Nobody can really tell when pizza started exactly and who invented it.
Some people believe Raffaele Esposito from Naples, Italy created pizza, while others say it started even way back in the late 1800s.
This beloved invention spread across various ancient cultures, from Greek to Roman Empire and ancient Babylonians.
In the United States, it was believed to be brought by Italian immigrants in the 1900s.
Today, it is one of the most popular dishes in the country, with more than three billion pizzas consumed by Americans every year.
You can find some of the largest pizza chains in the U.S., featuring a range of creative pizza types and crust styles.
From classic Neapolitan Margherita pizza to bold and meaty Chicago-style deep dish pizza, pizzas have evolved with various tastes and styles over centuries.
If you are interested to learn about the different types of pizza in the world, this article lists 18 pizza styles to explore.
Find out what makes each style distinct from one another, from the crust to the toppings used.
Discover what pizza type your favorite pizza falls into.
In summary, the 18 types of pizza in the world are:
- Brooklyn Style Pizza
- Buffalo Style Pizza
- Boardwalk Style Pizza
- Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
- Chicago Thin Crust Tavern Style Pizza
- California Style Pizza
- Detroit Style Pizza
- Calabrian Style Pizza
- Calzone Style
- Grandma Pizza
- Miami Or Cuban-Style Pizza
- New England Or Greek Pizza
- New Haven Style Pizza
- Neapolitan Pizza
- New York Style Pizza
- Roman Style Pizza
- Sicilian Pizza
- Louis Pizza
Contents
- 1 1. Brooklyn Style Pizza
- 2 2. Buffalo Style Pizza
- 3 3. Boardwalk Style Pizza
- 4 4. Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
- 5 5. Chicago Thin Crust Tavern Style Pizza
- 6 6. California Style Pizza
- 7 7. Detroit Style Pizza
- 8 8. Calabrian Style Pizza
- 9 9. Calzone Style
- 10 10. Grandma Pizza
- 11 11. Miami Or Cuban Style Pizza
- 12 12. New England Or Greek Pizza
- 13 13. New Haven Style Pizza
- 14 14. Neapolitan Pizza
- 15 15. New York Style Pizza
- 16 16. Roman Style Pizza
- 17 17. Sicilian Pizza
- 18 18. St. Louis Pizza
- 19 Let Your Taste Buds Go On A Pizza Exploration
1. Brooklyn Style Pizza
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Brooklyn Style pizza is a variation of the famous New York Style pizza.
It is similar to New York Style, however, Brooklyn Style is a little crispier than New York Style.
Moreover, it uses a combination of half mozzarella and half provolone cheeses, unlike other pizza types that use only mozzarella.
Its less doughy and crispy crust is achieved by stretching the dough to its minimal size of 18 inches, or even up to 45 inches.
You can try one today with Domino’s Brooklyn Style Pizza using Brooklyn Style crust.
Prices start at $12.99 for a large Brooklyn Style crust and $14.99 for an X-large.
2. Buffalo Style Pizza
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The first food you think about when you hear Buffalo is most probably Buffalo wings.
However, Buffalo is not only made for wings but for pizzas as well.
Buffalo Style pizza is best known for its light and fluffy crust, loaded with lots of cheese and grease and sweet red sauce.
It is topped with curled and slightly charred pepperoni toppings that are usually placed up to the edges.
The crust is somewhere between thin and thick.
3. Boardwalk Style Pizza
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New Jersey is famous for its amusing boardwalks and beautiful beaches.
Pizzerias are commonly found along the boardwalk, so it is no surprise pizza is a boardwalk staple food.
Boardwalk Style pizzas in New Jersey are famed for their sweet and tangy sauce.
It uses an Italian cheese blend seasoned with Italian herbs and seasonings.
This sauce is swirled on top of the cheese in a spiral pattern.
The signature swirl on the pizza makes this Boardwalk Style pizza distinct.
You can try a Boardwalk Style pizza at Maruca’s Pizza with its famous large 18-inch swirl pizza.
4. Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
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Deep Dish Style pizzas started in Chicago in the 1900s and is a pizza unlike any other.
