American Pizza Is Having Its Moment. Are You Ready for It?

The wide, foldable New York slice and the caramelised, crispy edged Detroit deep dish have moved well beyond niche pop ups. They're landing on mainstream menus across the UK, and consumers are actively looking for them. And closer to home, London style pizza is carving out its own identity, a hybrid that draws on NY thin crust, New Haven char, and Neapolitan technique all at once. If you're already making great pizza, the jump to these formats is closer than you might think.

According to a 2025 analysis by Uren Food Group, two in five UK diners are already seeking out Detroit style pizza when they eat out. That's not a trend on the horizon. It's already here.

Why thick crust formats are winning right now

A big part of this comes down to how people are spending. Mintel's latest UK Pizza Market report tracks a clear rise in thick crust formats and the logic isn't complicated. When diners are watching what they spend, a deep dish feels like a proper meal. Substantial, satisfying, worth the price. An ultra thin artisanal base, however beautiful, can struggle to make that same argument.

But it's not just about value perception. Kantar's 2025/2026 out of home dining data shows that pure enjoyment drives over 90% of dining out decisions, and Innova Market Insights flags rich, indulgent food as a key comfort driver heading into 2026. American style pizza fits that brief.

Visual impact drives covers

Tastewise data shows that TikTok and Instagram now influence half of all dining decisions. The dishes winning on those platforms are built around strong visual triggers: the cheese pull, the caramelised edge of a Detroit, the structure of a proper New York fold. Street Food Hub's 2025 research found that the most successful kitchens are building their menus around that "first bite" visual moment. Dishes that perform on a phone screen drive footfall. It's that straightforward.

Getting the execution right

None of this works with the wrong ingredients. You can't build a heavy American style pizza on Neapolitan foundations. The dough behaves completely differently, and the oven temperatures follow suit.

For a cheese stretch that holds under heat without splitting or scorching, you need a structurally strong cheese built for the job: American Cut Mozzarella delivers the pull and consistency your kitchen needs at volume.

For the crust itself, flour choice is everything. A thick, chewy base needs high protein content and serious gluten strength.

• Dallagiovanna Manitoba (Type 0) — 12% protein, W390 rating. Purpose built for thicker pizza styles, focaccia, and traybakes. Gives you the lift and resilience a substantial base needs.
• Dallagiovanna Uniqua Blue — 15% protein, W380 strength. Designed for long leavened pizzas and focaccias. Its high water absorption produces a dough that's airy and chewy in equal measure, exactly what a New York or London style base needs.

Pair those with consistent doughballs, commercial grade EVOO, and robust sauces. Greci's American Pizza Sauce and Five Cheese Crema both work hard here.

The shortcut that doesn't cut corners

If you want to add American style pizza to your menu without the dough production overhead, Casillo New York Style Doughballs are the answer. High hydration, pre portioned, and formulated to produce a foldable 14 to 16 inch base with an open, airy crumb. No on site mixing, no ingredient waste, no guesswork.

For best results: defrost at room temperature for five to six hours, then refrigerate for 36 to 48 hours. The texture and chew do the rest.

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