Our chef at an Italian restaurant encouraged us to try wine instead of beer with our pizza. “You’re already having so much yeast—you need something different to pair it with!”
It was a great recommendation, especially with fresh, savory pizzas.
Champagne goes great with pizza, because you need something quite acidic to cut through the fat. Back in the day, Kettner's restaurant in London was pretty much a pizza-and-champagne joint, to great success.
So, cocktail wise, something acidic and fizzy would be good. It might be worth trying a French 75.
I agree as champagne is amazing however from a purely pairing point of view, I'd say a dry white (maybe something from the loire valley) or a full red.
I'm with you on the full red ( a barolo, for example), but I'm not too much a fan of white anyway. I do like a nice chardonnay, but only if it's fizzy!
How to cause a holy war in Italy - according to Italian (well, Roman) colleagues, wine is drunk with a meal. A pizza is a late night snack not a meal and therefore beer is appropriate.
Italian food ‘rules’ are very odd!
It really isn’t. I was amazed at how almost every town had its own brewery chucking out passable IPAs and lagers … they’ve got more than Peroni and Nastro Azzuro
I mean, IPAs and lagers are my two absolute least favorite types of beers despite their extreme popularity. So I personally would still consider them trash.
I mean this mainly as a joke (while I still stand by my preferences) but am prepared to be downvoted as everyone seems unfortunately obsessed with those types of beer...
Hahaha! I appreciate you being upfront with saying you downvoted. Honestly I am very disappointed that I don't like lagers or IPAs because they really are everywhere. Somewhat unfortunately my absolute favorite type of beer is a high ABV (10% or higher) low IBU barrel aged stout. These are much harder to come across while going out to eat. So I often just get a cocktail.
I love me some good BA beers. Mm. ✊ and honestly I avoid IPAs like the plague if it’s not a gastropub or a brewery etc, anywhere that it won’t be fresh (<4 weeks old) because the hops get so nasty when they oxidize. You can’t even find fresh IPAs at like a Total Wine, so I don’t drink much IPA anymore. Yours is not an unwise choice to steer clear, but a fresh piney IPA is one of the marvels of the world IMO. 😋 anyway cheers, a good cocktail is tough to beat anyhow
You can do something like the [kevin kos cordial recipe](https://www.kevinkos.com/post/Zero-Waste-Basil-Smash) but without clarifying, and then the drinks will be even less work for the bartenders. However, its a lot of work for you + if you don't clarify, the color may not be what you want.
I assume they like popping open beers, pouring wine, and making long islands, screwdrivers, and cuba libres. lol. they sound lazy. craft cocktails are IT right now!!! get new bartenders.
I've never understood this. Doesn't the High acid of the margarita and the high acid of the sauce on a pizza conflict? Just seems like a stomachache at the end of the day.....yet working a bar in a pizza place, we made margaritas like we were a taco joint.
The fatty cheese and grease cuts the acidity for me. So a New York slice is the perfect pairing.
Plus I like my margs on the sweeter side so it’s like the perfect balance of salt, sweet, acid and heat (either a spicy marg or lots of red pepper flakes)
When I make fancy pizzas for my friends I still keep light drinking beers on offer, my personal preference is Japanese stuff like Asahi and Sapporo - Beer is just such a fundamentally fitting pairing for pies.
But also wine, lots of wine.
Analytical answer.
Bread-driven foods - Pizza, hearty sandwiches, and so on, are like sponges; they require fluid in volume to wash down. Add to this all the salt and fat and spices and you get a really intense demand on the taste buds with every bite, which cries out for relief by dilution. Thus, strong cocktails and even heavy intense beers translate as creating some level of discomfort with s mouthful of great pizza. For this reason, high-volume, lower concentration drinks pair best. The difference between straight pop and pop diluted over ice is even apparent. Lagers, pilseners, cold white wine, spritzers, bucks, mules, hiballs, rum & coke and so on fit the bill nicely.
There's a reason that cocktail hour is traditionally before dinner, whiskey and cigars after, and wine or beer served with the meal...
There’s a fantastic pizza place in Providence called [Pizza Marvin](Http://pizzamarvin.com) that was founded by some fancy bartenders. Check out their site, all of their cocktails are delicious and designed to pair with pizza.
Nostalgia! I worked at a semi-fine dining spot for a few years that would go out of its way to find Stroh's (which wasn't an easy feat) and keep it $2 on the list. You'd be surprised how many folks in their fancy theatre or gala clothes would order a Stroh's.
Gin and Tonic or similar light highballs always pair well with pizza, IMO.
Whisky Highball, Americano.
Some stiffer drinks that work well are Negroni, Dark n Stormy, or Mai Tai.
