The History of Pizza (5th Century BCE to Modern Pizzas)
Pizza as we know it today, made with yeasted dough, tomato sauce, and mozzarella, took shape in Naples in the 18th century. But the idea of putting toppings on flatbread is much older. Ancient Greeks ate flatbreads with cheese, herbs, and oil, while similar dishes appeared in Egyptian, Persian, and Roman cultures. The word “pizza” itself shows up in a written record from 997 CE in Gaeta, Italy, in a document listing dues owed to the local bishop.
From ancient flatbreads to Neapolitan pizzerias, Italian immigration, American adaptations, and the endless variations found around the world today, pizza has changed quite a bit over the centuries. This is how it got there.
Pizza History: A Timeline
| Period | Milestone |
| 5th century BCE | Greeks bake “plakous” flatbreads with cheese, herbs, and garlic |
| 6th century BCE | Persian soldiers bake flatbreads with cheese and dates on shields |
| 997 CE | The word “pizza” first appears in a Latin document in Gaeta, Italy |
| 1738 | Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, founded in Naples, is considered the world’s first pizzeria |
| 17th century | Tomatoes were introduced to European cooking from the New World |
| 1889 | Pizza Margherita was created in Naples (or so the legend goes) |
| 1905 | Lombardi’s opens in New York City – the first licensed US pizzeria |
| 1950s | Frozen pizza and fast-food chains transform pizza into a mass-market product |
| 2009 | Pizza Napoletana granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status by the EU |
| 2017 | Neapolitan pizza-making inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list |
Ancient Origins: Flatbreads Before Pizza Had a Name
While pizza is often associated with Italy, its roots trace back to ancient Greece. The Greeks baked flatbreads called “plakous, topped with ingredients like cheese, garlic, onions, and herbs. These early creations, documented as far back as the 5th century BCE, were baked on hot stones or in clay ovens. Similarly, Romans enjoyed flatbreads with toppings, showing that the idea of pizza-like dishes was widespread in ancient times.
Even earlier, civilizations like the Egyptians and Babylonians had their own versions of flatbreads with flavored toppings. However, these early forms of pizza lacked the tomatoes and mozzarella we now associate with the dish.
Pizza in the Middle Ages: Food for the Poor in Naples
During the Middle Ages, pizza began evolving into a practical dish for the poor in Naples, Italy. Simple flatbread dough served as an edible plate for ingredients like olive oil, cheese, herbs, and small fish. It was cheap, easy to make, and versatile, which made it a staple food among the working class.
Despite its modest beginnings, pizza started breaking down social barriers. Upper-class banquets began featuring it as an exotic novelty, highlighting its potential to transcend its humble origins. The simplicity and adaptability of pizza helped it endure through the centuries, setting the stage for its rise to fame.
Explore different types of pizza crusts.
Tomatoes Change Everything: The 17th Century
The ingredient that defines modern pizza didn’t arrive until the 17th century. Tomatoes, brought to Europe from the Americas, were initially treated with deep suspicion – their vivid red color and membership in the nightshade family led many Europeans to believe they were poisonous.
The modern concept of pizza traces back to the 16th century when tomatoes, native to the Americas, were introduced to Europe. Once Neapolitan cooks began pairing tomatoes with flatbread, the combination spread rapidly. In the narrow alleys of Naples, filled with wood-fired pizza stalls, the dish that would eventually conquer the world began taking its recognizable shape.
Also read: How to Get a Free Pizza Slice
The Royal Connection: Pizza Margherita
Pizza’s rise to prominence took a significant leap in 1889 when Queen Margherita of Savoy visited Naples. Seeking to try local food, she was served several pizzas by Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito. One pizza featuring the colors of the Italian flagred (tomatoes), white (mozzarella), and green (basil)captured her heart. Esposito named it Pizza Margherita in her honor.
This simple yet elegant dish became a symbol of Italian unification and elevated pizza from a peasant meal to a dish fit for royalty.
Story of the Classic Neapolitan Pizza
Neapolitan pizza became renowned for its quality ingredients and authentic preparation. The tomatoes used, often San Marzano, are grown on the volcanic plains of Mount Vesuvius, known for their sweet flavor and low acidity. The mozzarella is traditionally made from buffalo milk, providing a soft, creamy texture. The dough, crafted from just wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt, achieves its light, airy texture through careful kneading and fermentation.
This perfect combination of flavors and textures, baked in wood-fired ovens, became the hallmark of Neapolitan pizza, laying the foundation for pizza’s journey across Italy and beyond.
Pizza’s Evolution Across the Globe
As pizza traveled further, it embraced the flavors of each region it touched. In Sicily, a heartier version called sfincione was born. This thick and fluffy pizza was topped with onions, anchovies, tomatoes, oregano, and a unique cheese called caciocavallo, creating a bold, Mediterranean taste.
Moving north through Tuscany and Lombardy, pizza started to leave its street food origins behind. It became a gourmet dish in upscale restaurants, featuring premium toppings like truffles, porcini mushrooms, and artisanal cheeses. This marked the beginning of pizza’s transformation into a refined culinary experience.
