Break out of your pepperoni-and-cheese rut by sampling some of the city's more unexpected pizza toppings. From chicken tikka masala to pears, black beans, avocado, preserved lemons and yes, even coffee grounds, here are 15 unusual pizzas to consider trying.
One of Anvil's most popular cracker-crusted pizzas is their "Texas Sage," which has an unusual, spicy-sweet raspberry-jalapeno sauce base, plus pepper jack and more jalapenos on top for a kick in the mouth; there's also a Reuben pizza with 1000 Island, sauerkraut and corned beef.
Home of the finest bar pizza in town, Bryan Street Tavern's crispy, crunchy pies are available with some odd topping combos: The Reuben has 1000 Island, corned beef and sauerkraut, while The Dalton has buffalo chicken, blue cheese and yes, celery, which sounds weird but totally works.
If New Orleans' classic sandwich the muffaletta made sweet love to a pizza pie, you'd get Campisi's muffaletta pizza. It's got salami and Canadian bacon, pretty standard pizza toppings, but the kicker is the olive spread, the classic muffaletta condiment that will indeed ensure that this pie reminds you of the famous sandwich.
Carmine's is one of the best delivery options for downtown dwellers, especially if you're prepping for a marathon. Carb it up with the Pasta White Pizza with alfredo sauce, spaghetti, chicken and Italian sausage. The noodles add an interesting texture to the pie, which is as much of a gut bomb as you might expect.
Chili cheese dog pizza? Yes, that's really a thing, and it exists at Carmine's in Richardson (no relation to the one downtown, apparently). This bizarro pie is topped with chili, cheese, cut-up hot dogs, onions and cheddar cheese.
Farnatchi mostly specializes in Italian pizzas and pasta dishes, but co-owner Yaser Khalaf's Turkish roots show in at least one dish: The Lahmahcun Turkish meat pie, with Middle Eastern-spiced ground beef and lamb over tomato sauce and a side of tzatziki sauce.
GAPC is a go-to for the post-drinking crowd, and "The Mes-Kin" probably sounds better once you've had a beer or two. It's topped off with ground beef, cheddar, poblanos, jalapenos, red onion, tomato and cilantro.
Yes, Indian pizza is a thing. This popular Indian spot at Preston & Frankford hawks "Desi-style" pizza, including a seekh kabab version with chunks of ground lamb, ginger and onions. The saag paneer pie with spinach and fresh cheese is a solid vegetarian option, while chicken tikka masala's creamy tomato sauce tastes right at home on a pizza.
We're somewhat torn as to whether avocado on a pizza is repugnant or delicious, so check out "The California" at this Uptown and decide for yourself: It's got mozz, avocado, black olives and sun-dried tomato on a pesto base, and it's topped off with a mini spinach salad to boot.
How about a little Moroccan flavor on your pie? This chic Victory Park spot has a shrimp pizza that also includes preserved lemon,
mozzarella, Moroccan spices, red onion and green olives for a little international flair.
Yes, it's a chain, but the MM is worth a visit for tasty, unusual pizzas and the psychedelic-stoner vibe, plus the great selection of beers. The Red Skin Potato Pie is like the lovechild of a baked potato and a pizza, topped with potatoes, bacon, caramelized onions, cheddar, chives, sour cream and spicy ranch. (There's also a shrimp and andouille pie, and one with curry chicken and Thai chili sauce.)
Fruit on a pizza? Sure, why not. Olivella's takes the classic Italian combo of gorgonzola, walnuts and pears and slaps it on a sauceless, wood-fired thin-crust pie for an intriguing sweet and savory combo. (More pizzas should have nuts on them, really.)
Picasso's "Black Bean Tortilla Supreme" is like a slightly more grown-up (and much fresher) version of Taco Bell's (in)famous Mexican Pizza: A refried black bean base is topped with three cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and onions and crispy tortilla strips and topped off with a swirl of sour cream. (Psst: They also have gluten-free crust.)
Fans of Thai flavors on pizza need not patronize the dreaded chain that pioneered it. This Upper Greenville delivery staple has a Thai chicken pizza with spicy peanut sauce, red and yellow bell peppers, green onions, sesame seeds and chili peppers.
[Photo: Andrea D./Foursquare]
If you're in the mood for cheap beer and pizza at an absurdly late hour, Pizza Lounge in Exposition Park is the place to be. The Regrubmah (that's hamburger backwards) tops a pie with all the usual burger ingredients: a slightly sweet, ketchup-y sauce, ground beef, red onion, tomatoes, cheese and dill pickles. There's also the pL Hawaiian which adds macadamia nuts and Kona coffee grounds to the usual pineapple and ham combo.
