Who invented pizza? All about the history of our favorite food

Who invented pizza is a complex and historically interwoven topic. For example, topped dough pies can be traced back to ancient times

Who invented pizza is an interesting story

The invention of pizza is one of the many culinary myths that do not allow a clear interpretation of its origins – as is the case with dumplings, for example. Science has been able to date the popular dish back to antiquity.

• The origin of pizza probably goes back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Back then, flatbreads with toppings were eaten in many cultures

• The Romans topped their flatbreads with various ingredients such as oil, herbs and cheese. They called this dish “picea”. Although it was already similar to today’s pizza, it was not identical

• The modern pizza as we know it originated in Naples, Italy, in the 18th century. It was a kind of “poor man’s food”, consisting of a simple yeast dough with tomatoes, garlic, oil and basil – similar to today’s margherita pizza.

• Pizzerias began to establish themselves in Naples and pizza quickly became a symbol of the city.

Raffaele Esposito as the inventor of pizza

The Margherita pizza is an icon of Italian cuisine. It was allegedly created in 1889 by pizza chef Raffaele Esposito to honor Queen Margherita of Savoy.

• Esposito used the colors of the Italian flag – tomatoes (red), mozzarella (white) and basil (green) – and named the pizza after the queen.

• The emigration of many Italians to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century contributed to the spread of pizza.

• Pizza became internationally popular and developed into a versatile dish with countless topping combinations.