Over 350 slices of pizza are consumed every second in the United States, according to "The Washington Post.” Since we consume about 3 billion pizzas every year, it makes sense that we’ve dedicated an entire month to it in October. But not all pizzas use the same recipe, causing many to choose what saucy team they play for. As you celebrate National Pizza Month, take a deep dive into some of the most prominent pizza destinations across the globe to see how they personalize their pies.
You can never go wrong with a classic New York slice. Hand-tossed and cut into eight large slices, New York-style pizza is known for its malleability, allowing hungry city folks to fold it and take it wherever they go. Joe’s Pizza has been satisfying famished New Yorkers since 1975, while Koronet features foot-long jumbo slices. If you want a pizza with heft, Grandma-style pizzerias like Williamsburg and Adrienne’s packs their dough, cheese and toppings into an olive oil-coated pan, while old-fashioned coal oven pizzerias like Patsy’s and John’s of Bleecker Street have been serving freshly charred pizzas since 1929. For those looking for something different, mobile food trucks like Kono reinvent the slice by packing all of its cheese, sauce and toppings into a pizza cone.
Neapolitan pizza fans will love the all-natural flavors coming out of Naples, Italy. Iconic destinations like Da Michele and Lombardi 1892 specialize in marinara and Margherita pizzas topped with San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil. While Neapolitan is one of the city’s most popular pizza styles, Naples is home to several varieties worthy of sampling. The Caprese pizzas from Ristorante da Ettore are sprinkled with cherry tomatoes and balsamic reduction, while fiori di zucca pizzas from 50 Kalo are tastefully topped with zucchini flowers and salted anchovies. But the most hearty selection has to be the frittas from Pizzeria Ciro Oliva or De’ Figliole, which stuffs toppings between two layers of dough and fries the pizza until it is crispy. And you could never go wrong with the classic calzone, which you can find in restaurants like La Notizia or Pellone.
While traditional pizzas have a thick crust and are loaded with sauce, Brazilian pizzas from Sao Paulo are noticeably thinner. But that doesn’t mean they lack flavor, and they more than make up for it with an overabundance of cheese and pizza toppings, some of which introduce unique combinations. The brocolis pizza from Speranza tops its pies with broccoli and cream cheese, while Bella’s Portuguese pizza combines ham with olives and onions. Viena Express’ atum pizzas bring tuna and tomato sauce together for an unorthodox pairing, while other unusual toppings include curry chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, hard boiled eggs and coconut milk. If you saved room for dessert, dive into any one of the areas’ dulce de leche pies topped with Nutella, whipped cream, berries and ice cream for a sweet yet sensational finish.
When it comes to deep dish, few pizzerias can compete with the iconic pies that come out of Illinois. Baked in the oven with 3-inch pans, Chicago-style deep dish pizzas layer chunky tomato sauce, meat, vegetables and loads of mozzarella cheese in between two layers of dough. They are then topped with even more sauce for a fuller flavor. The result is so gooey and cheesy that the pizza practically pours onto your plate, so you’ll need a fork to enjoy it. Pizzerias like Uno’s, Nancy’s and Giordano’s specialize in this stuffed approach. Even if you aren’t a deep dish fan, Chicago still has several other pizzerias like Vito & Nick’s and Home Run Inn that feature square-cut, thin-crust pizzas. Because whether you prefer a stuffed or thin slice, Chicago’s pizza is hard to beat.