Anchovy Pizza Near You

What is an Anchovy Pizza?

An anchovy pizza is just that - a pizza with anchovies on it! Even though it may sound strange to some, anchovies are quite a traditional addition, especially in Italy. Sporting a salty, umami flavor, anchovy pizza sure is an acquired taste, but once you get in the right mindset, it's something you won't stop ordering.

Why is Anchovy Pizza a Thing?

Well, firstly, because it's delicious. Secondly, because it's traditional. In fact, putting salty anchovies on pizza has been around since pizza was invented back in the 18th century. However, the practice of putting fish on bread dates back more than 2 thousand years!

It's been proven that ancient Romans were known to put certain types of fish on their flatbreads to increase the nutritional value and get a richer taste. As things go, the practice stayed relevant through the ages, so when pizza came around, anchovies were a logical topping.

Taking into consideration that pizza is actually another child of "cucina povera" or "kitchen of the poor", it makes sense that anchovies were chosen. These little fish were pretty cheap to get, they were tasty, and also nutritious, so it was a win all around.

Even though nowadays anchovy pizza is out of the norm, back in the day it was the norm. If a flavor has been around for actual centuries, there has to be a reason for it, right? Many people ask themselves "Is anchovy pizza good and worth trying?" and we can wholeheartedly say that, yes, anchovy pizza is amazing and totally worth trying!

What Goes Best With Anchovies on Pizza?

Anchovy pizza recipes can differ, depending on where you're ordering the pie. If you get one in Italy, for example, you'll get a pretty different version than the one you'd get in the US.

Even though anchovies can be the star of the show by themselves, they are also great team players! Classic anchovy pizza toppings can include marinara sauce, sour cream, corn, red onion, a plethora of vegetables, parsley and basil, and much more. Of course, some classic mozzarella cheese always accompanies the anchovies, so you'll still get that nice cheesy slice.

Keep in mind, however, that an anchovy pizza will always be a salty pizza that heavily relies on herbal and natural flavors. It's not uncommon to add lemon to such a pie as well, since lemon and fish are such a well known combo. When ordering an anchovy pizza, prepare for a fresh, yet heavy taste. Also, get ready to be quite full and need a glass of water or two afterwards!

We'd also like to mention that the best anchovies for pizza are not fresh, but cured. This is where all the saltiness comes from, so if you're not into cured meats, or can't eat them, we'd recommend skipping this delicacy.

Fun Facts

• It's said that anchovies are easier to catch on a full moon. The reasoning behind this is that their bodies glisten in the light, so the schools are easier to see!
• Dried baby anchovies are called niboshi.
• Anchovies are safe for pets to eat, with bigger dogs able to eat up to 5 a day!

Why Are Anchovies Healthy?

Even though some cured meats get a bad rep, anchovies are actually a pretty healthy thing! They have amazing benefits for heart health, brain health, and skin health. There's also a great anti-aging element to them.

Anchovies are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, protein, and important vitamins and minerals. Per 100 grams, anchovies sport 210 calories, which is a pretty good count, sitting at about 10% of a healthy daily calorie intake.

However, these are stats for plain anchovies. Once you add pizza into the mix, things get fattier. One small anchovy pizza can have up to 600 calories or more, depending on what other toppings you're including. Because of this, it's a bit hard to pinpoint the exact nutritional values in an anchovy pizza.

However, we can break it down. An 8 inch cheese pizza has about 550 calories by itself. If you add anchovies to that, you'll get around 100 to 150 more, which will land an anchovy pizza at about 650-700 calories. If you take into account how fatty other pizzas are, an anchovy option is actually quite healthy!

Where Can I Find Anchovy Pizza Near Me?

If we managed to win you over with all this anchovy pizza talk, we'd like to suggest some restaurants to you! On Slice, you can find a plethora of exciting restaurants that serve this great dish. However, here are some highlights from popular cities!

If you're in Philly, Station Pizza is a must-try spot. Serving an incredible anchovy pie, we're sure you'll absolutely love it!

In NYC, we'd like to recommend Dia NYC. Dia is a great space that will serve you a mean NYC-style anchovy pie you'll get hooked on!

Finally, Gino's North is a great hotspot to visit if you're in Chicago. Similarly to the other pizzerias we've suggested, Gino's has delicious pies at great prices.