13 Types of Pizza, Explained

Even if you’ve ordered a Neapolitan pizza at a restaurant, you may not have tasted true Neapolitan ’za. That’s because it’s actually a protected category and must be certified genuine by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN). To qualify, this type of pizza must be made with a specific type of tomato and a specific type of cheese, and there are even rules about the way the crust is formed and the cheese is sliced. Wood-fired just until crisp and bubbling, this is what pizza aspires to be.

Stateside, Silician pizza usually describes a pie with a thick crust, tomato sauce and cheese, often (but not always) sliced into squares. Because it was introduced by Sicilian immigrants, this type of pizza is popular in Italian-American enclaves like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and even Michigan. Traditional Sicilian pizza can be topped with anything from plain tomato sauce to anchovies, onions and aged cheese.

The characteristically chewy, thin crust of a New York style pizza is said to get its texture and flavor from the minerals present in NYC tap water, although the theory has never been proven. I any case, slices of this large, hand-tossed pie are best eaten folded in half to control the flow of oil running onto a paper plate below. It’s believed that the first pizzeria in the U.S. was Lombardi’s, located in the Nolita neighborhood of Manhattan. New Yorkers love to debate on what’s the best pizza in the city, but with so many options, you really can’t go wrong.

Whether you love it or hate it, you likely know this Chicago icon. While toppings can vary, the quintessential Chicago pie features a cornmeal crust, cheese, sausage and sauce—in that order. Pizzeria Uno gets credit for inventing deep dish in 1943 as a way to differentiate itself from other restaurants on the block, but other notable spots in the Windy City include Giordano’s and Lou Malnati’s.

A close cousin to Chicago thin crust, St. Louis pizza has an even more cracker-like crust made of unleavened dough. In its truest form, it’s also made with a noticeably sweeter sauce and Provel, a type of cheese made by blending Swiss, cheddar and provolone. (In fact, the cheese was invented specifically for this type of pizza by Imo’s, its originator.)

Never heard of Quad Cities (let alone its distinctive pizza style)? It’s a metropolitan area perched along the Mississippi River in Illinois and Iowa. The first thing you’ll notice about its pie is that the pieces are cut into long strips instead of triangles or squares. But what will stick with you the most is the unique crust. Made with malt syrup, it has a sourdough-like texture and nutty flavor that even crust-leavers (you know the ones) will devour.

Coming full circle for the Midwestern types of pizza, Detroit-style pie tends toward the deeper side but doesn’t go into deep-dish territory. A descendant of Sicilian pizza (see no. 2 on this list), it’s got a thick-yet-fluffy, bready crust that is topped with sauce and cheese and cooked in a blue steel pan. The cheese and crust tend to caramelize at the pan’s edges, so make sure to call first dibs on those corner pieces for the best contrast between crisp and doughy.

Frequently compared to (or confused with) Sicilian pizza, grandma pies are a Long Island, NY, specialty and have a thin, rectangular crust sliced into small squares. What sets this pizza apart is that the cheese is baked underneath the tomato sauce for a jammy, caramelized effect.

This Neapolitan descendant—apizza, to the locals—originated in 1925 at the Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, Connecticut, but is now ubiquitous in the area. If you order a “plain” pie, don’t expect the usual cheesy slice—the thin, chewy crust is topped with tangy tomato sauce and a sprinkling of pecorino Romano cheese, as mozzarella is considered an additional topping. New Haven pizzas are coal fired and significantly charred (just don’t call it burnt). Want to try a white clam pie? This is your chance.

This hyper-local style of pizza is common in New England (and pretty much nowhere else). Greek-style pizza is almost like a thin focaccia with toppings. Instead of being formed by hand, the olive oil–enriched crust is proofed in a metal pan. The sauce is chunky, the pie is fragrant with oregano and the cheese is generously applied.