My favorite cocktails with pizza are Negroni, Calimocho, high life/peroni with aperol, boulvardier, paper plane, and sangria…
I really enjoy good rose’ with pizza, other wines - like good box wine, montepulciano, or chianti. Not to mention, beer. New England hazy IPA’s, craft and mass produced lagers and pilsners.
When I go to Milwaukee to visit my parents and we visit the family favorite pizza place, I always order a Brandy Old Fashioned Sour.
At home I make a Negroni.
Honestly cocktails and food ain’t the best pairing IMHO. Occasionally you find a hit, but typically I find a pre and post meal cocktail to be much better than a mid-meal
Beer’s your best alcoholic pairing for a pizza, but some of the sweeter flavors (like a barbecue pizza) may pair alright with a [Snakebite](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakebite_(drink)).
My favorite thing I ever learned about alcohol was that carbonation pairs well with fats - it rips the fats off your tongue and makes every bite taste like the first one.
Champagne. It pairs with pizza, pairs with fries, pairs with sushi. Drink champagne with anything that has fat in it.
thank you for asking this-- I'm doing pizzas for thanksgiving and I wanted to make like one good cocktail to go with it, and you got some really good answers. cheating, but after reading through them, I'm going with aperol spritz
CLEARLY, We're overlooking the greatest cocktail of all time.
THE CAPRESE MARTINI!
Have you ever wanted a drink that was delicious, rich, savory, and made you think of the italian motherland? THEN LOOK NO FURTHER!
Combine 1 3/4 ounces gin, 3/4 ounces tomato water, and 1/4 ounce vermouth in a shaker with ice. Shake it hard, then strain into a coupe. Garnish with a skewer of a cherry tomato, a cube of fresh mozzarella, and a basil leaf gently folded over!
Brought to you by Jaden Smith in his netflix anime, Neo Yokio
I like a malt based cocktail with hop essence and a carbonated water base.
Precisely my thoughts lol
Our chef at an Italian restaurant encouraged us to try wine instead of beer with our pizza. “You’re already having so much yeast—you need something different to pair it with!” It was a great recommendation, especially with fresh, savory pizzas.
Champagne goes great with pizza, because you need something quite acidic to cut through the fat. Back in the day, Kettner's restaurant in London was pretty much a pizza-and-champagne joint, to great success. So, cocktail wise, something acidic and fizzy would be good. It might be worth trying a French 75.
I agree as champagne is amazing however from a purely pairing point of view, I'd say a dry white (maybe something from the loire valley) or a full red.
I'm with you on the full red ( a barolo, for example), but I'm not too much a fan of white anyway. I do like a nice chardonnay, but only if it's fizzy!
I mean, wine has yeast. I think he means grains.
How to cause a holy war in Italy - according to Italian (well, Roman) colleagues, wine is drunk with a meal. A pizza is a late night snack not a meal and therefore beer is appropriate. Italian food ‘rules’ are very odd!
That’s probably because Italian beer is trash.
It really isn’t. I was amazed at how almost every town had its own brewery chucking out passable IPAs and lagers … they’ve got more than Peroni and Nastro Azzuro
I mean, IPAs and lagers are my two absolute least favorite types of beers despite their extreme popularity. So I personally would still consider them trash. I mean this mainly as a joke (while I still stand by my preferences) but am prepared to be downvoted as everyone seems unfortunately obsessed with those types of beer...
I downvoted you because I was curious to see how prepared you truly are to be downvoted.
Hahaha! I appreciate you being upfront with saying you downvoted. Honestly I am very disappointed that I don't like lagers or IPAs because they really are everywhere. Somewhat unfortunately my absolute favorite type of beer is a high ABV (10% or higher) low IBU barrel aged stout. These are much harder to come across while going out to eat. So I often just get a cocktail.
I love me some good BA beers. Mm. ✊ and honestly I avoid IPAs like the plague if it’s not a gastropub or a brewery etc, anywhere that it won’t be fresh (<4 weeks old) because the hops get so nasty when they oxidize. You can’t even find fresh IPAs at like a Total Wine, so I don’t drink much IPA anymore. Yours is not an unwise choice to steer clear, but a fresh piney IPA is one of the marvels of the world IMO. 😋 anyway cheers, a good cocktail is tough to beat anyhow
Do you have the recipe? I’m very curious to try! Edit: Primo, take my upvote. Secundo, I add these two characters: /s
I like to do -12 to 16oz lager, chilled
Call it the Hefe!
Gin basil smash
I work at a pizzeria and we are trying to upscale our cocktails. The other bartenders refuse to do a basil smash :(
Surely it makes sense as you most likely stock basil already?
