Pizza initially spread through Italian neighborhoods in New Jersey, Boston, and New Haven. In New Haven, Frank Pepe became a local legend by selling a unique white pizza with olive oil, oregano, and anchovies from a street cart before establishing Pepe’s Pizzeria in June 1925. Despite its growing presence, pizza was primarily consumed by Italians and Italian Americans. However, by the late 1930s, Americans began to frequent Italian restaurants and pizzerias, slowly adopting pizza into their own culinary repertoire.
The dish's popularity skyrocketed after World War II. American soldiers stationed in Italy developed a taste for pizza and brought their newfound appreciation back home, sharing this "great new food" with their families and communities. This post-war period marked the beginning of pizza's journey into the American mainstream.
Pizza's culinary significance was further cemented when it first appeared in an American cookbook in 1936. The cookbook, titled Specialita Culinarie Italiane: 137 Tested Recipes of Famous Italian Foods, was a fundraising effort published in Boston, showcasing pizza among other beloved Italian recipes.
From its American roots, pizza began another journey, this time as an Americanized and industrialized fast food. Chains like Pizza Hut and Domino's emerged, helping to globalize pizza. Today, pizza is a ubiquitous food, beloved worldwide, continuously evolving while retaining its Italian heritage.
From Little Italy to Global Fame: The American Journey of Pizza
