Pizza might just be the best base for “it” ingredients and flavors that consumers (and therefore operators) are hesitant to try. At once familiar and approachable, pizza boasts the adaptability to evolve in lockstop with fast-paced flavor trends.

Embracing emerging ingredients and styles requires an open mindset and a willingness to push beyond the conventional rules of menu development. The five opportunities that follow tap into consumer preferences and, through pizza, push them to new levels. With more staying power than flash-in-the-pan fads, these offerings highlight a path toward long-term innovation and engagement.

1

Tinned Fish With a Twist

Tinned fish and shellfish are having a moment, with gourmet offerings working their way into consumers’ grocery carts and the retail arms of restaurants. Pizza purveyors can use tinned fish’s current stardom to build from the longstanding, albeit contentious, anchovy topping, bringing novelty—and a salty kick—to the dining experience.

Although tinned, these gourmet fish sport peak flavor freshness that operators can leverage. For an elevated guest experience, sell tinned fish as a premium topping. Create a signature pizza that is topped with a complementary tinned fish variety or place the customization in guest hands by presenting them with a small fish tin tableside, which they can then open, share and adorn their pizza as desired. Operators can further take advantage of the inherent portability of tinned fish, packaging the tin as a takeout or delivery add-on. Another approach would be to inventively merge two old-school classics that are having a moment: tinned fish and grandma pizza—a rectangular pie with Long Island roots and an ultra-thin, Sicilian-style crust. When it comes to finding a particular pizza’s perfect pairing, there are plenty of fish in the sea—and the tin.

• Basil pesto pizza topped with tuna belly fillets in sun-dried tomato oil
• Charred summer vegetable pizza topped with baby sardines in spiced lemon sauce
• White truffle oil pizza topped with smoked coho salmon
• Wild mushroom pizza topped with mackerel in smoked paprika oil
• Diavolo pizza topped with white anchovies in roasted garlic oil
• Tomato vodka pizza topped with squid in ink sauce
• White pizza topped with clams in brine
• Creamed spinach pizza topped with bacon and smoked oysters

“Try This”

Scallop Margarita Pizza: classic margarita + sliced scallops in Vieira sauce

Angry Salmon Supreme Pizza: white sauce + mozzarella + spinach + shaved jalapeño + dollops of tinned smoked salmon-chile crisp

Menu Sightings

Napoli: San Marzano tomato sauce, smoked provola Campana, Sicilian anchovies, oregano, garlic, olives, capers, Calabrian chile
—Propaganda Wine Bar, Los Angeles

Ananchovy: anchovies, pineapples, red pepper flakes, rum-pineapple syrup, mozzarella, red sauce, garlic butter-brushed crust
—Ananas Pizzeria, Seattle

Tonno E Cipolla: white pizza with escarole, fior di latte, Armatore tuna fillets, semi-dried tomatoes, taggiasche olives, capers, homemade red onion jam, crispy shallots, extra-virgin olive oil
—Napoli on the Road, London

2

Global Meats With a Connection

In the pizza world, meat toppings still reign supreme and provide the perfect ingredient to inject international flavor. Operators are incorporating on-trend global meats into pizza as an elevated comfort play, enlisting their high-quality cachet as a delectable pizza topping. Plus, the opportunities to explore such flavor mash-ups—especially through LTOs—are vast.

Double down on Detroit pizza decadence with a beef birria topping in between the sauce stripes and serving slices—and don’t forget a sopping dipping jus. Bring spicy boldness by topping a white pizza with chicken shawarma, or showcase slow-roasted pulled pork belly tossed with chile crisp as a Chicago deep-dish filling. Take a page out of Turkish cuisine, finishing crisped flatbread with a baked-in thin layer of spicy ground lamb/vegetables plus a pickled onion and herb topping, or adorn traditional barbecue pizza with Korean bulgogi. After all, there are many ways to get to the meat of this trend.

• Hand-torn chunks of Korean short-rib barbecue
• Char siu
• Carnitas
• ’Nduja
• Hawaiian huli huli chicken or pork
• Nigerian chicken suya
• Lemongrass sausage paired with bánh mì flavorings
• Miniature Swedish meatballs seasoned with nutmeg, allspice and ginger

“Try This”

Mediterranean Kofta Pizza: roasted garlic tomato sauce + artichoke hearts + Kalamata olives + mozzarella + feta crumbles + grilled beef kofta slices

Chicken Tikka Pizza: masala sauce + pulled tandoori chicken + mozzarella + paneer + charred red onions + mint-yogurt drizzle

Menu Sightings

Japanese Philly: Detroit-style pizza using Japanese flour with soy-and-mirin-braised prime rib, red onion, brick cheese, ichimi spice blend, cheese sauce
—Tonari, Washington, D.C.

