even pizza-making robots have transformed how pizza reaches consumers.
Sustainability
Many pizzerias now focus on locally sourced ingredients, seasonal toppings, and environmentally friendly packaging.
From humble beginnings as a food for the working poor of Naples to its status as a global culinary icon, pizza's journey reflects the power of simple, adaptable food to transcend cultural boundaries. Whether enjoyed as fast food, gourmet cuisine, or homemade comfort food, pizza continues to bring people together around the shared pleasure of bread, sauce, and toppings—a truly universal language of food.