Pizza Goes to The Americas
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw large waves of Italian immigrants heading to the Americas. Along with their traditions and culture, they brought their beloved pizza. In cities like New York, Chicago, and Boston, pizza began as a small family business served as a quick, affordable snack.
Pizza’s big break in the U.S., however, came after World War II. Soldiers stationed in Italy fell in love with pizza and brought their cravings home. Soon, pizza spread across North America and beyond, evolving with each region’s unique ingredients and preferences. From Latin America to Asia, pizza transformed into a creative culinary canvas for local flavors.
Frozen Pizza and Fast-Food Chains: The 1950s Transformation
The 1950s transformed pizza from a restaurant dish into a product. Frozen pizza arrived as a quick dinner solution for busy American families – a concept that horrified Italian traditionalists but resonated powerfully with post-war consumer culture.
Then came Pizza Hut, founded in 1958, and Domino’s, founded in 1960. Both built national chains around standardized, affordable pizza and reliable delivery, trading some of the character of traditional Neapolitan pizza for consistency and convenience. That model helped make pizza a staple for millions of Americans and changed how people ordered it. If you’re ordering from either chain today, you can still keep that convenience affordable with Domino’s coupons or Pizza Hut promo codes before you check out.
Also read: 12 Domino’s Hacks for Free and Cheap Pizza
Global Pizza Innovations and Controversies
Pizza’s global spread produced both beloved regional variations and genuinely controversial creations. Hawaiian pizza – pineapple and ham on a tomato-cheese base – remains one of the most debated food combinations anywhere, simultaneously loved and denounced with unusual intensity.
Brazil developed some of the world’s most experimental pizza variations, including chocolate and strawberry dessert pizzas and even sushi pizza. Japan popularized mayonnaise and corn as toppings. India produces pizza with paneer, tandoori chicken, and spiced vegetable combinations that have little in common with Neapolitan tradition but have found massive audiences on their own terms. Meanwhile, American chains built entire business models around recipe consistency and topping customization, and you can regularly use Papa John’s discounts and Pizza Lucé coupons to make that customization more affordable.
Today, pizza is a menu staple in every corner of the world, from Tokyo to Toronto, from Mumbai to Milan – each version reflecting local flavors while retaining the basic structure that has made the format so universally adaptable.
Final Word
Pizza’s history is a 2,500-year story of adaptation. It survived as peasant food in Naples, crossed the Atlantic in immigrant luggage, scaled into billion-dollar fast-food chains, and then circled back to artisanal revival. What makes it endure isn’t any single recipe – it’s the format itself: a bread base that accommodates whatever ingredients, techniques, and cultures it encounters. That flexibility is why pizza was already on tables in ancient Greece and why it’ll still be on tables two thousand years from now.
FAQs
Where did pizza originate?
Modern pizza originated in Naples, Italy, where 18th-century street vendors sold flatbread topped with tomatoes, cheese, and garlic. The broader concept is older – ancient Greeks made topped flatbreads called plakous as far back as the 5th century BCE. Naples is credited as the birthplace because it’s where tomatoes, mozzarella, and yeasted dough first came together.
When was the word “pizza” first used?
The word “pizza” was first documented in 997 CE in Gaeta, Italy, in a Latin document listing donations owed to a local bishop. Etymologists trace its roots to the Latin “pinsere,” meaning to pound or stamp – a reference to how dough was worked before baking.
Who invented pizza Margherita?
According to legend, pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito created it in 1889 for Queen Margherita of Savoy, using tomato, mozzarella, and basil to represent the Italian flag. However, later research casts doubt on this story, noting that no media of the period reported the royal visit, and the legend was first promoted in the 1930s-1940s.
When did pizza come to America?
Italian immigrants brought pizza to the US in the late 19th century. Lombardi’s on Spring Street in Manhattan became the first licensed US pizzeria in 1905 and is still operating today. Pizza stayed within Italian-American communities until after World War II, when returning soldiers who had tasted it in Italy drove mainstream demand.
What is the oldest pizzeria in the world?
Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba in Naples, which began as a food stand in 1738 and opened as a full establishment in 1830, is generally considered the world’s first pizzeria. It used lava rocks from Mount Vesuvius to line its ovens – a detail that made it legendary among pizza historians.
Is pizza Napoletana protected by law?
Yes. In December 2009, pizza napoletana was granted Protected Designation of Origin status by the EU, and in December 2017, Neapolitan pizza-making was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. Both designations enforce specific standards for ingredients, dough preparation, and baking methods that must be met for official Neapolitan classification.
What was the first pizza topping?
Before tomatoes arrived in Europe, early Neapolitan pizzas were topped with olive oil, garlic, salt, herbs, and small fish. Ancient Greek plakous flatbreads used herbs, onion, cheese, and garlic – making garlic and cheese arguably the world’s oldest pizza toppings, predating tomato-based pizza by well over a thousand years.
Why did tomatoes take so long to appear on pizza?
Tomatoes arrived in Europe from the Americas in the 16th century, but were widely feared as poisonous due to their relation to the nightshade family. It took over a century before Neapolitan cooks began using them freely. Once they did, the combination with flatbread spread rapidly across southern Italy.
