Summertime means it’s time to fire up the “barbie”, as in barbecue, and throw on anything formally a cow. But the hottest barbecue trend is grilled pizza with its intense smoky flavors.

New York City’s famous Lombardo’s on Mulberry Street made its name by using a coal-fired oven to impart the grilled burned flavor that is so famous. Given the restrictions on coal burning in most cities, real Pizzaiolos who want that authentic flavor had to find an alternative. American ingenuity moved in and the backyard grill took center stage.

(more…)

Once again, pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping in America. A recent Harris Poll® revealed that pepperoni continues to top the charts and pizzas all around the country.

As a pizzeria operator, you probably already know that.  However, just because it is no. 1 does not mean you should stop caring about it, promoting it, revamping it, and celebrating it.  Did Steph Curry stop shooting threes just because the Warriors team won an NBA championship? 

(more…)

More and more Americans these days are enjoying spicy foods. Recent consumer research clearly shows that the desire for heat keeps growing every year. Walk into almost any restaurant, and you’re sure to see new spicy menu items, even salsa has overtaken ketchup as America’s No. 1 condiment.

You could blame it on millennials, the most ethnically and racially diverse demographic group in our nation’s history. They were reared on diverse ethnic foods, which often feature hot and spicy ingredients. They also have adventurous tastes and love trying new foods. Health conscious, they often prefer foods that are organic, locally grown and hormone-free.

The trend toward spicy food is also due to our aging American population. As people get older, their taste buds change, and it takes a little more kick to wake them up. Spicy foods meet that requirement.

(more…)

Here was an interesting survey question: If you had to choose, would you give up sex or pizza for a period of one year?

A recent study of Millennials and their relationship to pizza, found that the allure of the pie is greater than that of the body for over six million adults or about eight percent of pizza lovers. That’s what we call a dedicated group.

Conducted by Smart Flour Foods and The Center for Generational Kinetics, the study (“Pizza Lovers in America 2015: Unexpected Findings from a Generational Look at Pizza Trends”) focused on the eating habits of pizza lovers.

(more…)

By: Greg Keraghosian Associate Travel Editor

TripAdvisor compiled the rankings by factoring the quantity and quality of pizza restaurant reviews, giving extra weight to reviews from the past year. Also, the ratio of pizza restaurant reviews to non-pizza ones was taken into account.

“Using time-tested techniques and premium ingredients, the top-10 U.S. pizzerias are successful as they always keep their eyes on the pies,” said Brooke Ferencsik, TripAdvisor’s director of communications. “These popular pizza joints toss up mouthwatering and sometimes unique takes on the American staple from apricot-sauced pies in Alaska to white clam creations in Connecticut.” (more…)