As pizza continues to evolve, each year introduces new tastes that capture the hearts of pizza enthusiasts worldwide. At BrightStart, we're keen on keeping tabs on the flavors that resonate most with our customers. Take a look at our list of the top pizza toppings that are currently trending.
1. Pickled Vegetables
Pizzas are now featuring pickled vegetables more often, as the demand for gut-friendly ingredients rises. Tangy options like sauerkraut, kimchi, and marinated onions offer rich, contrasting flavors against the creamy cheeses and sauces, as well as providing probiotics.
Our Fermentation Fiesta pie is topped with our own sauerkraut, house-prepared kimchi, and bold gorgonzola cheese, finished off with a sweet local honey drizzle to lessen the sourness. This unconventional pairing has swiftly turned into one of our most sought-after creations.
2. Meat-Free Proteins
With a shift towards plant-based diets, there's been an uptick in interest for alternatives to traditional meat toppings. Vegetables aren't the only meat replacement anymore, as innovations in meat-free proteins have provided new and satisfying choices.
Options like crumbled plant-based Italian sausage, flavored tempeh, jackfruit pulled pork, and pea protein-based pepperoni have all found a place in our pizzeria's repertoire. These toppings are chosen for their distinctive flavors and easier digestion, appealing to more than just vegetarians.
3. Specialty Chili Peppers
For those in pursuit of heat on their pizza, there's been a wave of specific specialty chilis beyond the usual crushed red pepper. Aleppos, Calabrians, smoky ñora peppers from Spain, Peruvian aji amarillo, and Korean gochujang paste provide unique spice profiles on our pizzas.
Our Global Heat pizza combines these distinct chilis, giving each slice a different spicy flavor that adventurous customers particularly enjoy.
4. Wild Foraged Toppings
Foraged food items have jumped from the forest floor to pizza crusts as wild, seasonal items grow in popularity. Leading this trend are wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, morels, and maitake, popping up during their natural growing seasons.
In addition to mushrooms, we've been integrating wild ramps, oceanic greens like dulse and nori, and even pine tips to our pizzas, providing a taste that's deeply connected to nature and cannot be replicated in cultivated foods.
5. Exclusive Honey Drizzles
Honey's ability to contrast sweet and savory has solidified its place as a staple in pizza flavoring, evolving from the popularity of spicy honey in prior years. Now, pizzas are being finished with an array of unique honeys just before serving.
We're seeing an increase in honeys like truffle-infused, fermented garlic, smokey mesquite, to add a level of sophistication and depth to even the simplest pizza presentations.
Honorable Mentions
Other toppings that narrowly missed our leading five yet still resonate include:
- Shaved cured egg yolks, lending a luscious richness to each slice
- Acidic pickled fruits such as apricots and cherries
- Crunchy heritage grains like spelt or amaranth for added texture
- Dollops of artisanal butters, including varieties infused with herbs
Whether your preference is for time-honored staples or bolder flavor fusions, pizza remains one of the most versatile and esteemed dishes worldwide. At BrightStart, we revere the classics while also embracing the new, which is why our menu covers both traditional and innovate offerings.
Are there any of these recent topping trends you've tried? Or perhaps you have a distinctive favorite combination in mind that you'd love us to feature? Share your thoughts in the comments, or during your next stop at our place!