With each new year, pizza aficionados are presented with fresh gastronomic fads, and the tale is no different in 2023. Here at MarshPassage, our team consistently tracks the flavors that are captivating the palates of pizza enthusiasts everywhere. Below is our collection of the most thrilling and demanded pizza add-ons that are the talk of this year.
1. Pickled Vegetation
As gut wellness captures the spotlight, a surprising topping has emerged in the pizza scene: pickled vegetables. From kimchi to sauerkraut to brined onions, these ingredients are imparting distinct sour notes that complement the classical richness of cheese and tomato sauce. Besides offering probiotic advantages, these toppings add a new textural dimension to the time-honored pizza.
The Gut-Health Gala pizza available at our restaurant includes homemade sauerkraut, kimchi, and robust gorgonzola cheese, topped off with a drizzle of local honey to sweeten the sourness. This might seem like an unusual mix, yet it's swiftly risen to the status of one of our top-requested specialty dishes.
2. Meat Substitutes from Plants
As more individuals opt for plant-centric diets, there's been a marked increase in requests for pizzas adorned with innovative meat substitutions. The typical toppings have been overshadowed by a new range of proteins from plants that even the most avid carnivores appreciate.
On our menu, you'll find substitutes like plant-based Italian sausage morsels, seasoned tempeh, marinated jackfruit emulating pulled pork, and pea-protein-crafted pepperoni. These toppings are enticing not just to vegetarians but also to many patrons who choose them for their singular tastes and less burdensome digestive properties.
3. Unique Chili Peppers
Lovers of all things spicy are celebrating the emergence of distinctive pepper varieties from different regions, moving beyond the commonplace crushed red pepper. While Calabrian chilies continue their reign from prior years, we now see the incorporation of Aleppo peppers, smoky ñora peppers from Spain, fruity Peruvian aji amarillo, and Korean gochujang standing out on pizzas.
One of our pizzas, the Spice Trail, perfectly encapsulates this trend by serving up a mix of these four diverse chilies, each lending its individual flavor to one quadrant of the pizza. It's been a hit with our more daring customers, offering a piquant culinary journey.
4. Wild Foraged Produce
The trend of locally-sourced ingredients has expanded into the realm of wild foraging, with foraged seasonal bounty increasingly topping pizzas. Leading the pack are wild mushrooms – like the sought-after chanterelles, morels, and maitake – which appear when in season.
Apart from these fungi, we've been experimenting with wild leeks known as ramps, sea greens such as dulse and nori, and even spruce tips to add a distinctive fragrance. These ingredients draw customers closer to nature, offering irreplicable flavors that can't be cultivated in a traditional sense.
5. Unique Honey Drizzles
The interplay of sweet and savory achieved by honey has solidified its spot as a well-established garnish. Advancing from the hot honey craze in years past, 2023 has welcomed a burst of specialty honey types that pizza chefs drizzle right before the pizza is served.
We're seeing varieties like truffle-infused honey, fermented garlic honey, honey infused with the smokiness of mesquite, and even cannabidiol-infused honey finding their way onto menus throughout the country. These drizzles contribute refined flavors that transform even the most straightforward pizza to a gourmet experience.
Noteworthy Runners-Up
Here are a few other pizza garnishes that didn't quite make the top five but are no less captivating:
- Dried egg yolks, delicately grated over pizzas for a touch of golden zest
- Sour fruits, with an emphasis on stone fruits such as peaches and cherries
- Whole grains, like crunchy farro or popped sorghum, for added texture
- Blends of artisanal butter, particularly those cultured or seasoned with herbs
Whether you're someone who honors timeless classics or a culinary explorer ready to sample innovative flavor mixtures, pizza remains one of the most versatile and favored foods across the globe. At MarshPassage, we respect tradition and push the boundaries of innovation, ensuring our menu has both the classic Margherita and avant-garde specialties.
Have any of these on-trend toppings made their way onto your plate? Or perhaps there's a distinctive combination you think we should feature? Share your thoughts in the comments section or pay us a visit and let us know!