Margherita
The Naples benchmark: tomato, mozzarella and basil on a thin, blistered crust — the colors of the Italian flag on a plate.
Typical build: thin dough · tomato · fresh mozzarella · basil · olive oilPizza Styles Encyclopedia
Compiled and edited by Terrence Dewayne Sheppard · Heartland, Texas · Revision of October 18, 2026
Welcome to a reference work about pizza: what it is, what it is made of, and how its twenty best-known varieties differ. The material is organized as short entries — read top to bottom, or jump through the table of contents on the left.
Origins of pizza
Pizza in its modern sense was born in Naples, where flat bread dressed with tomato became a daily street food in the eighteenth century. The dish emigrated with southern Italians to the United States, where bakers adapted it to local pans, flours and appetites. Both lineages — the Neapolitan originals and the American interpretations — are covered in this encyclopedia.
The four ingredients every pizza is built from
Whatever the regional label, a pie combines the same four layers, and each layer helps define the style:
1. Dough & crust. Flour, water, yeast and salt — thin and soft in Naples, tall and pan-baked in Sicily and Detroit, cracker-like in St. Louis.
2. Sauce. Tomato in most cases; white bases use olive oil or cream; barbecue styles move sauce into the topping role.
3. Cheese. Low-moisture mozzarella is the default melt; provolone, cheddar, gorgonzola and ricotta mark particular styles.
4. Toppings. Pepperoni and sausage lead the American list; mushrooms, prosciutto and olives lead the Italian one.
A one-page version of this whole encyclopedia — all twenty styles with their typical build — is available as our printable chart (PDF, US Letter). The link is in the sidebar.
Italian entries
Neapolitan
The parent style of them all, governed by traditional rules: soft hydrated dough, minimal toppings, about ninety seconds in a ferociously hot oven.
Typical build: hydrated dough · crushed tomato · fior di latte · olive oil · saltMarinara
The cheese-less classic of Naples: tomato, garlic and oregano over crisp dough. Proof that crust and sauce can carry a pie alone.
Typical build: thin dough · tomato · sliced garlic · oregano · olive oilClassic Italian
The everyday pizza of Italy: thin crust, few toppings, quality first. Not a single recipe but the Italian approach to balance.
Typical build: thin crust · tomato or oil base · mozzarella · 1–2 toppingsRoman
Rome's crisp answer: dough rolled paper-thin, baked in long trays and cut with scissors — texture first, modest toppings second.
Typical build: oiled thin crust · tomato · mozzarella · anchovies or oreganoSicilian
The tall one: thick, airy focaccia-style dough in a square pan, sauce over cheese, often finished with breadcrumbs.
Typical build: tall dough · tomato · cheese · onions · breadcrumbsAmerican regional entries
New York Style
The wide, foldable slice that defined American pizza: thin but chewy crust, sauce and low-moisture mozzarella, oregano on top.
Typical build: high-gluten dough · tomato sauce · mozzarella · oreganoChicago Deep Dish
A savory pie in a tall oiled pan — buttery crust, cheese below, chunky sauce on top so it will not scorch in the long bake.
Typical build: buttery tall crust · mozzarella · chunky tomato · sausageChicago Thin (Tavern)
Chicago's everyday alternative: cracker-thin crust, sauce edge to edge, cut into squares for sharing.
Typical build: cracker crust · tomato sauce · mozzarella · fennel sausageCalifornia Style
The market-driven pie: light crust topped with whatever produce is in season — avocado, arugula, goat cheese and friends.
Typical build: light crust · oil or light sauce · fresh cheeses · seasonal produceTexas Style
Smokehouse pizza: cornmeal-flecked crust, barbecue sauce, smoked brisket, cheddar in the blend and a jalapeño bite.
Typical build: cornmeal crust · BBQ sauce · smoked brisket · cheddar · jalapeñosDetroit Style
The Motor City rectangle: airy dough in steel pans, brick cheese to the very edge, sauce striped on after baking.
Typical build: rectangular dough · brick cheese · tomato stripes · cupped pepperoniSt. Louis Style
The thinnest of them all — no yeast, Provel cheese, oregano-heavy sauce and square cuts. A style found almost nowhere else.
Typical build: unleavened crust · Provel · oregano sauce · square cutsFavorite entries
Pepperoni
America's default order: cheese pie plus pepperoni that curls into crisp, sauce-holding cups in the oven.
Typical build: hand-tossed dough · tomato · mozzarella · pepperoniMeat Lovers
The full stack — pepperoni, sausage, bacon and ham over a reinforced cheese base on a sturdy crust.
Typical build: sturdy dough · tomato · mozzarella · four meatsBBQ Chicken
Tomato swapped for barbecue sauce; grilled chicken, smoked gouda and raw red onion complete the classic.
Typical build: crust · BBQ sauce · chicken · gouda · red onionBuffalo Chicken
Sports-bar flavors in pie form: buffalo-hot chicken, mozzarella and a cool ranch or blue cheese drizzle.
Typical build: crust · buffalo sauce · chicken · mozzarella · ranchHawaiian
Ham and pineapple — invented in Canada, argued about everywhere. Sweet-and-salty in its most famous form.
Typical build: crust · tomato · mozzarella · ham · pineappleFour Cheese
No tomato at all: mozzarella, gorgonzola, parmesan and fontina share one crust, finished with olive oil.
Typical build: crust · mozzarella · gorgonzola · parmesan · fontinaVeggie Garden
The lighter build: peppers, mushrooms, onion, cherry tomatoes and olives over cheese — flexible with the seasons.
Typical build: crust · tomato or pesto · mozzarella · garden vegetablesReader questions
What makes Neapolitan dough different? Its high hydration and short, blistering bake produce a soft, leopard-charred crust — the reference point most other styles adapt.
Why is Chicago thin crust cut into squares? The cracker base snaps under wedges; squares keep every piece crisp and make a thin pie easier to share.
Which cheese melts best? Low-moisture mozzarella — it stretches without releasing water. Fresh mozzarella adds flavor but can sog a crust.
Can I bake these styles at home? Yes — most home ovens reach acceptable temperatures for thin styles; tall pan styles like Detroit and Sicilian are especially home-friendly.
Where can I get the printable chart? In the sidebar — a free PDF, no sign-up, US Letter landscape.
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