Is there a food more universally beloved than pizza? If you don’t get excited by the thought of fluffy dough baked in the oven and topped with fresh tomato sauce and oozing with melted cheese, there may be something wrong with you. Although an Italian staple, pizza is so widely loved all over the world that you can find a pizzeria in just about every corner of the globe. That’s why 9 February has been crowned World Pizza Day!
However, not all pizza is made equal and not all pizza looks or tastes like it does in Italy! In light of this, Expat Explore has searched the globe and found the best pizzas (or pizza-like dishes for those purists!) around the world.
Here is what pizza looks like in different countries:
Neapolitan Pizza, Italy
Let’s start at the very beginning! Naples is said to be the birthplace of pizza with evidence of pizza or similar flatbread dishes dating back to the 18th or 19th century. The original recipe featured ingredients such as garlic, salt, lard and cheese. While it is unclear when tomato was added into the mix, today Naples are very strict about their tomatoes and their pizzas overall!
As a rule, a true Neapolitan pizza must contain either San Marzano tomatoes (a plum tomato from the Campania region) or pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio (tomatoes grown in volcanic soil south of Mount Vesuvius). Naples-style pizza must also make use of Buffalo mozzarella (made with milk from water buffalo) or fior di latte (a cow’s milk mozzarella). Pizza Napoletana is a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) product in Europe meaning that it possesses specific characteristics that make it unique and the production has been consistent for over 30 years. Due to this strict preservation of pizza-making, the art of Neapolitan pizza is included on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
Related: Spend two nights in Naples on our Italy Rail Express tour!
AVPN-certified Pizza, Japan
This next entry may be a little surprising. If you’re craving authentic Italian pizza, Japan certainly won’t be the first country that springs to mind. However, Japan is home to an impressive number of AVPN-certified restaurants. What does it mean to be AVPN-certified, you ask? The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana is an Italian organisation that decides if a pizza is authentic enough to be considered a true Neapolitan pizza. Becoming accredited is no easy feat. All ingredients, cooking techniques (including how the dough is made and the temperature at which it is baked) and the presentation of the pizza need to be exactly as specified by Naples.
Japan and Italy actually have a lot in common when it comes to their cuisine. Both Japanese and Italian foods focus on fresh, natural ingredients, favour simple recipes and value traditional cooking techniques. This could explain why Japan has such a fondness for authentic pizza. Across the country, you’ll find over 85 AVPN-certified pizzerias! The only country outside of Italy to have more accredited pizzerias than Japan is the USA, which is home to a huge Italian community.
Related: These are the local foods you have to try in Japan.
Various Styles of American Pizza, USA
Speaking of the USA, this country sure loves its pizza! It is said that for every second that passes, 350 slices of pizza are eaten in the USA alone. America is well-known as the birthplace of fast food. This means a lot of the pizza that is favoured by the American population would certainly not be approved by the pizza purists of Naples! Different regions of the USA are home to different styles of pizza. For example, New Yorkers love big, greasy slices. In Chicago, the deep-dish pizza is a thick, cheesy favourite and in Detroit, a rectangular pizza with a crispy crust is where it’s at.
American pizzas offer a wide variety of toppings from classic cheese to the much-debated pineapple. However, by far the most popular of all toppings is pepperoni. It may surprise some to learn that pepperoni is not actually Italian but rather, this slightly spicy sausage was created in 1919 by Italian immigrants in New York.
Related: Enjoy three nights in New York City and grab as many slices as your heart desires when you join our Eastern USA & Canada Escape tour!
Flammkuchen/Tarte Fambée, Germany/France
Now that we’ve covered the most popular pizzas in different countries, let’s have a look at some non-pizza but rather pizza-like creations. Flammkuchen (also known as Flammekueche or tarte flambée in French) is a speciality in the Alsace region. Today, Alsace is a part of eastern France. However, this region has a complicated history with both Germany and France having had control of the land at various points in time. As a result, Alsace features many German influences and, as it lies on the upper Rhine River, it’s a great spot to enjoy some fabulous French and German wines!
Flammkuchen was invented by German farmers in the Alsace region who would bake bread once a week. With its paper-thin dough, it was originally used to test the heat of wood-fired ovens. This is where its name (directly translated as “Flame Cake”) comes from as the crust of the Flammkuchen would nearly be burnt to a crisp! Today, many variations of the dish exist but the classic toppings are crème fraîche, onions and lardons (small cubes of bacon or pork fat).
Related: Enjoy a wine tasting in the Rhine Valley when you embark on our Europe Taster tour.
Khachapuri, Georgia
While it’s unclear of the exact origin of this next pizza-like treat, some culinary experts have suggested that its history may even pre-date that of pizza! In recent years, this dish has become a bit of an internet celebrity thanks to its aesthetic appeal. Khachapuri is essentially cheese-filled bread and is a traditional dish from the country of Georgia. There are a few different types of Khachapuri. The traditional type is the Imeretian Khachapuri which most closely resembles a pizza. It is made with a yeast dough and topped with salty white Imeretian cheese.
The most popular type is the Adjarian Khachapuri – this is the one that became a viral sensation! The Adjarian Khachapuri is shaped like a boat and filled with cheese, butter and an egg yolk in the middle. To eat, break off a bit of the dough, mix the gooey cheese, butter and egg all together and enjoy!
Related: Taste authentic Georgian cuisine when you join our Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia tour!
Pide, Turkey
Pide (stuffed bread) is one of the most popular dishes in Turkey. There are many different types of Pide with different toppings. Much like pizza, many feature tomatoes and cheese as key ingredients. One of the most beloved types of Pide is Lahmacun, which is also enjoyed in Lebanon and Armenia. Sometimes Lahmacun is even called Turkish or Armenian pizza on menus! However, unlike pizza, Lahmacun is made without cheese but with minced meat, vegetables and herbs.
Flatbreads have been cooked in the Middle East for thousands of years. Wrapping ingredients in bread was seen as a convenient way to transport food. Topping bread with different ingredients and baking it all together became common in the Middle Ages when dishes like Sfiha (flatbread with minced meat) and Manakish (dough topped with thyme and cheese or ground meat) became popular in the countries belonging to the former Ottoman Empire. Today, you can find delicious flatbreads all over the Middle East from Egypt and Lebanon to Jordan and Turkey!
Related: Explore Turkey, its history, culture and cuisine on our Highlights of Turkey tour!
Lángos, Hungary
Last but certainly not least on our pizza tour of the globe, we’re heading to Hungary for a deep-fried delight! Lángos may resemble a savoury doughnut more than a pizza. However, they are round flatbreads and often covered with cheese so we’re counting it! The dough is made with milk, flour, yeast and salt. Occasionally, mashed potatoes, sour cream or yoghurt is added into the dough mixture. The dough is then deep-fried in oil and topped with sour cream and grated cheese or sausages. It is also often eaten without toppings with a simple but delicious garlic butter.
This affordable dish is a staple of Hungarian cuisine and can be found at local markets, fairs and even on the streets of Hungarian cities. Its popularity has also reached much of Eastern Europe and is especially popular in Austria, Croatia and Serbia!
Related: Feeling Hungary? Discover the top Hungarian dishes!
There you have it, now you know which pizza creations to look out for on your travels. Whether it’s a traditional pizza straight from Napoli, an all-American pie or a flavourful flatbread from the Middle East, it’s safe to say this dish has a pizza our hearts!
Have we ignited your hunger for global cuisines, history and culture? Have a look at our upcoming tours and find your next adventure!