The realm of pizza constantly welcomes new flavors every year, and 2023 is brimming with innovation. At OakenShore, we keep a keen eye on the latest global favorites that capture pizza aficionados' tastes. We're excited to present this year's selection of top pizza toppings that are currently trending.
1. Fermented Vegetables
With health-conscious eaters prioritizing gut health, fermented veggies have emerged as a surprising favorite atop pizzas this year. Flavorsome options like kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickled onions bring a delightful tanginess that balances perfectly with the creamy cheese and savory sauce, besides offering probiotic perks and adding new textures to the pizza experience.
Our specialty, the Fermentation Fiesta pizza, includes our own sauerkraut, delectable kimchi, and sharp gorgonzola cheese, with a hint of local honey to soften the sour notes. This unconventional combo has quickly risen to stardom on our specialty pie list.
2. Plant-Based Proteins
The popularity of plant-based diets isn't waning, leading to a heightened demand for pizzas topped with inventive meat substitutes. Aside from the traditional veggie toppings, groundbreaking plant-based proteins have become an appealing choice for even staunch carnivores.
Options like crumbled plant-based Italian sausage, seasoned tempeh, jackfruit 'pulled pork', and pea protein 'pepperoni' have now found permanent spots on our menu. Customers are choosing these not only for their dietary preferences but also for their intriguing flavors and lighter impact on digestion.
3. Regional Chili Varieties
Those with a penchant for spice are welcoming specific types of regional chilies onto their pizzas, moving beyond the standard red pepper flakes. While Calabrian chilies continue to be favorable, we're now seeing the likes of Aleppo pepper, Spanish ñora chilies, fruity Peruvian aji amarillo, and spicy Korean gochujang claim their spots.
Our Spice Voyage pizza offers a blend of four distinct regional chilies, each imparting a unique taste to different sections of the pizza. This fiery mix has especially resonated with our daring clientele.
4. Seasonal Foraged Ingredients
From farm to table and now woodland to pizza, foraged seasonal ingredients have surged in popularity. Leading this trend are various wild mushrooms like chanterelles, morels, and hen of the woods, which pop up on our pizzas during their natural growing seasons.
We've also been working with forest finds such as spring ramps (wild leeks), sea greens like dulse and nori, and even aromatic spruce tips to add a one-of-a-kind flavor that common cultivated ingredients cannot match.
5. Specialty Honey Drizzles
Honey's allure in balancing savory tastes with a hint of sweetness has become a mainstay, not just a fleeting fad. This year, we've seen a burgeoning variety of specialty honeys being drizzled over pizzas, elevating them right before serving.
Exotic truffle honey, fermented garlic honey, smoky mesquite honey, and even CBD-infused honey are now garnishing pizzas nationwide. Such refined touches add depth to even the simplest pizzas, turning them into gourmet delights.
Honorable Mentions
Some other noteworthy toppings narrowly missing our top five but worth mentioning include:
- Cured egg yolks grate finely over our pizzas like a luxurious dusting
- Pickled fruits, with a spotlight on stone fruits like peaches and plums
- Heritage grains that add crunch, such as crispy farro or popped sorghum for texture
- Dabs of artisan butter, featuring cultural or herbed variations
No matter if you're a purist favoring timeless pizzas or a trailblazer eager for new flavor combinations, pizza remains one of the most versatile and adored dishes globally. At OakenShore, we respect time-honored recipes while also celebrating culinary creativity, which is why our menu proudly offers both the iconic Margherita and the avant-garde specialties.
Have you sampled any of these trendsetting toppings yet? Or perhaps you have a distinct topping blend you think we should try? Share your thoughts in the comments or when you drop by our location!