Beyond New York And Chicago: 5 Pizza Styles You Might Not Have Heard Of

When it comes to regional pizza styles, many people can only name two: New York and Chicago. That leaves out quite a lot of great, regional pizza. There are huge variations in the way pizza is made depending on where in the country you go. While some styles do tend to dominate the national pizza landscape, there are some really cool pizza variations in many large cities around the country. Below is a list of some of the lesser known ones and a brief description of what they are like.

Trenton Style

A Trenton style pizza is one that is made with the sauce on top. At first glance the pizza may look similar to a NY style, but the sauce on top gives it a unique flavor. The tomato sauce hits your mouth before the cheese. The locals call these "tomato pies", not pizza pies. Of course, because the tomato sauce is so important, most Trenton style pizzerias pride themselves on making excellent sauce.

New Haven Style

The New Haven style is based off of the classic Neapolitan, as are so many others. However, it differs in that it is a white pie and has a unique topping not found in any other city: clams. The New Haven style's signature is a garlic, olive oil, and clam topping on top of mozzarella and pecorino romano. The sharpness of the pecorino matches wonderfully with the savory richness of the garlic, oil and clam. 

Detroit Style

These pizzas resemble the Sicilian style pizza in shape. They are large and square. They are different, however, in that they are twice baked and have the sauce on top. The crust is deep, similar to a Chicago style. The first baking is done with just the dough. Then the crust is either brushed with butter or olive oil, and cheese and sauce are applied. Then the pizza goes through the final bake.

St. Louis Style

Now for something completely different, a pizza made without yeast or mozzarella. The St. Louis style crust is thin and crisp. It could be said to resemble a big cracker. The cheese is a local processed cheese that is a mixture of cheddar, provolone, and Swiss. Finally, the pizza is cut into squares, not pie slices.

Quad City Style

This pizza is popular in Iowa and parts of Illinois. The pizzas are known for being very spicy. The dough has malt, which gives it a unique flavor among pizza crusts. Also, the sauce is very spicy because of chili flakes and other spices that normally don't find their way into pizza sauces. This pizza is served in strips, not slices of squares. Check with your local pizza joint, such as Chuck's Pizza, to see what local flavors they carry.


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