History of the Pizza

Pizza today is so ubiquitous that it's hard to imagine a time when pizza didn't exist. While pizza hasn't been around forever, it does have a unique and rich history that begins in the 16th century when tomatoes were introduced to Italy.

In the 1700s, a flatbread dish with toppings appeared in Naples and became so popular that, by the 1800s, it was common for pizza to be served for every meal. Pizza made its way over to America in the late 1800s, as Italian immigrants began setting up the first American pizzerias, and got a huge boost when American GIs spread the word about how great pizza was after serving in Italy. The 1950s introduced the first pizza restaurant that offered free delivery, not to mention frozen pizzas.

The next time you eat a slice of pizza, pause for a second and think of the incredible journey it's taken to get to your plate. To find out more about the history of pizza, read the infographic below.