Before There Was Pizza

Flatbreads baked on hot stones are as old as civilization itself. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all baked various forms of flatbread — sometimes topped with oils, herbs, and vegetables. The Romans had a dish called placenta, a sheet of dough topped with olive oil, cheese, and honey. These were the distant ancestors of what we now call pizza.

But the pizza we recognize today — with tomato sauce — couldn't have existed before the 16th century, when tomatoes arrived in Europe from the Americas. And it took another two centuries for tomatoes to lose their undeserved reputation as poisonous and make their way into Neapolitan cooking.

Naples: The Birthplace

By the 18th century, Naples was one of Europe's most densely populated cities, teeming with a class of working poor known as lazzaroni. These were people who needed food that was cheap, fast, filling, and portable. Pizza — flatbread topped with tomato, garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil — fit every requirement perfectly. It was street food before street food was fashionable, sold by vendors from tin stoves and eaten on the move.

The city's street pizzerias, known as pizzerie, became cultural institutions. By the 19th century, Naples had firmly established pizza as a core part of its identity. The iconic Pizzeria Brandi, founded in 1780, is one of the oldest in the world and claims to be the birthplace of the Margherita pizza — created, according to legend, for Queen Margherita of Savoy in 1889 by pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito.

The Margherita Myth (and the Reality)

The story of the Margherita pizza — designed to represent the Italian flag with its red tomato, white mozzarella, and green basil — is one of food history's most enduring tales. Whether it's entirely true remains debated by food historians. What's certain is that by the late 19th century, the Margherita had become the defining symbol of Neapolitan pizza, and its creation story helped codify what "proper" pizza should be.

Pizza Crosses the Atlantic

The late 19th and early 20th centuries brought waves of Italian immigrants — many of them from Naples and southern Italy — to the United States. They brought their food traditions with them. The first documented American pizzeria, Lombardi's, opened in New York City in 1905 and is still operating today.

American pizza evolved rapidly in its new home. Larger sizes, more generous toppings, and the development of the home oven drove innovations like the New York slice, Chicago deep-dish, and Detroit-style pan pizza. By the mid-20th century, pizza had become deeply American — but with unmistakably Italian roots.

The Global Spread

After World War II, American soldiers stationed in Italy encountered pizza and fell in love with it. Combined with the global influence of American popular culture in the postwar decades, pizza spread to every corner of the world. Today, regional variations exist everywhere:

  • Japan: Mayo-based pizzas with corn, seafood, and teriyaki chicken.
  • Brazil: Chocolate and banana dessert pizzas are mainstream menu items.
  • India: Paneer tikka, tandoori chicken, and spiced vegetable pizzas.
  • Sweden: Kebab pizza — a beloved national specialty.

The Renaissance: A Return to Tradition

In recent decades, a global movement has emerged pushing back against the homogenization of pizza. Artisan pizzaiolos, food journalists, and culinary organizations have championed a return to traditional Neapolitan methods — long fermentation, high hydration, wood-fired baking, and quality ingredients. In 2017, the art of the Neapolitan pizzaiolo was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list — a remarkable recognition for a dish that began as street food for the urban poor.

Pizza's story is ultimately a story about culture, migration, and the universal human love of good bread and good flavor. From a Neapolitan alley to a UNESCO list — few foods have traveled as far, or meant so much.