Pizza history

Pizza is one of the most popular dishes in the modern world. You can find it in big cities and small towns, with different toppings like cheese, tomatoes, meat, vegetables, and seafood. But where did this delicious dish come from? The story of pizza begins in Italy.

The idea of putting toppings on flatbread is very old. Ancient Greeks and Egyptians ate flatbread with oils and spices. However, the pizza we know and love today started its journey in Naples, a city in southern Italy. In the 18th century, Naples was a busy port city with many poor workers. These workers needed food that was cheap and quick to eat. Street vendors started selling simple flatbreads with toppings like garlic, oil, and tomatoes. These early pizzas were just food for the poor.

Tomatoes, which are a key ingredient in most pizzas today, actually came from the Americas in the 16th century. At first, many Europeans thought tomatoes were poisonous. But people in Naples started using them in their dishes, including on their flatbreads.

A famous story tells us about the creation of the Margherita pizza. In 1889, Italian King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples. The Queen was tired of the fancy French food they usually ate and wanted to try some local dishes. A pizza maker named Raffaele Esposito was asked to make pizzas for her. He created three different kinds. The Queen’s favorite was one with toppings that represented the colors of the Italian flag: red (tomatoes), white (mozzarella cheese), and green (basil). This pizza was named "Pizza Margherita" in her honour. This event helped to make pizza more popular throughout Italy.

For a long time, pizza remained mostly an Italian dish. But in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Italians emigrated to other countries, especially the United States. They brought their recipes with them and opened bakeries and restaurants. The first pizzeria in North America, Lombardi's, opened in New York City in 1905. American soldiers who were stationed in Italy during World War II also discovered pizza and brought their love for it back home.

After the war, pizza's popularity exploded. New types of pizza with different toppings and crusts began to emerge, for example, Chicago deep-dish in the USA and the Canadian-created Hawaiian pizza with pineapple. Pizza became a convenient takeaway food and a family favorite. Supermarkets began selling frozen pizzas, making it even easier to enjoy at home.

Today, pizza is a global phenomenon. Each country and culture has often added its own unique twist to this originally Italian dish. From street food in Naples to a beloved meal worldwide, pizza has had an amazing journey. It shows how food can travel across borders and bring people together.