It is the thickest and densest pizza with its two-inch deep crust.
It is baked in an oiled deep-dish pan or round iron skillet pan, not the kind of flat pan normally used for flat round pizzas.
It is thick and buttery with a crispy outer crust.
The pizza is filled with layers of tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings.
In fact, all these toppings and sauces are piled up in reverse order, putting the cheese first and not on top to prevent it from burning.
Try this pizza style at Little Caesars with a large round deep dish crust for $11.99.
Jet’s Pizza also has deep dish crusts for small ($10.29), medium ($12.49), large ($15.49), extra large ($18.99), party tray ($34.99), 4 corner pizza ($10.29), and 8 corner pizza ($16.99).
For frozen pizzas, you can order one from Costco’s frozen pizzas, such as Giordano’s Chicago Frozen 10″ Deep Dish Stuffed for $89.99.
5. Chicago Thin Crust Tavern Style Pizza
Photo: Chicago Thin Crust Tavern Style Pizza
The opposite of deep dish pizza is Chicago Thin Crust Tavern Style pizza.
Unlike the two-inch deep crust, this crust features a thin crust with a cracker-like consistency.
The dough is rolled and not tossed and baked until it is crispy.
It is topped with sweet sauce and loaded with cheese and sausage toppings.
This pizza style cannot be folded, so it is usually cut into squares or rectangles for easy bites.
It is called Tavern Style since it is a pizza typically shared at a bar or tavern.
Having small square-shaped slices makes it easy to eat while having a drink.
6. California Style Pizza
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California Style has a thin crust and thin base similar to Neapolitan and New York Style pizzas.
The toppings used for this pizza style are more creative and non-traditional than a typical pizza.
It usually has a local twist for sunny Cali flavors, such as goat cheese instead of mozzarella and chicken or steak instead of pepperoni.
In addition, it is topped with different sauces like peanut sauce and BBQ.
It is also common to use sun-dried tomatoes, eggs, bacon, and vegetables.
7. Detroit Style Pizza
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Detroit Style pizza is basically a rectangular thick crust pizza.
It is cooked in a rectangular pan and topped with a tomato sauce base, a generous amount of cheese, and savory pepperoni.
The crust is medium-well done and is crunchier since it is pan-fried in an oil-coated steel pan.
However, the center of the pizza is typically light and chewy.
This pizza style is considered the American take on Sicilian Style pizzas.
Learn more about this style with the guide: What Is Detroit Style Pizza – Why Is It Unique?
8. Calabrian Style Pizza
Photo: Calabrian Style Pizza
Calabrian Style pizza is unique but similar to Neapolitan and New York Style pizzas.
Its crust is thin and crispy, usually made from wheat flour, yeast, olive oil, salt, and water.
The dough is made thin by spreading it with a rolling pin and not tossed like other pizzas.
You don’t commonly see this option on the menu since it is already similar to more popular styles like Neapolitan and New York Style pizzas.
They are similar in terms of charred crust and the use of wheat flour and toppings.
What makes Calabrian Style different is that its crust is cooked longer for a thinner and flakier texture.
9. Calzone Style
Photo: Calzone Style pizza
This style was born in the 18th century and originated in Naples, Italy.
It may not look like the usual round pizza in a box, but it all has the essential features of a typical pizza.
Calzone Style pizza is a folded circular yeasted bread pizza with all your favorite toppings inside, including meat, vegetables, herbs, and a blend of parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta cheese.
Before baking it in the oven, it is folded and sealed using a crimping method by pinching and slightly twisting the dough edges.
Since it does not come in slices, eating this pizza style requires a fork and knife to cut it into small pieces.
10. Grandma Pizza
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Grandma Pizza is a simple pizza that was started by home cooks in Long Island, New York.
It is comparable to home-baked pizzas that are not baked in a traditional pizza oven.
Similar to Sicilian Style and Detroit Style pizzas, Grandma Pizza is baked in a rectangular or square pan that is olive oil-coated.
It has a thin crust topped with heart-stopping amounts of cheese and tomato sauce.
The cheese is placed first and then covered with tomato sauce to prevent the cheese from burning or becoming overcooked.
