Pizza purists may prefer the simplest possible slice – a thin-crust Margherita, say, slicked with tomato and garnished delicately with fresh mozzarella and a few token basil leaves – but sometimes that can get a little dull. Luckily, there are a number of pizzerias around the world that don’t feel tied to the classic Italian model. From kangaroo-topped slices in Australia to Finnish pizza sporting nuggets of smoked reindeer, these five bizarre pizzas feature some truly unusual toppings. Whether they actually taste good is another question entirely.
Thermidor of Lobster and Caviar Pizza, Steveston Pizza Company, Canada
Thought pizza was a casual food? If you plan on visiting Steveston Pizza in Richmond, British Columbia, you might want to take a different approach. Famed for their off-the-wall pizzas, the restaurant serves a $450 version, the C6, topped with lobster thermidor, black Atlantic cod, and a heap of Russian Osetra caviar – only order this one if you plan on savouring it. If that’s out of your budget, you could always opt for a slice of the caramelised duck confit and enoki mushroom pizza instead.
Kangaroo and Emu Pizza, The Australian Heritage Hotel, Australia
This cosy Sydney gastropub has a shocking side: its truly off-kilter pizzas, which make use of many of the continent’s unique species as culinary inspiration. Like the Coat of Arms pizza, which blends emu with kangaroo, or the Saltwater Crocodile, which. . .well, you get the picture. And while chicken doesn’t sound like such an unusual topping, tandoori chicken pizza pushes the boundaries, at least a little.
Corn Dog Pizza, Minnesota State Fair, USA
State fairs in the American Midwest are famous for serving all manner of fried fare – the Iowa State Fair is where fried butter made its debut, after all. So no surprise that at the Minnesota State Fair, a pizza topped with halved corn dogs (hot dogs on a stick that are battered and deep fried) is on offer.
Smoked Reindeer Pizza, Kotipizza, Finland
Sorry, Rudolph – Kotipizza, a chain of pizzerias that originated in Finland, serves a delectable creation that sees pieces of smoked reindeer paired with chanterelle mushrooms and red onion. As for why it’s called ‘The Berlusconi’? Rumour has it that the ex-Italian PM disparaged the country’s cooking, so the restaurant decided to create a very special pizza in his honour.
Kebab Pizza, Sweden
Not just the creation of one solitary madman, oh no – Kebab Pizza is nothing less than Sweden’s most popular flavour. The bizarre amalgam of Italian and Turkish cuisines sees pizza dough slathered with tomato sauce, cheese, onion, peppers, kebab meat, and lashings of white sauce. This one is probably best enjoyed sometime around 3 AM.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to… whose guides cover all the best hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, sights, shops and spas.