Sweet Chili Oxtail: slow-cooked oxtail marinated in sweet chile sauce
—Cuts & Slices, New York City

Thai Beef Pizza: Thai beef larb, tamarind sauce, mozzarella, red onions, cilantro, mint, shrimp chips, fresh lime
—Hapa Pizza, Beaverton, Ore.

Me Gustan Tus Piñas: marinated pork, diced pineapple, sliced red onion, jalapeños, cilantro, homemade “Frida poblana” sauce
—Pizzeria El Jefe, Chula Vista, Calif.

3

Alternative Crusts With an Artisan’s Touch

Credit: Mister 01 Extraordinary Pizza

Neither square nor circle, the eight-pointed Star Beckham at Mister 01 demonstrates that something as simple as shape can pay dividends in freshening up a menu staple.

From its thickness to the ingredients used and how it’s sliced, crust is a critical element to the pizza experience. Whether thin with puffy, charred at the edges or thick with a discernable chew, crust styles and cuts are as distinctive as the pizza itself. Now, alternative crusts are being reimagined through flavor-forward enhancements. Chefs are blending attributes of regional and global pizza styles, reviving heritage grains, moving beyond cauliflower and chickpea into new gluten-free realms, adding liquid or stiff preferments to doughs for deeper layered flavor and digestible texture, folding fats into doughs or on top of crusts, and applying indulgent flavor treatments to crust edges—like a tempting buttered Parmesan everything bagel crust.

Add sourdough for a crispier New York-style slice with a hint of tang, or top the traditional Chicago deep-dish dough with duck fat for rich savoriness. Incorporate farro into a Neapolitan pizza for nutty, rounded flavor, or capitalize on Detroit’s thick texture by using a pretzel crust.

• Multigrain and flour blends for enhanced texture, complex flavor, digestion
• Sprouted grains for nutty flavor and nutritional value
• Heritage/ancient grains for specific flavor adventures and culinary storytelling
• Malt for a toasted caramel-nutty flavor and enhanced crust browning
• Preferments (poolish or biga) for a light, airy crust
• Herbal or edible flower infusions for unique visual
• Beer infusions for texture and flavor
• Buttered crusts for indulgence

“Try This”

NY Beer Garden Pizza: hefeweizen beer-infused New York-style dough + pistachio-edible flower pesto + Parmesan-mozzarella blend + mortadella + crushed peppadews mixed with honey

Spiked Sourdough Romana Pizza: sourdough pinsa Romana + onion confit + crushed tomatoes + guanciale + grated pecorino Romano + sprinkle of chile-spiked sourdough breadcrumbs + cracked black pepper

Menu Sightings

Star Beckham: eight-pointed star-shaped pizza filled with ricotta and topped with mozzarella, bacon, onions, tomatoes, ranch dressing, basil
—Mister 01 Extraordinary Pizza, based in Miami

Clam Pie: milled-on-site ancient grain crust topped with littleneck clams, oregano, garlic, lemon, chile, pecorino
—Heritage Grand Restaurant and Pizza Bar, New York

Double Decker Shredder: “Quad City-style” pizza with hand-tossed, malt-enhanced crust sliced into strips, garlic-dill sauce, smoked Canadian bacon, pickles, mozzarella
—QC Pizza, Mahtomedi, Minn.

Montanara Pizza: flash-fried then baked crust, mozzarella, tomato sauce, basil
—Partenope Ristorante, Dallas and Richardson, Texas

The Grandma: square pie with mozzarella, signature Grandma sauce and gluten-free dough made from rice, potato, tapioca and millet
—Prime Pizza, based in Los Angeles

4

Pickle Perfection with a Charming Contrast

Once upon a time, pineapple on pizza was a scandalous combination for many consumers. But now, pickles have taken up the “controversial” mantle. Unexpected pizza toppings in the form of both classic pickles and pickled veggies reflect the creativity that entices culinary-curious guests to sample new flavor profiles. Pickle slices, slivers, relishes, juices and mists are wide open for culinary interpretation. Another avenue is to spotlight housemade pickled toppings featuring seasonal, locally sourced vegetables or fruits, directly appealing to sustainability-minded customers. And given their broad definition and wide variety, pickles are poised to keep making flavor waves beyond the foreseeable future.

