Mexico City's pizza renaissance is upon us

"There's an ubiquity of tortillas throughout Mexico that borders on religious zeal. Mexicans call it "Vitamina T": the ever-mighty foundation of tacos, tlayudas, tostadas, tetelas, and countless other "T" foods that can be easily and affordably procured on nearly every corner. And yet, for each beloved taqueria or torteria, there's likely a nearby pizzeria preparing another one of Mexico's most popularly consumed foods, replete with more toppings than a taco or torta can bear."

"Despite originating centuries ago in faraway Naples, pizza has been a staple in the general Mexican diet for decades: Pizza Hut arrived in the country in 1958, while Giuseppis in Tijuana became the first Mexican-owned pizza chain in Mexico in 1968. Throughout my millennial lifetime as the son of Mexican immigrants, I've eaten as much pizza while visiting my family in the country as anything else. Yet eating pizza in Mexico throughout the 90s and aughts often meant the cheese had a certain tang, the dough was spongy, and the toppings were basic - and everyone insisted on putting ketchup (yes, ketchup) on their slices."

"The current generation of pizzaiolos is reimagining slices and whole pies in the Aztec capital. From pizzas de chilaquiles - in which the typical tomato sauce is swapped for green salsa, and the fixings of the namesake fried-tortilla dish are thrown on top - to flor de calabaza-topped pies featuring the squash flower popular in Oaxacan cuisine, "Mexican pizza" is not only a real thing, but an evolving and increasingly popular one."

Tortillas dominate everyday Mexican food culture and are nicknamed "Vitamina T," forming the base for innumerable inexpensive dishes. Pizzerias frequently sit alongside taquerias and torterias, offering another widely consumed option. Pizza has longstanding roots in Mexico, with Pizza Hut arriving in 1958 and Giuseppis becoming the first Mexican-owned chain in 1968. Pizza in the 1990s and 2000s often featured tangy cheese, spongy dough, basic toppings, and a common ketchup habit. A renaissance that began before the pandemic has surged recently, with pizzaiolos reinventing pies using chilaquiles, flor de calabaza, green salsa, and other regional ingredients.

Read at CN Traveller