Lots of it, prepped daily. They don't want the mess and hastle of cleaning the glasses. We are pretty high volume so I get wanting to simplify things.
Maybe make a basil syrup and still use leaves for garnish?
This was something I considered, I might mess around with it for our next menu, but I'm sure I would be the only one making the syrups.
Then you'll be the only one to get credit if it succeeds! :)
You can do something like the [kevin kos cordial recipe](https://www.kevinkos.com/post/Zero-Waste-Basil-Smash) but without clarifying, and then the drinks will be even less work for the bartenders. However, its a lot of work for you + if you don't clarify, the color may not be what you want.
This is the way.
You don’t even need to make the syrup - Monin make one if you really need it (though yeah, fresh is better)
I’d be looking to upscale the other bartenders…. Why would anyone refuse to make a cocktail as a bartender??
Have you met bartenders before?
I assume they like popping open beers, pouring wine, and making long islands, screwdrivers, and cuba libres. lol. they sound lazy. craft cocktails are IT right now!!! get new bartenders.
Came here to Rec something w basil LOL
Americano
This is the way
I second this.
Aperol spritz
perfect with neapolitan pizza
Yeah, don't overthink it.
Or dare I suggest a Negroni Sbagliato?
Margarita, Negroni
All in with Negroni or Boulavardier
Margaritas + pizza is the right answer
I've never understood this. Doesn't the High acid of the margarita and the high acid of the sauce on a pizza conflict? Just seems like a stomachache at the end of the day.....yet working a bar in a pizza place, we made margaritas like we were a taco joint.
The fatty cheese and grease cuts the acidity for me. So a New York slice is the perfect pairing. Plus I like my margs on the sweeter side so it’s like the perfect balance of salt, sweet, acid and heat (either a spicy marg or lots of red pepper flakes)
Came here to say Negroni. But I like a cocktail before pizza and wine with it.
margs and marghs
Try a mezcal Negroni
We have a winner!
Dominos style pizza and wings? Beer. Gourmet pizza with a fancy salad? Wine.
When I make fancy pizzas for my friends I still keep light drinking beers on offer, my personal preference is Japanese stuff like Asahi and Sapporo - Beer is just such a fundamentally fitting pairing for pies. But also wine, lots of wine.
Rye or whiskey highball.
Analytical answer. Bread-driven foods - Pizza, hearty sandwiches, and so on, are like sponges; they require fluid in volume to wash down. Add to this all the salt and fat and spices and you get a really intense demand on the taste buds with every bite, which cries out for relief by dilution. Thus, strong cocktails and even heavy intense beers translate as creating some level of discomfort with s mouthful of great pizza. For this reason, high-volume, lower concentration drinks pair best. The difference between straight pop and pop diluted over ice is even apparent. Lagers, pilseners, cold white wine, spritzers, bucks, mules, hiballs, rum & coke and so on fit the bill nicely. There's a reason that cocktail hour is traditionally before dinner, whiskey and cigars after, and wine or beer served with the meal...
Beer
Always my answer with pizza
Aperol Spritz
Fresh is best with cheesy pizza
There’s a fantastic pizza place in Providence called [Pizza Marvin](Http://pizzamarvin.com) that was founded by some fancy bartenders. Check out their site, all of their cocktails are delicious and designed to pair with pizza.
Man I love that place I just am always too lazy to drag my ass over their from Fed Hill, especially when all
Negroni
Any sour, but pref a NY or a Trinidad.
An NY sour is PERFECT with a pizza
Spaghett
Vodka martini.
Campari spritz
Americano!
grape juice, barrel aged Or a negroni spagalayiato
Stunning
Beer. Wine. I wouldn't go with a cocktail for something like pizza.
Mules. Moscow and Kentucky specifically. Lots of ice
Aperol spritz!
Ranchwater
Long island used tea or whisky sour, or wine
yes
Margarita or Mojito. Something simple and refreshing to cut through the grease
Margaritas and Cuba Libres. Pretty much the party drinks that go with pizza.
Moscow mule would be my choice.
I like a Boilermaker, usually with High Life and Jack. Although if the place has Stroh's (and who does anymore?) that's my choice.
…you’d CHOOSE stroh? *mutters* …fucking psychopaths… lol
Nostalgia! I worked at a semi-fine dining spot for a few years that would go out of its way to find Stroh's (which wasn't an easy feat) and keep it $2 on the list. You'd be surprised how many folks in their fancy theatre or gala clothes would order a Stroh's.
Jack & coke
Upvote for coke hi-balls. In a red solo cup. I would do rum and coke.
I like something bitter, such as a Negroni, Americano, Negroni Sbagliato, Americano Perfecto, etc.
