Each year presents fresh gastronomic trends in the pizza sphere, and the year 2023 isn't an outlier. At CreativeMindscape, keeping abreast of what's delighting the palates of pizza aficionados worldwide is our priority. We've gathered a list of the top pizza garnishes that are currently in vogue.
1. Fermented Vegetables
Digestive health has found its way onto pizza menus, with fermented veggies emerging as a surprising favorite topping this season. Kimchi, Sauerkraut, and pickled onions are bringing unique, zesty flavors that blend perfectly with the creamy texture of cheese and sauce. These toppings aren't just tasty; they're packed with probiotics too, and introduce an intriguing new textural dynamic to the conventional pizza.
Introducing Fermentation Fiesta, our new pizza which includes our in-house sauerkraut, kimchi, and gorgonzola cheese, all topped off with a drizzle of regional honey to offset the sour taste. It may sound like an unconventional mix, but it's quickly risen to be one of our most sought-after specialty pizzas.
2. Plant-Based Proteins
The momentum of plant-centric diets has led to a boom in the request for pizzas adorned with inventive meat substitutes. Going beyond ordinary veggie toppings, developments in plant-based protein have launched options that even die-hard carnivores are enjoying.
Our menu now regularly includes items like plant-derived Italian sausage crumbles, marinated tempeh, jackfruit pulled pork, and pea protein pepperoni. These toppings appeal not just to vegan patrons, but also those preferring their unique tastes and a lighter load on their digestion.
3. Distinctive Regional Chilies
Those who have a penchant for spiciness are celebrating! The year 2023 marks a shift among pizza connoisseurs toward specific regional chili varieties, moving away from run-of-the-mill red pepper flakes. Calabrian chilies have retained their fame, but now we're seeing Spanish smoked ñora chilies, aromatic Aleppo pepper, sweet Peruvian aji amarillo, and piquant Korean gochujang on our pizzas.
Our International Heat pizza pairs a mix of four varying regional chilies, each providing a distinct flavor contribution to different segments of the pizza. It's a fiery journey that's particularly well-liked among our bolder customers.
4. In-Season Wildcrafted Ingredients
The movement from farm-to-table has expanded to include a forest-to-pizza concept, with foraged ingredients' soaring popularity. Leading the pack are wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, morels, and hen of the woods, seen during their specific harvest times.
Apart from fungi, we've incorporated wild ramps, marine plants like dulse and nori, and even aromatic spruce tips. These ingredients offer a connection to nature and provide flavors that are unachievable with cultivated produce.
5. Artisan Honey Drizzles
Honey's use as a counterpoint to savory flavors is more than just a fleeting fad. Expanding on the precedence set by spicy honey, a variety of boutique honey has come to be a pizza garnish trend in 2023.
Offerings at eateries nationwide now include exotic varieties like truffle honey, fermented garlic honey, smoky mesquite honey, and honey infused with CBD. These extraordinary toppings add depth of flavor and elevate even the most basic pizza to a gourmet experience.
Honorable Mentions
Several other toppings that didn't quite make our list but are still notable mentions include:
- Cured egg yolks, grated delicately over the pizza toppings like fine confetti
- Pickled fruits, with a focus on stone fruits such as peaches and apricots
- Ancient grain crunch, such as crispy farro or bloomed sorghum for added texture
- Gourmet butter blobs, particularly those cultured or mixed with fine herbs
Whether your tastes err on the side of timeless classics or veer towards the experimental with bold new flavor combinations, pizza remains one of the globe's most versatile and adored dishes. At CreativeMindscape, we champion both the time-honored and the newfangled, evident in our offering of both the classic Margherita and our trailblazing specialty pizzas.
Have these trendy garnishes made their way to your palette yet? Or perhaps you have a distinctive topping preference you think we should consider? Share with us in the comments or on your next visit!