Are Pickles Allowed on Pizza?
Welcome to Picklesburgh Weekend. Do pizza rules exist anymore?
Hi Pizza Fans!
If you are caught up on the hip and popular show, Stranger Things, you may be familiar with an iconic scene where two characters enjoy pizza. I won’t go into spoiler territory as its critical to the plot, but let’s just say it’s their first time facing their greatest opponent since the Mind Flayer: Pineapple on pizza.
Pineapple on pizza is famously controversial. For some reason people love to clown on the idea of putting a sweet little rectangle on a pile of salty cheese and tangy sauce. Actually, on paper pineapple on pizza is a match made in pizza heaven! What is everyone getting so mad about! Now I’m mad!
But on the horizon (much like the extreme chaos on the horizon of Stranger Things Season Five Only On Netflix ©!) there is a new predator attacking and decimating Pittsburgh pizza. That’s right, it’s none other than the precious Pickle.
I’m fairly new to pickles. My family never had pickles in the household and pickles with sandwiches didn’t exist in our universe. Now, consider me pickle curious. I’ve bought multiple jars of pickles and I no longer pawn off my pickle that rides the coat tail of my deli sandwich.
So, does the salty, crunchy, briny pickle belong on pizza? While some find it revolting, it’s becoming more a part of the mainstream pizza toolkit. A tool that’s used with hesitation, but bravado.
Picklesburgh is this weekend in Pittsburgh. It has expanded from a single bridge to a bridge and three blocks of downtown. How can a society fill such a space with so many pickles? Seemingly with ease as there are vendors from every walk of life and industry there to peddle their pickle wares.
This year there are no pizza shops posted up there to serve pickle pizza, but if you crave pickles on your pizza let me help you find your weekend treat.
Spak Brothers Pickle Pizza
A year into quarantine I experienced the Spak Brother’s Pickle Pizza. This is January 2021. My daughter turned a year old a month before. I spent the past 11 months afraid for my life, scared to leave the house or see another human being. Yet, the Pickle Pizza called.
Spak’s Pickle Pizza is the perfect version of what you imagine the pickle pizza to be. It’s creamy, crunchy, and restrained. You won’t be overwhelmed by any one flavor, but the whole pie swirls into a beautiful majesty of creaminess, saltiness and deliciousness.
Cowabunga Pizza at Pizza Alley
Pizza Alley is a new pizza concept from the folks behind the Blue Sparrow Food Truck. They are popping up sparingly this summer, but one of their outings is this very Saturday! That’s the 16th. If you’re reading the newsletter the Friday it’s published you can pre-order their pizza here.
Pickle-wise, they have a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle inspired pizza which has a menagerie of toppings. Their description:
Inspired by TMNT's Michelangelo's affinity for far out combinations of topping on his pizza, we bring you a pizza topped with the following: House Sweet and Spicy Pickles, Thick Cut Bacon, Miso Butter, Parsley/Thyme, and Mozzarella. Cowabunga.
Pickle Fest Pie from Wood Fired
The folks at Wood Fired in East Liberty are getting in on the Pickle Pizza fun by debuting a pickle pizza this weekend. Their description:
This creation comes from our master pizza stretcher and sausage maker Travis. White sauce, prov-mozz, bacon, pickles, ranch & Aleppo. Fun & funky.
Ranch and pickles seem like a great combo. On a nice Neapolitan base, you have a soft and chewy pizza to kick off an amazing pickle weekend.
Years ago when Picklesburgh first launched, the famous Pizza Boat debuted a pickled vegetable pizza. They had their pizza oven setup on the Clemente bridge just churning out pickled pizza after pickled pizza. This was in one of the first Picklesburgh, back in 2017. You can read about that pizza here.
So you have a selection of pickle pizza to choose from this weekend. For what it’s worth, I’ve enjoyed my experience of pickles on pizza. I hope you open your mind and decide to chomp on a few pickles with your pizza this weekend.
Thanks for reading! I hope you’re enjoying the newsletter. Please share, comment on your favorite pickle or tell a friend.
Pizza ya later!
-Dan Tallarico, Pizza Journalist
I worked for an NGO over in Sofia, Bulgaria for a few months back in 2003. My first experience with pizza there was when the staff ordered some for the office. One of the pies was topped with pickles, corn and ham. Initially repulsed, I made myself eat a slice and it was pretty damned good. Actually the whole pizza was well made - crust had good chew, toppings to crust ratios were spot on, and it would've been in my top 5 pizzas if it were in Pgh. Anyway, pickles are fine - to a point. Don't think I'd order one with as many pickles as are in your photos though.