Best Greek Style Pizza in San Diego
Experience a New England phenomenon with Greek-style pizza in San Diegoâa thick, puffy, pan-baked creation born from Greek immigrants in 1950s Connecticut and Boston. Featuring a nearly deep-fried bottom from generous olive oil, tangy tomato-paste sauce heavy with oregano, and a blend of mozzarella and white cheddar (plus feta), this pizza represents Greek-American innovation that dominated 76% of Connecticut's pizza industry by the late 1970s.
Expert Tip: Pro tip: Greek pizza is all about that crispy, oil-fried bottomâif it's not golden-brown and crunchy underneath, it's not authentic. The sauce should taste tangy and herbaceous from oregano, not sweet. When ordering, look for pizzas with feta cheese, Greek olives, and generous olive oil drizzle. The crust should be thick and puffy, almost focaccia-like. Don't expect it to fold like New York pizza; Greek pizza is eaten flat and the thick crust supports abundant toppings. If you're in New England, Greek pizza is ubiquitous; in San Diego, seek out Mediterranean restaurants and ask for Greek-style preparation with extra oregano, feta, and olive oil. The 50/50 mozzarella-cheddar blend is non-negotiable for authenticity.
Key Characteristics
What Makes It Unique
Greek pizza stands apart through its thick, puffy, focaccia-like crust created by baking in round, heavily oiled pans at 500°F. The generous olive oil coating creates an almost fried, golden-brown bottom with an unmistakable crunchâdramatically different from stone-baked Italian pizzas. The sauce uses tomato paste with a distinctive tangy quality (sometimes incorporating vinegar rather than sugar), heavily seasoned with dried oregano for an herbaceous punch. Unlike traditional pizzas using mozzarella alone, Greek pizza typically features a 50/50 blend of mozzarella and white cheddar for sharper flavor, often topped with feta cheese, Greek olives, onions, and Mediterranean vegetables. The dough uses lower-gluten flour than Italian pizza, creating a softer, more bread-like texture. The combination of pan-frying in olive oil, tangy sauce, and cheddar-mozzarella blend creates a flavor profile entirely distinct from both Italian and New York stylesâcrispy, oily, tangy, and herbaceous.
History & Origins
Greek-style pan pizza was invented in 1952 in New London, Connecticut, when Greek immigrant bread makers Charles Kay and James Diamond opened Pizza House, creating pizza from a recipe for laganaâa crisp, flaky peasant bread from their homeland. In 1955, they opened Firehouse Pizza in New Britain, birthing the New England Greek pizza industry. As Greek immigrants dominated the restaurant business (owning over 350 restaurants in 1920s-30s Boston), they naturally entered pizza-making as it gained American popularity. By the 1960s-70s, Greek pizzerias proliferated throughout New England, particularly Massachusetts and Connecticut. By the late 1970s, an astounding 76% of Greek families in Connecticut worked in pizza shops, creating millionaires from these Greek-owned operations. The style arose from adapting Italian pizza-making to Greek culinary traditionsâusing abundant olive oil (central to Greek cooking), oregano (Greece's iconic herb), and feta cheese. The pan-frying technique resembled Greek flatbreads like lagana and focaccia. While remaining hyper-regional to New England, Greek pizza represents one of America's most successful ethnic adaptations of Italian cuisine.
In San Diego
While Greek-style pizza is less prevalent in San Diego than New England, the city's vibrant Mediterranean and Greek restaurant scene offers opportunities to experience Greek flavors on pizza. Olympic Cafe, serving San Diego since the 1970s, offers traditional Greek dishes with characteristic feta, oregano, and olive oil that define Greek pizza's flavor profile. MezĂ© Greek Fusion in the Gaslamp Quarter has won "Best Greek" and "Best Mediterranean" awards, serving creative Greek-inspired dishes with feta, kasseri, herbs, and olive oil. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill (multiple locations including San Diego, Kearny Mesa) brings authentic Greek flavors to Southern California. Georgia's Greek Cuisine has served authentic Greek recipes since 1977 with fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary, and virgin olive oil. While true New England Greek-style pizza with the characteristic pan-fried crust may be rare in San Diego, these Mediterranean restaurants capture the essential Greek flavorsâoregano, feta, olive oil, tangy elementsâthat define the style. Some pizzerias offer "Greek" topping combinations; seek out thick-crust options with heavy olive oil, feta, and oregano to approximate the New England experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Greek pizza different from Italian pizza?
Greek pizza features a thick, puffy crust pan-fried in abundant olive oil (creating a nearly deep-fried bottom), while Italian pizza is stone-baked with minimal oil. Greek pizza uses tangy tomato-paste sauce with vinegar and heavy oregano vs. sweeter Italian sauce. The cheese is typically 50/50 mozzarella-cheddar blend rather than pure mozzarella, and uses lower-gluten flour for a softer, bread-like texture.
Where can I find Greek pizza in San Diego?
While traditional New England Greek-style pizza is rare in San Diego, Olympic Cafe, MezĂ© Greek Fusion (Gaslamp Quarter), The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, and Georgia's Greek Cuisine offer authentic Greek flavorsâfeta, oregano, olive oilâthat define the style. Some pizzerias offer "Greek" topping combinations with feta and Mediterranean ingredients.
Why is Greek pizza associated with New England rather than Greece?
Greek pizza is an American invention by Greek immigrants in 1950s Connecticut and Massachusetts, not a traditional Greek dish. Greek immigrants adapted Italian pizza-making using Greek culinary traditionsâabundant olive oil, oregano, feta cheese, pan-frying techniques from lagana (Greek flatbread). By the 1970s, 76% of Connecticut pizza shops were Greek-owned, making it a New England regional specialty.
What cheese is used on Greek pizza?
Greek pizza typically uses a 50/50 blend of mozzarella and white cheddar (not traditional Italian mozzarella alone), creating a sharper, tangier flavor. Feta cheese is often added on top along with Greek olives, onions, and Mediterranean vegetables. This cheddar-mozzarella combination is a defining characteristic of the Greek-American style.
Why does Greek pizza have a fried bottom?
Greek pizza is baked in round pans heavily coated with olive oilâa central ingredient in Greek cooking. The generous oil creates a nearly deep-fried effect on the bottom crust, resulting in a golden-brown, ultra-crispy base with an unmistakable crunch. This pan-frying technique resembles Greek flatbread traditions and differentiates it from stone-baked Italian pizzas.
Is Greek pizza tangy or sweet?
Greek pizza is distinctively tangy, not sweet. The sauce uses tomato paste with vinegar (rather than sugar or honey common in Italian pizza), creating a sharper, more acidic flavor. Combined with heavy dried oregano, feta cheese, and the 50/50 mozzarella-cheddar blend, Greek pizza has a tangier, more herbaceous profile than traditional sweet Italian marinara.
