Pizza culture in Philadelphia
A city with two parallel pizza cultures: an ordinary pizzeria trade, and a distinct Italian-bakery tomato pie sold cold by the square from a bakery counter, which most of the country has never encountered.
Key styles
Local development
South Philadelphia's Italian bakeries developed a thick, focaccia-like tray bread with a sweet, heavy tomato sauce, no melted mozzarella, and grated hard cheese scattered on top. It is baked in the morning, sold by the square, and eaten at room temperature — a bakery product on a different schedule and price point from pizzeria pizza.
Ordering customs
Bought by the tray or the square from a bakery counter, often ahead of a party or a funeral, not ordered hot for immediate eating.
Whole pizza vs slices
Cut into squares from a large tray; the round wedge-cut pizza is the separate pizzeria trade.
Meal settings
A staple of parties, wakes, church events and school functions precisely because it is good cold and travels well.
Family and social role
Strongly tied to gatherings and to particular family bakeries, several of which have been in the same hands for generations.
Regional debates
Philadelphians will generally object to the dish being called pizza at all, and to being conflated with Trenton tomato pie, which is a different thing again.
Modern changes
Several newer pizzerias now serve a hot, mozzarella-topped 'tomato pie', which older bakeries regard as a different product using the same name.
Diaspora influence
The form descends from southern Italian bakery breads rather than from the Neapolitan pizzeria, which is why it sits in a bakery and not a pizzeria.
How pizza reached here
Related history and culture
Evidence
Generally accepted- Philadelphia's Italian bakery tomato-pie tradition — The Philadelphia Inquirer
- American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza — Ten Speed Press