The (very) many styles of pizza

Everyone loves pizza. Is that an overstatement? I don’t think so, but hey, if there is someone who doesn't like pizza, to each their own. I for one, love pizza — and that’s even if I wasn’t part of a family that made pizza for a living. You can grab a wood-fired Napoletana styled pizza from our Broadway location. We've recently come out with a new line of Heat and Eat Pizzas. In just a few minutes, you can have the same great tasting pizza ready in the comfort of your home!

Pizza is really just flat bread and toppings. Simple right? Not so fast. Within simple ingredients comes infinite possibilities. One of the things I love about pizza is how there are so many styles and kinds. People around the globe have taken flat bread and toppings to make something unique to their region or city. Here’s a list of the different styles of pizza. I’ll point out most of these are in the US, as I haven’t had the opportunity to explore pizzas from around the world… yet.

Napoletana

Beginning with the pizza that started it all. Many countries claim to be the pizza capital of the world because of the amount of pizza they produce. I’m going to say that honour belongs to Naples, Italy. Simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to the OG of pizzas. A 900° wood fired oven means the pizza cooks in a matter of minutes. This provides the delicious char on the crust.

This is the style we make here at Christies. If you ever want a piece of Naples in Saskatoon, you can get it from us! You can grab a fresh pizza at our Broadway location, or order some Heat and Eat pizzas to eat at home!

New York

When people think of pizza in the States, this is what often comes to mind. The NY style is a big circle of pizza with a thin crispy crust sold as slices that are usually folded to eat. New York is a city where time is money and so you need a pizza you can eat on the go. I’ve never been to New York, but a big reason I want to make a trip there is to go on a tour of all the pizza joints. Lombardi’s is the grandaddy of American pizza. It was the first pizzeria, opening its doors in 1905.

New Haven

A couple hours north of New York in the state of Connecticut is a town known for its pizza. New Haven residents will let you know it’s called “apizzza,” not pizza. The slight name variation aside, people know it by its crust. It’s baked in a blazing hot oven that uses coals instead of gas or wood. Topped with a simple selection of ingredients, the crust is thin, crispy and charred.

Roman

Not as iconic as pizza Napoletana, the Roman pizza is just as special. When in Rome, you’ll find two styles: tonda romana, a round, more crispy version of the Napoletana, and pizza al taglio. If you’re walking the streets of Rome, you’re more likely to find pizza al taglio served in the shops. It’s made in a rectangular shape with a thin crispy crust, and cut to order. You pay for how much of the square you want to eat, which is unique. But trust me, you'll want more than a sliver.

Sicilian/Grandma

Some might argue these are two different pizzas with different crusts. While the two may vary slightly, the biggest difference is the crust. The sicilian style crust is thicker, and the grandma style crust is thinner and crispier. Traditionally the cheese is added before the sauce, and both are cooked in a baking sheet. The grandma style got its name from Italian immigrant nonas who were cooking pizza at home.

California

As a bit of a pizza purist, it pains me to include this style on the list, even if I did grow up in sunny California. Unlike most pizza styles, it is characterized by its toppings and not the crust. The toppings are more extravagant and unique than most. Almost every article online describes the toppings as something you might find in a high end California cuisine. Make sure to keep them off my pizza!

St. Louis

I’ve never had this style of pizza before. To me, the description sounds like what is sometimes called “tavern” pizza. The St. Louis style has a super thin, cracker like crust. Toppings are spread as close to the edge as they can get. The pizza is cut into shareable, square slices, not the traditional triangle slices.

Detroit

To me, this is maybe the most interesting way to make a pizza, if not the most unique. The crust is extra thick, chewy and fluffy with a crispy bottom. This pizza gets its name from how it's baked. The pizza was originally cooked in large trays that held automobile parts. After all, Detroit is the motor city.

Chicago

Most people might think of deep dish pizza when they think of Chicago. But there are actually two styles that come from the windy city. The more popular style is a classic, thinner pizza that is very crispy. But yes, the more iconic by far is the deep dish, which is reminiscent of the “pie” part of pizza pie. The crust is baked in a deep dish (whoever named these pizzas weren't that creative were they?) and the crust is thick, crunchy and crispy. If you’ve had a slice, then you know that the pizza is loaded with layers and layers of sauce, cheese and toppings. If you’re on a strict diet I’d recommend staying away from the deep dish, as one slice has a day’s worth of calories in it!