Each year, the pizza industry is transformed by fresh trends, and 2023 has certainly brought its own unique changes. At Crust & Crumble Pizzeria, we keep a close eye on the preferences of pizza aficionados worldwide. We're excited to share our list of the top pizza toppings that are dominating tastes this year.
1. Fermented Vegetables
The emphasis on digestive health has reached pizza kitchens, where fermented veggies have emerged as a surprising favorite. Kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickled onions offer a zesty complexity that enhances the traditional flavors of pizza. These additions not only boast gut-friendly attributes but also add new and interesting textures to the mix.
Introducing our Fermentation Fiesta pizza, this creation comes with our very own sauerkraut, kimchi, and gorgonzola cheese, topped off with a hint of local honey for a sweet balance. While it may seem like an odd pairing, it has quickly soared to the top as one of our most sought-after specialty pizzas.
2. Plant-Based Proteins
The wave of plant-based diets doesn't seem to be receding, as reflected by an amplified request for pizzas adorned with innovative meat substitutes. These aren't your ordinary vegetable toppings; we're now serving up a range of plant-based proteins that even the staunchest carnivores appreciate.
Menu staples have expanded to include plant-based Italian sausage pieces, flavored tempeh, jackfruit pulled pork, and pea protein pepperoni. These plant-based options are popular not only for their intriguing flavors but also for their relatively light impact on digestion.
3. Regional Chili Varieties
For those who favor fire in their food, 2023 is an exciting year as pizza lovers are opting for specific regional chili varieties over the usual crushed red pepper. Despite the continued success of Calabrian chilies, we are now also seeing an uptick in the utilization of Aleppo pepper, smoky Spanish ñora chilies, sweet Peruvian aji amarillo, and gochujang from Korea on pizzas.
Our Global Heat pizza is a sensory journey featuring a quartet of distinct regional chilies, each allocated to a quarter of the pie and lending its distinctive taste profile. This spicy culinary exploration has particularly resonated with our more daring customers.
4. Seasonal Foraged Ingredients
We're witnessing forest-to-pizza emerge as an offshoot of the farm-to-table approach, with seasonal foraged components gaining traction. At the forefront, wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, morels, and hen of the woods are popping up during their prime seasons.
Our experimentation doesn't end with fungi. We've introduced spring ramps (wild leeks), sea botanicals like dulse and nori, and even aromatic spruce tips to our pizzas. These foraged ingredients not only connect our customers to nature but also provide tastes that can't be replicated in mass cultivation.
5. Specialty Honey Drizzles
The interplay of honey's sweetness with the savory notes of pizza has become a staple element rather than a fleeting fad. 2023 has seen a surge in the use of unique honey varieties as finishing drizzles on pizzas.
Exotic variations like truffle honey, fermented garlic honey, mesquite honey, and even CBD-infused honey are being introduced on menus countrywide. These drizzles serve as the final flourish, adding a layer of sophistication and transforming even the simplest of pizzas into a gourmet experience.
Honorable Mentions
While they didn't make our top five list, these additional toppings are still gaining popularity:
- Cured egg yolks, finely grated over the pizza for a lush topping
- Pickled fruits, with an emphasis on stone fruits such as peaches and plums
- Ancient grains for texture, like crunchy farro or popped sorghum
- Specialty butter spots, including cultured or herb-infused butter varieties
Whether you're set in your ways with the tried-and-true classics or are eager to experiment with bold, unconventional pairings, pizza remains one of the most versatile and cherished dishes globally. At Crust & Crumble Pizzeria, we pay homage to time-honored traditions while embracing the new, which is why our menu features both timeless Margherita pizzas and avant-garde creations.
Have you tried any of these trend-setting toppings? Maybe you have a distinctive favorite combo in mind that you'd love for us to explore? Share your thoughts in the comments, or let us know when you drop by!