The History of Pizza

Pizza is one of the most loved foods on Earth. It started in Italy as a simple flatbread topped with tomatoes and cheese. Over the years, pizza traveled to America and then spread around the whole world. Today, you can find pizza in almost every country, with toppings that range from pepperoni to pineapple.

Pizza in Italy

Pizza as we know it was born in Naples, Italy, in the 1700s. Poor people in Naples would top their flatbread with tomatoes, cheese, olive oil, and garlic. In 1889, a pizza maker named Raffaele Esposito made a special pizza for Queen Margherita of Italy. He used tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil to match the colors of the Italian flag. This pizza is still called Pizza Margherita today.

Pizza Comes to America

Italian immigrants brought pizza to America in the late 1800s. The first pizzeria in America, Lombardi's, opened in New York City in 1905. After World War II, American soldiers who had tasted pizza in Italy wanted it at home, and pizza became hugely popular. Different cities created their own styles. New York pizza has thin, foldable slices. Chicago deep-dish pizza is thick and loaded with toppings.

Fun Facts

• Americans eat about 3 billion pizzas every year.
• The first pizzeria in America opened in New York City in 1905.
• The world's largest pizza was over 13,000 square feet, made in Rome in 2012.

Did You Know?

Pizza Margherita was named after Queen Margherita of Italy, who visited Naples in 1889 and loved the pizza made in her honor!