With each passing year, the realm of pizza witnesses new trendsetters, and 2023 is no different. At BaseLineScope, keeping an eye on the global pizza aficionado’s changing preferences is what we do best. We’ve compiled a list of the year’s most sought-after and thrilling pizza add-ons.
1. Fermented Vegetables
Digestive wellness has found a new platform in the pizza industry, with fermented vegetables emerging as the unexpected stars. Kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickled onions are providing a complex zest that brilliantly complements the creamy cheese and robust sauce. These toppings, rich in probiotics, also break new ground in texture for a classic pizza experience.
Our unique “Fermentation Fiesta” pizza is topped with our signature sauerkraut, homemade kimchi, and sharp gorgonzola, all tied together with a touch of sweet honey from local hives. This combo might be unconventional, yet it’s swiftly climbed the ranks to become one of our best-selling specialty offerings.
2. Plant-Based Proteins
The momentum of plant-based diets is propelling forward, and with it, the demand for pizzas garnished with innovative meat substitutes has spiked. Far from your average vegetable assortment, the breakthroughs in plant-based proteins have brought about choices that even ardent carnivores can’t resist.
Choices like plant-derived Italian sausage chunks, spicy tempeh, jackfruit mimicking “pulled pork,” and pea protein “pepperoni” have become staples on our menu. These protein options aren’t limited to plant-eaters only; numerous patrons opt for them for their distinctive tastes and gentler effect on the stomach.
3. Regional Chili Varieties
Fans of fiery flavors, celebrate! The year 2023 has seen pizza enthusiasts favor specific types of chilies over the standard crushed red pepper. While Calabrian chilies are still in high demand, varieties like Aleppo pepper, smoky Spanish ñora, Peruvian fruity aji amarillo, and Korean gochujang are garnishing pizzas with their unique tastes.
The “Spicy World Tour” pizza on our menu presents a mix of these four unique chilies, assigning them to different pizza sections for a diverse fiery experience. This pie has been particularly popular among our most intrepid customers.
4. Seasonal Foraged Ingredients
The farm-to-table concept has branched out to include a forest-to-pizza perspective, thanks to the rising trend of fresh foraged toppings. Leading this trend are wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, morels, and hen of the woods, featured prominently when in season.
We've also been extracting flavors from the wilderness, with ingredients like spring ramps (wild onions), sea greens such as dulse and nori, and even the fragrant spruce tips. These wild ingredients forge a connection between our customers and nature, delivering irreplicable tastes that cultivation cannot parallel.
5. Specialty Honey Drizzles
Honey, with its capacity to create an impeccable pairing of sweet and savory, has securely rooted itself within the pizza domain. This year has seen the advent of various specialized honey drizzles making their grand entrance onto the pizza scene.
Some unique selections include truffle-infused honey, fermented garlic honey, rich smoky mesquite honey, and soothing CBD honey. These intriguing honey variants are drizzled over pizzas before serving, adding depth and transforming basic pizzas into an elevated culinary delight.
Honorable Mentions
Other noteworthy toppings that narrowly missed entering our top five but still deserve a mention include:
- Salting of cured egg yolks over pizzas for a luxurious touch
- Pickled fruit selections, with an emphasis on stone fruits such as peaches and plums
- Grain toppings derived from heritage seeds, like crunchy farro or puffed sorghum for added texture
- Creamy dollops of artisan butter, particularly those infused with culture or mixed with herbs
Whether you favor time-honored classics or have a palate for trying audacious new flavors, pizza continues to reign as one of the most versatile and cherished dishes worldwide. At BaseLineScope, we celebrate the heritage of pizza while innovating with new tastes—that's the reason behind both traditional Margherita and pioneering specialty pizzas gracing our menu.
Have you sampled any of the top trending toppings we mentioned? Or maybe you've got a distinctive favorite combination you’d like us to experiment with? Share your thoughts in the comments or drop by to tell us in person!