Whether its Hawaiian, veggie, pepperoni or plain margarita, pizza holds a special place in everyone's heart - especially when you're a student and pizza places offer deals!
However, it's time we all addressed the elephant in the room: Italian pizza or American pizza?
Both have significant differences, and many people stand firmly on their choices, but I decided to take a look at both types and analyze the pros and cons - as any true pizza fanatic would.
Italian Pizza
Okay, let's start with the classic - Italian pizza.
Since it originated in Italy, it's no surprise that pizza is traditionally made with simple ingredients: dough, tomato sauce, cheese and basil. Not only are these ingredients usually fresh when made in Italy, but the red, white and green represent the Italian flag, so pizza is pretty patriotic. The pizza itself has a very thin, light crust, and usually a thin layer of sauce and cheese. The dough is baked until the edges puff up and the bottom is a golden brown, making it light and crispy (i.e. you could eat an entire pizza and not even feel it... pretty cool huh?
Pros There really is nothing like the original, and when you go to a proper pizzeria that uses fresh ingredients it really makes a difference as oppose to delivery style pizzas. Not to mention, if the crust is lighter you can definitely stomach more pizza. Fresh basil is also a plus point as well: so much flavor and sophistication. I always feel fancy when I'm having proper pizza, it feels like a real treat.
Cons: Okay, Italian pizza is absolutely amazing, but if it's not eaten fresh, it can go soggy and just won't be the same. This means that even though you can get it delivered, it's almost never as good as when you eat it straight at the restaurant. Another con with Italian pizza is that there aren't always endless possibilities in terms of ingredients. Even though pizza places have become super innovative, most of the time you wouldn't be able to have a Hawaiian Pizza; it's just not Italian (nevertheless delicious)
American Pizza
Now onto American Style Pizza! Most takeaway chains serve tis style, so it's certainly comforting to most after a long day - or a short one, pizza is pizza. It's pretty much a copy of Italian style pizza with a few differences: mainly the crust. American style pizzas tend to have a much thicker crust with more chew, it's a lot denser and therefore holds more ingredients. Not always, but with most takeaway pizzas there tends to be much more cheese and tomato sauce, as well as toppings. Size wise, American style pizza takes the cake. Not that I'm complaining, it's just a fact.
Pros: The major pro here is the fact that American Pizza can so easily be delivered. I've ordered Domino's countless amounts of times and it's always really delicious- and fast! Another advantage is the innovative toppings: have you ever tried Mac and Cheese Pizza? or Taco Pizza? (Or even just stuffed crust - so much cheese). When it comes to American Pizza, there are no boundaries and the choice is completely yours, so theres tons of room for creativity.
Cons: Unlike Italian Pizza, a lot of ingredients that are used to make American Pizzas aren't a fresh- mostly because in the countryside in Italy, fresher ingredients are easier to get your hands on, and you probably don't have to deliver thousands of pizzas to hungry students (especially on a Friday night, am I right?) The crust is also considerably thicker, unless of course you order thin crust, but in my opinion it's always quite paper-like and lacks flavor compared to the thicker crust. It's also heavier, so I'm not saying you can't eat a whole large pizza in one sitting but it's considerably harder. Worth a try though.
In conclusion, both Italian and American style pizza is amazing and you can't really go wrong whichever you choose, it just depends what you're in the mood for. If you're feeling fancy and have more time, go for Italian style because you can't beat tradition. But if you're having a movie night with friends, go for American because you can get it delivered more easily, so you din't have to leave your house. Take advantage of those student discounts too!
Happy pizza eating!