The Pineapple Situation in Italy
I need to be honest with you. Most Italians have very strong feelings about pineapple on pizza. And by strong feelings, I mean they think it is wrong. Not just a little wrong. Like, fundamentally, deeply, almost morally wrong.
I have seen the videos online. Someone hands a pizza with pineapple to an Italian, and you see this progression of emotions. First confusion. Then disbelief. Then something that looks like actual pain. It is dramatic, sure, but it is also kind of real.
But here is what people do not understand. It is not really about the pineapple itself.
Italians eat sweet and savory together all the time. We have prosciutto with melon in the summer. Figs with salami. Pears with taleggio cheese. These combinations are classics. So it is not the idea of mixing sweet and salty that bothers us.
The problem is that pizza is special. Pizza is ours. It represents Italian culture, Italian history, the unification of our country. When you change it in ways that feel random or disrespectful, it feels like you are saying our traditions need improvement. And that does not sit well.
But Things Are Changing
Now here is where it gets interesting.
In 2024, something happened that shocked the entire Italian food world. Gino Sorbillo, one of the most famous pizza makers in Naples, the birthplace of pizza, put pineapple pizza on his menu.
Let me repeat that. A Neapolitan pizzaiolo, from the city where pizza was born, decided to serve pineapple pizza.
The reaction was massive. People argued about it on TV. Social media exploded. Some people called him a traitor. Others said he was brave. It became this huge national debate.
But here is what Sorbillo said that I actually respect. He said he wanted to combat food prejudice. He noticed that people were condemning ingredients without even trying them, just following what everyone else said. So he created his own version to prove it could be done well.
His pineapple pizza is not your typical Hawaiian though. He takes out the tomato sauce completely because he says the acidity clashes with the pineapple. He uses three types of Italian smoked cheese. He cooks the pineapple twice to caramelize it. And apparently, people who actually tried it said it was good.
Then there is Franco Pepe, who many consider the best pizza maker in the world. He makes something called AnaNascosta, which means hidden pineapple. He wraps the pineapple in prosciutto, stuffs it into a fried pizza pocket with cheese sauce, and dusts it with licorice powder. He does not tell people there is pineapple until after they say it is delicious.
So yes, you can find pineapple pizza in Italy now. But only at a few brave, innovative places run by people confident enough to break the rules.
Why the Hate Though?
I think about this question a lot. Why does pineapple on pizza upset Italians so much when we are fine with other sweet and savory combinations?
Part of it is definitely the memes and videos. The internet has turned “Italians hate pineapple pizza” into this big thing, and now it is almost expected. Young Italians see these reactions online and think that is how they are supposed to feel.
But deeper than that, I think it is about identity. Pizza is the one food that brings all of Italy together. North, south, different regions with different traditions, we all agree on pizza. It is simple, it is beautiful, it represents who we are.
When someone adds pineapple, especially in that classic Hawaiian style with ham and canned pineapple, it feels careless. It feels like someone took something sacred and treated it like it was just bread with toppings. Not understanding the history, the technique, the meaning behind it.
That is what bothers us. Not the pineapple itself, but what it represents.
My Personal Take
Okay, so what do I think?
I have never made Hawaiian pizza at MaMeMi. I probably never will. It is just not part of what we do here. We focus on Roman style pizza with seasonal Italian ingredients, organic produce, things that honor the traditions I grew up with.
But do I think people who make it or eat it are committing some kind of crime? No. Of course not.
Food evolves. Pizza has evolved so much since it started as simple flatbread in Naples. We add all kinds of toppings now that would have been unthinkable 100 years ago. That is okay. That is how cuisine works.
If someone like Gino Sorbillo, who knows pizza better than almost anyone, can create a version with quality ingredients and proper technique, then maybe there is something there worth exploring. Not for me, maybe, but for others.
What I do not respect is laziness. If you are going to put pineapple on pizza, do it thoughtfully. Use fresh pineapple, not canned. Think about the other ingredients. Make sure it actually tastes good together. Do not just throw it on because you can.
That is the difference between innovation and just making bad food.
What You Will Find in Italy
So let me give you the practical answer.
If you go to Italy looking for Hawaiian pizza, you will probably be disappointed. Most pizzerias do not have it. If you ask for it, they will probably say no. Some might even lecture you a little bit.
But in Naples, at Gino Sorbillo’s restaurants, you can try his version. In Caiazzo, at Franco Pepe’s place, you can get the hidden pineapple pizza if you are lucky. There are a few other modern pizza makers experimenting with it too.
These are not tourist traps serving bad pizza. These are some of the best pizza makers in the world pushing boundaries and starting conversations.
That is completely different from your average pizza chain putting canned pineapple and cheap ham on mediocre dough.
The Bigger Question
This whole debate makes me think about tradition versus innovation in food.
At MaMeMi, we are traditional in many ways. We use techniques passed down through generations. We respect the fundamentals of Roman pizza. We use organic Italian ingredients whenever we can.
But we also change our menu with the seasons. We try new combinations. We pair pizza with natural wine in ways that might surprise people. We are not stuck in the past.
The key is knowing the rules before you break them. Understanding why things are done a certain way before you decide to do them differently.
That is what I respect about people like Sorbillo. He knows traditional Neapolitan pizza inside and out. He has earned the right to experiment because he understands what he is changing and why.
Come Try What We Actually Make
Look, if you want pineapple pizza, Copenhagen has places that will make it for you. I am not going to tell you it is wrong to enjoy it.
But if you come to MaMeMi in Vesterbro, I am going to serve you Roman style pizza the way my family has been making it for generations. Thin, crispy, with that perfect scrocchiarella crunch. Topped with seasonal ingredients that make sense together. Paired with beautiful Italian wine that my cousin Danilo has personally selected from vineyards he has visited.
No pineapple. But I promise you will not miss it.
We have pizza with figs and gorgonzola that gives you that sweet and savory combination if that is what you are looking for. We have combinations that might surprise you but will always make sense when you taste them.
That is our version of innovation. Respecting where we come from while being creative within those boundaries.
The Bottom Line
Can you get Hawaiian pizza in Italy? Technically, yes, but only at a handful of places run by brave pizza makers willing to face the controversy.
Should you order it if you are visiting Italy? Probably not, unless you are specifically going to one
of those experimental places.
Will Italians hate you if you like pineapple pizza? No. We might tease you a little bit. But at the end of the day, eat what makes you happy.
Just maybe do not post about it on social media and tag your Italian friends. Save yourself the drama.
And if you are ever in Copenhagen, come see us at Enghave Plads. No pineapple, but I will make you a pizza that shows you what Italian tradition is really about.
Francesco
Visit MaMeMi in Vesterbro, Copenhagen for authentic Roman style pizza made with organic ingredients and traditional techniques. We serve the best Italian pizza in Copenhagen with over 400 carefully selected wines. Book your table or order delivery today.
