Year after year, the pizza industry unveils fresh trends, and 2023 is not falling behind. At HarborGladePlain, we keep our fingers on the pulse of what's drawing pizza aficionados worldwide. Discover the top pizza toppings that are currently setting the trend.
1. Fermented Vegetables
Emphasizing gut health has transitioned into pizza creations, with fermented vegetables emerging as an unexpected favorite. Kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickled onions are infusing pizzas with a deep, zesty flavor that enhances the cheesy, saucy base. These toppings not only offer probiotic properties but also add intriguing new textures to classic pizzas.
Our Fermentation Celebration pizza is topped with in-house sauerkraut, kimchi, and gorgonzola, with a sweet touch of local honey to counteract the sourness. It may seem like a bold mix, yet it's swiftly turned into one of the highly-requested specialties.
2. Plant-Based Proteins
The swell of plant-based diets has led to an increased demand for pizzas adorned with innovative meat substitutes. More than just typical vegetables, the advancements in plant-based protein are now satisfying even the staunch carnivores.
We're offering items like plant-derived Italian sausage bits, seasoned tempeh, jackfruit pulled pork marinated, and pea protein pepperoni. These options are beloved not just by vegetarians, but many customers enjoy their distinctive tastes and their more digestible nature.
3. Regional Chili Varieties
Those who love a spicy kick are celebrating as 2023 has seen a movement towards specific regional chilies over the standard red pepper flakes. Calabrian chilies hold on to their popularity, and now we're experiencing a rise in varieties like smoky ñora chilies from Spain, Aleppo peppers, sweet Peruvian aji amarillo, and Korean gochujang on pizzas.
The Global Heat pizza offers a diverse range of chilies, with each type contributing a distinctive flavor to the pizza's quadrants. This spicy voyage is particularly favored by our more daring diners.
4. Seasonal Foraged Ingredients
The connection from farm to table has now extended from forest to pizza, thanks to the trend of seasonal foraged items. Leading this trend are wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, morels, and hen of the woods, which grace pizzas during their seasonal highpoints.
In addition to mushrooms, we've been playing with wild leeks (spring ramps), sea greens like dulse and nori, along with spruce tips for a distinctive fragrance. These components not only offer a link to nature but also tastes that cultivated produce can't match.
5. Specialty Honey Drizzles
The play of sweet with savory offered by honey has solidified itself as more than a fleeting craze. Following the success of spicy honey, 2023 has introduced an assortment of specialty honeys as finishing drizzles on pizzas.
Options like truffle honey, fermented garlic honey, smoky mesquite, and CBD-infused honey are finding their way into pizzerias. These drizzles infuse the pizzas with depth, turning simple pizza recipes into gourmet experiences.
Honorable Mentions
Some other unique garnishes that are making a statement but didn't make our list include:
- Cured egg yolks, generously grated over the pizza resembling a feathery golden dusting
- Pickled fruits, especially seasonal stone fruits such as peaches and plums
- Ancient grains for crunch, like crisp farro or popped sorghum
- Dollops of artisanal butter, like cultured or mixed herb butters
Whether you're someone who sticks to classic flavors or an explorer eager for novel tastes, pizza remains one of the most versatile and cherished dishes. At HarborGladePlain, we salute tradition while exploring modernity – that's why both the classic Margherita and the avant-garde pies have a place on our menu.
Have you sampled any of these trendy toppings? Or is there a distinctive favorite of yours you'd wish to see on our menu? Share your thoughts in the comments or on your next visit!