The crust is generally thinner than Detroit Style.
11. Miami Or Cuban Style Pizza
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Miami Style pizza is also known as Cuban Style pizza, best known for its thick and doughy crust and a blend of mozzarella and gouda cheese.
It uses an impressive amount of cheese that melts on top like a full halo or circle.
It also uses a thin layer of sauce and is topped with adventurous toppings like fried lobster tails, Spanish, chorizo, and sweet plantains.
12. New England Or Greek Pizza
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Judging by its name, this pizza style was created in New England by Greek immigrants.
New England or Greek Pizza has a thin and soft crust cooked in a shallow metal pan in an electric or brick oven.
The crust thickness is between New York and pan-style pizzas.
However, it is thicker than New York Style overall.
It is distinct for using olive oil on the crust, pan, and on top of the pizza.
With the generous amount of oil added, it creates a crispier and greasier crust.
The sauce is generally milder and thinner since the sauce also has added olive oil.
13. New Haven Style Pizza
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New Haven Style pizza is a different version of Neapolitan pizza that originated in New Haven, Connecticut.
You may hear it being called “apizza” locally, which is pronounced as “ah-beetz”.
This pizza style is coal-fired or wood-fired in high temperatures, so it is common to see a burnt or charred crust.
It is typically baked above at scorching temperatures exceeding 650 °F (343 °C).
Thus, you can expect a crispier and thinner bottom than Neapolitan pizza.
In comparison to New York Style pizza, New Haven has more flavor because of its longer fermentation process of the dough.
14. Neapolitan Pizza
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If you want to try authentic Italian pizza, go for the classic Neapolitan pizza with the original Italian pizza crust.
The crust is thin, soft, and chewy, made from flour, yeast, salt, and water.
This pizza style was developed in Naples, Italy, in the 18th century.
It was created for Queen Margherita and included tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
Today, Neapolitan pizza has different versions, such as Margherita, Marinara, and Margherita extra.
15. New York Style Pizza
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Since the 1900s, New York Style pizza has been popular for its wide-wedged large thin slices.
The crust is thin and crispy with a chewy floppy center.
The dough is hand-tossed and uses yeast, flour, salt, water, oil, and sugar.
Its large size makes it difficult to eat, so it is common to fold it to eat it easily.
This pizza is typically topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
It is similar to Neapolitan, but New York Style is larger in size.
16. Roman Style Pizza
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Roman Style pizza is a rectangular pie with a thin crust, also known as pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) and pizza al metro (pizza by the meter).
It is usually cut into square slices.
The dough contains olive oil and has much less water than the traditional.
It is rolled to a thin crust for a cracker-like texture.
Unlike Neapolitan pizza with minimal toppings, Roman Style is more creative as some may add mushrooms, artichoke, and olives.
17. Sicilian Pizza
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Sicilian pizza originated in Sicily, Italy, and was commonly sold at bakeries, not pizza places.
It is known for its thick rectangular crust, which is generally thicker and crispier than Neapolitan pizza.
It features a bread-like consistency and is usually topped with anchovies, tomato sauce, onions, and bread crumbs.
18. St. Louis Pizza
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St. Louis pizza is another example of round thin pizza with a cracker-like crust.
It is crunchier than New York Style pizza and typically comes in square slices about three to four inches in size.
With this cut style, it is also referred to as party or tavern cut.
This pizza style uses unleavened dough or dough without yeast, resulting in a thin flaky crust.
Moreover, it is especially known for using a blend of provolone, cheddar, and Swiss cheeses.
Let Your Taste Buds Go On A Pizza Exploration
Whether you like it thin and crispy or soft and chewy, there is a pizza variation that can fulfill your cravings.
Go for classic styles like New York, Neapolitan, and Greek pizza.
For a bolder and more distinct taste, go for Buffalo Style, Chicago Deep Dish, or Miami Or Cuban Style pizza.
If you are looking for something to share with a group, opt for square slices with Roman Style, Sicilian, and Detroit Style pizzas.
Which types of pizza have you tried already?
Which one is your favorite type of pizza?
Share your feedback in the comments section below!
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