Homegrown gourmet pizzerias are captivating taste buds with a meticulous focus on ingredients and craftsmanship so as to stand out from global pizza brands. Some establishments guard their trade secrets in the dough, while others emphasize unique toppings, crusts, tomatoes, or cheeses.
A prime example is Leo’s Artisan Pizza in Delhi, where owner and chef Amol Kumar prioritizes artisan dough, hand-stretched bases, and premium cured meats. Leo’s, along with Pizzeria Da Susy, earned a spot among the top 50 pizzas in the Asia Pacific.
These local pizzerias, driven by passionate chef-entrepreneurs, are luring elite customers away from traditional fast-food chains with their emphasis on quality, variety, and distinctive flavours. The trend extends beyond Delhi-NCR, with notable names like Pizza By The Bay, Joey’s, Tuscana Pizzeria, The Blue Oven, and Sam’s gaining recognition for their commitment to excellence. These establishments are not only hiring cheese artisans for curated platters but also conducting dough-stretching workshops, importing spices, and training pizza makers in their kitchens.
Ram Prasad, MD, at Tuscana Pizzeria in Chennai, highlights the appeal of gluten-free options, while Parmeet Sawhney of Tonino in Delhi notes the growing demand for diverse pizza toppings. Global chains like Domino’s and Pizza Hut acknowledge the competition, doubling down on gourmet pizza offerings in specific pincodes. The gourmet pizza segment, marked by increased competition from regional players, is experiencing higher consumption stress, as reported by ICICI Securities.
As patrons increasingly choose pizza as a top dining choice, numerous chefs are entering the business, contributing to the growth of gourmet pizza trends. Chefs attribute this shift to increased travel, social media influence, the availability of premium ingredients, and higher spending power.
Despite the rise of gourmet pizza, many pizzerias are cautious about partnering with delivery aggregators, emphasizing the importance of maintaining pizza quality during transport. The gourmet pizza phenomenon is not limited to local players, with global brands like Jamie’s also making efforts to raise awareness, focusing on Neapolitan pizzas with fresh dough and secret recipes while locally sourcing key ingredients like tomatoes, parmesan, mozzarella, bocconcini, and burrata cheeses.