Naples, Italy, is often referred to as the 'home of pizza' because it is where modern pizza was invented. The city is also home to many famous pizzerias, including L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele, featured in the book and movie, Eat Pray Love.

An often recounted story holds that on June 11, 1889, to honour the queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, the Neapolitan pizza maker Raffaele Esposito created the "Pizza Margherita", a pizza garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, to represent the national colours of Italy as on the Flag of Italy.

The first recorded mention of pizza being sold in London was back in 1875, when an Italian immigrant named Francesco Cambrena opened a pizzeria near Covent Garden. At the time, pizza was still something of an exotic food, and most people were unfamiliar with its unique flavor profile and ingredients.

This style evolved in the U.S. from the pizza that originated in New York City in the early 1900s, itself derived from the Neapolitan-style pizza made in Italy.