• Fried pickles for textural contrast and juicy flavor
• Pickle juice blended with crema for a drizzle
• Chopped dill pickle lemon gremolata
• Pickled mustard seeds
• Matchstick quick-pickled vegetables (zucchini, icicle radish, fennel)
• Calabrian-pickled artichokes
• Hot raspberry-pickled red onion slivers
• Quick-pickled huckleberries or cranberries

“Try This”

Fried Garlicky Pickle Cubano Pizza: cream cheese béchamel + carnitas + shaved honey ham + Gruyère-mozzarella blend + fried spicy garlic pickle slices + small dollops of pickled mustard seeds

Char n’ Pickled Mexi Pizza: creamy charred poblano sauce + crisped chorizo crumbles + asadero-Chihuahua cheese + chopped pickled tomatillos + micro cilantro

Menu Sightings

Pickle-Bacon Ranch Pizza: dill pickles, Swiss cheese, smoked bacon, ranch dressing
—Dtown Pizzeria, West Hollywood, Calif.

The Bird Reynolds Pizza: buffalo chicken, ranch, fontinella, iceberg, onion, pickles, dill
—Boogy & Peel, Washington, D.C.

Dill Pickle Cheese Stuffed Crust: available with any pizza build across the menu
—Pizza Pizza, based in Toronto

5

Seasoning Kicks and Finishers With a Punch

Credit: SauceBros

At Bangaldeshi-inspired eatery SauceBros, fermented shrimp makes a flavorful appearance on the Naga Habanero Balachao Pizza, which also features spicy naga sauce.

Last, but certainly not least, finishing touches are a turnkey solution for lending pizza some distinctive swagger. These craveable markers take many forms, from lively seasoning blends to any manner of drizzles with a flavor edge. Complex iterations of hot honey, citrus-spiked herbal condiments and citrus mists can brighten even the heartiest pizzas, while spiced, creamy sauce infusions and luxurious melt-in-your-mouth cheese dollops bring a new layer of luxury. Unexpected crunches, umami punches and micro greens with a burst of zing provide a bold close to each bite. Calabrian chile flakes in particular are enjoying time in the limelight, whether infused in olive oil for a spicy finishing drizzle, blended with dried oregano as a tableside shake or blended with ranch dressing as a dip for slices—especially those already studded with hot honey.

And while the ingredients, tastes and textures vary, they all bring big flavor for a final crescendo.

• Pink peppercorn-fried caper blend
• Buckwheat honey-chile crisp
• Red curry tamarind date syrup
• Adobo-flavored lemon gremolata
• Tomato achar with lime
• Valencia orange juice mist
• Rustic dollops of oozing double or triple cream cheeses
• Piped Serrano pesto whipped mascarpone rosettes
• Thin, curled ribbons of fresh pears tossed in spiced or smoked syrup

“Try This”

Smoked Peachy ’Q Pizza: smoked ricotta + chopped barbecue brisket + fontina cheese + ancho chile-saba drizzle + thin slices of charred fresh peaches

Summer Cacio E Pepe Pizza: buttery golden corn sauce + fresh mozzarella + pecorino Romano crema drizzle + pink peppercorn-fennel pollen sprinkle

Menu Sightings

Coffee Paolo Pizza: tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy salami Calabrese, Gorgonzola blue cheese, honey, liberal sprinkling of crunchy coffee grounds
–Mister 01 Extraordinary Pizza, based in Miami

Naga Habanero Balachao Pizza: spicy naga sauce, mozzarella, cilantro, onions, garnish of balachao (fermented shrimp)
—SauceBros, Plano, Texas

CA-Lamb-ITY J’s Pizza: housemade lamb sausage, tzatziki, whipped feta, za’atar, olive oil, garlic
—Comet Ping Pong, Washington, D.C.

The Griz: Detroit-style pizza loaded with chicken, bacon, charred togarashi-spiced pineapple, Wisconsin brick cheese, signature grizzly sauce, housemade ranch, hot honey
—Gold Tooth Tony’s, Houston

Alpha Centauri Pizza: Italian sausage, sautéed peppers, Calabrian chile oil, orange zest
—Betelgeuse Betelgeuse, Houston