Over the past year, we’ve been ordering more pizza than ever before. With the need for reliable takeout and contact-free delivery, pizza is always an easy, inexpensive, and delicious option. Plus, you can customize it to suit everyone in the house—from meat lovers to pineapple-and-pepper fans. So, what toppings can you expect to see more of in 2021? We wondered just that. In honor of National Pizza Week, here are three pizza topping trends we think you’ll see this year along with our recommended wine pairings.
Fried Chicken and Sweet BBQ Sauce
Think of food trends as traveling on a trajectory. When they start trending, they enter the world as a main dish or side dish. If things go well, that food trend branches out into things like potato chip flavors, ice cream flavors, and, yes, pizza toppings. That’s why we’re jumping the shark with “chicken and waffles” and suggesting that you’ll see more menus offering fried chicken with maple or honey BBQ sauce. This combination has the salty, fatty, crunch of fried chicken balanced by the sweet tang of BBQ sauce. It’s in the family of BBQ chicken pizza, but definitely next level. You could straight up add waffles and syrup, and if you do, we’re begging you to Instagram that slice.
Wine pairing pick: 2016 Jack Canyon Malbec
Spinach and Artichoke
How did spinach and artichoke meet? And when did they become an official item? We don’t have the answers to those questions, but we sure hope these two never break up. Spinach and artichoke dip is an appetizer staple that’s best served with crusty bread. So, why not a crusty pizza crust? Add in a healthy sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and a palmful of parmesan, and you have yourself one amazing pizza. Keep this slice of heaven vegetarian, or add bacon when you want to be extra.
Wine pairing pick: 2018 Steeple Street Chardonnay
Taco Supreme
Zesty taco meat, like ground beef or chicken, topped with shaved iceberg lettuce and grated cheddar, sprinkled with chopped tomato, jalapeños, and black olives and finished with a drizzle of sour cream or avocado crema is 100% the stuff of late night craving dreams. Order a thin, crispy crust and you might feel like you just ordered the world’s largest tostado. No real need to share unless you have to, by the way. Yep, this taco supreme topping is on the way to stardom in our opinion. Only thing better? Pairing it with wine.
Wine pairing pick: 2018 Cucharón Red Blend
Got a suggestion for a pizza toppings trend you think will take a slice of the attention in 2021? Go to our Facebook page, and let us know!