One of Anvil's most popular cracker-crusted pizzas is their "Texas Sage," which has an unusual, spicy-sweet raspberry-jalapeno sauce base, plus pepper jack and more jalapenos on top for a kick in the mouth; there's also a Reuben pizza with 1000 Island, sauerkraut and corned beef.
Home of the finest bar pizza in town, Bryan Street Tavern's crispy, crunchy pies are available with some odd topping combos: The Reuben has 1000 Island, corned beef and sauerkraut, while The Dalton has buffalo chicken, blue cheese and yes, celery, which sounds weird but totally works.
If New Orleans' classic sandwich the muffaletta made sweet love to a pizza pie, you'd get Campisi's muffaletta pizza. It's got salami and Canadian bacon, pretty standard pizza toppings, but the kicker is the olive spread, the classic muffaletta condiment that will indeed ensure that this pie reminds you of the famous sandwich.
Carmine's is one of the best delivery options for downtown dwellers, especially if you're prepping for a marathon. Carb it up with the Pasta White Pizza with alfredo sauce, spaghetti, chicken and Italian sausage. The noodles add an interesting texture to the pie, which is as much of a gut bomb as you might expect.
Chili cheese dog pizza? Yes, that's really a thing, and it exists at Carmine's in Richardson (no relation to the one downtown, apparently). This bizarro pie is topped with chili, cheese, cut-up hot dogs, onions and cheddar cheese.
Farnatchi mostly specializes in Italian pizzas and pasta dishes, but co-owner Yaser Khalaf's Turkish roots show in at least one dish: The Lahmahcun Turkish meat pie, with Middle Eastern-spiced ground beef and lamb over tomato sauce and a side of tzatziki sauce.
GAPC is a go-to for the post-drinking crowd, and "The Mes-Kin" probably sounds better once you've had a beer or two. It's topped off with ground beef, cheddar, poblanos, jalapenos, red onion, tomato and cilantro.
Yes, Indian pizza is a thing. This popular Indian spot at Preston & Frankford hawks "Desi-style" pizza, including a seekh kabab version with chunks of ground lamb, ginger and onions. The saag paneer pie with spinach and fresh cheese is a solid vegetarian option, while chicken tikka masala's creamy tomato sauce tastes right at home on a pizza.
We're somewhat torn as to whether avocado on a pizza is repugnant or delicious, so check out "The California" at this Uptown and decide for yourself: It's got mozz, avocado, black olives and sun-dried tomato on a pesto base, and it's topped off with a mini spinach salad to boot.
How about a little Moroccan flavor on your pie? This chic Victory Park spot has a shrimp pizza that also includes preserved lemon,
mozzarella, Moroccan spices, red onion and green olives for a little international flair.
Yes, it's a chain, but the MM is worth a visit for tasty, unusual pizzas and the psychedelic-stoner vibe, plus the great selection of beers. The Red Skin Potato Pie is like the lovechild of a baked potato and a pizza, topped with potatoes, bacon, caramelized onions, cheddar, chives, sour cream and spicy ranch. (There's also a shrimp and andouille pie, and one with curry chicken and Thai chili sauce.)
Fruit on a pizza? Sure, why not. Olivella's takes the classic Italian combo of gorgonzola, walnuts and pears and slaps it on a sauceless, wood-fired thin-crust pie for an intriguing sweet and savory combo. (More pizzas should have nuts on them, really.)
Picasso's "Black Bean Tortilla Supreme" is like a slightly more grown-up (and much fresher) version of Taco Bell's (in)famous Mexican Pizza: A refried black bean base is topped with three cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and onions and crispy tortilla strips and topped off with a swirl of sour cream. (Psst: They also have gluten-free crust.)
Fans of Thai flavors on pizza need not patronize the dreaded chain that pioneered it. This Upper Greenville delivery staple has a Thai chicken pizza with spicy peanut sauce, red and yellow bell peppers, green onions, sesame seeds and chili peppers.
[Photo: Andrea D./Foursquare]
If you're in the mood for cheap beer and pizza at an absurdly late hour, Pizza Lounge in Exposition Park is the place to be. The Regrubmah (that's hamburger backwards) tops a pie with all the usual burger ingredients: a slightly sweet, ketchup-y sauce, ground beef, red onion, tomatoes, cheese and dill pickles. There's also the pL Hawaiian which adds macadamia nuts and Kona coffee grounds to the usual pineapple and ham combo.
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