As each calendar page turns, innovative tastes arrive on pizza scenes everywhere, and 2023 is brimming with novelty. Here at Crust & Crafts Pizzeria, keeping tabs on global preferences is our specialty. Dive into this roster of this year's top pizza toppings that have taken the culinary stage by storm.
1. Fermented Vegetables
Gut wellness has hit pizza kitchens, igniting a trend of fermented veggies topping our favorite pies. Zesty flavors of kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickled onions are not only gustatory delights but also share beneficial probiotics, revitalizing the conventional slice with their piquant twist.
We bring you our Fermentation Carnival pizza, a crafty meld of in-house sauerkraut, kimchi, and bold gorgonzola, all sweetened with a dash of regional honey to soften the sharpness. It's an unconventional medley, swiftly climbing our chart of signature offerings.
2. Plant-Based Proteins
As veg-based diets surge in appeal, the clamor for meat alternative-adorned pizzas has followed suit. Beyond typical garden toppings, pioneering plant proteins have been winning over even the staunch carnivorists.
Choices like seasoned tempeh, pulled pork style jackfruit, pea protein-infused pepperoni, and plant-based Italian sausage crumbles now grace our repertoire. These aren’t just catering to veggie enthusiasts; many pick them for their distinct savor and ease on the stomach.
3. Regional Chili Varieties
Heat aficionados are celebrating! This year, pizza devotees are drawn to unique, location-specific chilies over the common crushed red pepper. We see continued favor for Calabrian chilies, with newcomers like smoky Spanish ñora chilies, fruity aji amarillo from Peru, Aleppo pepper and Korean gochujang making their fiery marks.
Try our Global Heat pizza: an adventurous quartet of distinctive chilies sprinkled across each quarter, guaranteeing a zesty tour for the taste buds.
4. Seasonal Foraged Ingredients
The local-sourced trend has wandered into the wild, bringing a bounty of seasonally foraged ingredients directly onto our pizzas. Leading this green crusade are wild mushrooms—chanterelles, morels, and hen of the woods, each making its anticipated debut during their natural growing seasons.
Our forage doesn't stop at fungi; we've also welcomed wild leeks, oceanic greens such as dulse and nori, as well as spruce tips, which offer a one-of-a-kind aroma. These foraged finds forge a link to Mother Earth while delivering unreplicable tastes.
5. Specialty Honey Drizzles
The interplay of honey's sweetness against savory notes has solidified its stance in the pizza realm. This year introduces a surge in distinctive honey varieties drizzled atop pizzas for that finishing gourmet touch.
Aromatic truffle honey, pungent fermented garlic honey, rich mesquite-flavored honey, and innovative CBD-enhanced honey have made their way onto pizza joints nationwide, adding an extra layer of complexity to even the simplest pizza masterpieces.
Honorable Mentions
Other toppings that narrowly missed our list but deserve recognition include:
- Cured egg yolks, freshly grated over pizzas, casting a velvety dusting.
- Pickled fruits, with a fondness for stone fruits such as peaches and plums.
- Heritage grains providing crunch, like toasted farro or puffed sorghum.
- Dollops of specialty butter, especially varieties imbued with herbs or cultures.
Pizza, in its essence, is a canvas for tradition and innovation alike. At Crust & Crafts Pizzeria, we cherish the classics yet readily embrace the new, providing a menu that spans from time-honored Margherita to avant-garde creations.
Which of these trending toppings have you savored? Do you have a distinct topping suggestion you'd want to see on our menu? Share your thoughts below or during your next visit!