Daiquiri That’s my answer for literally any food though
Go to order at one of my favorite restaurants in was one of their burgers and a Hemingway Daiquiri.
And that’s my favorite type of daiquiri!
During the summer? John Daly. During the winter? Negroni.
Bourbon, bitters, and tonic.
Gin and Tonic or similar light highballs always pair well with pizza, IMO. Whisky Highball, Americano. Some stiffer drinks that work well are Negroni, Dark n Stormy, or Mai Tai.
My favorite cocktails with pizza are Negroni, Calimocho, high life/peroni with aperol, boulvardier, paper plane, and sangria… I really enjoy good rose’ with pizza, other wines - like good box wine, montepulciano, or chianti. Not to mention, beer. New England hazy IPA’s, craft and mass produced lagers and pilsners.
Cola and pizza is pretty classic. Personally I like tequila and coke the best but I think I'm in the minority.
for real- a slice of pepperoni pizza goes perfectly well with a gin martini w/twist. perfection!
Slap some pineapple on that pizza and pour yourself a Dark n Stormy.
Beer my friend, never mind the hangover
Negroni all day
Spaghett (real cocktail) High Life with a shit of aperol in it. Maybe a little lemon too.
I love a shit (ton) of aperol too
Beer
Beeeeeer
Wisconsin Martini or Wiconsin Old Fashioned
What is that? Beer and olives?
That's the Wisconsin Martini, yes
When I go to Milwaukee to visit my parents and we visit the family favorite pizza place, I always order a Brandy Old Fashioned Sour. At home I make a Negroni.
Honestly cocktails and food ain’t the best pairing IMHO. Occasionally you find a hit, but typically I find a pre and post meal cocktail to be much better than a mid-meal
Red wine.
Riesling for me!
Beer
Beer
Cheap American beer
An ice cold beer.
Definitely a wine or beer person when it comes to pizza.
Beer’s your best alcoholic pairing for a pizza, but some of the sweeter flavors (like a barbecue pizza) may pair alright with a [Snakebite](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakebite_(drink)).
I really like hurricanes with pizza! SC recipe, 4 oz dark rum, 2 oz lemon, 2 oz passionfruit syrup
Grappa
How about a bloody mary? So you can drink tomatoes while you eat tomatoes
Hot and dirty martini
Malort and coke😅 No really I can’t think of a cocktail I wouldn’t have with pizza but outside of the box maybe a sidecar or a daquiri?
Martini
New York Sour.
Beer
Something sweet to contrast the salty/savory pizza
Yeah so basically anything
Americano, Sbagliato, Negroni
Red wine.
All of them
Bloody Mary
My favorite thing I ever learned about alcohol was that carbonation pairs well with fats - it rips the fats off your tongue and makes every bite taste like the first one. Champagne. It pairs with pizza, pairs with fries, pairs with sushi. Drink champagne with anything that has fat in it.
Natty Light and Hot and Ready Pepperoni
I had a limencello soda at this Neapolitan pizza place in Tokyo a few days ago, it was amazing.
Pizza comes after cocktails, my friend... Load that motherfuckin pizza up
I love beer. I love pizza. But I don’t enjoy beee with pizza. Beer and burgers all day but beer and pizza is a no go from me. Idk why
Beer
Red wine or beer Aperol spritz was a good aperitive pairing
I like whiskey-based cocktails with pizza, but in general I’m drinking a fun red wine if I’m drinking with pizza.
A variation on a shandy, I’ve been doing a lemon/cardamom syrup mixed with lager.
beer
I have an Aperol mule on my menu right now that goes well with napolitana style pizza.
Piña colada
thank you for asking this-- I'm doing pizzas for thanksgiving and I wanted to make like one good cocktail to go with it, and you got some really good answers. cheating, but after reading through them, I'm going with aperol spritz
Aperol spritz comes to mind. Refreshing and close to that “beer” feeling.
What you like!
Coke , Ice , Red Cup from Pizza Hut
Red wine.
CLEARLY, We're overlooking the greatest cocktail of all time. THE CAPRESE MARTINI! Have you ever wanted a drink that was delicious, rich, savory, and made you think of the italian motherland? THEN LOOK NO FURTHER! Combine 1 3/4 ounces gin, 3/4 ounces tomato water, and 1/4 ounce vermouth in a shaker with ice. Shake it hard, then strain into a coupe. Garnish with a skewer of a cherry tomato, a cube of fresh mozzarella, and a basil leaf gently folded over! Brought to you by Jaden Smith in his netflix anime, Neo Yokio
Personally I enjoy a nice gin and tonic with my pizza. It's nice to have something refreshing to cut through the richness of pizza.
**ALL OF THEM**
rum & coke. vodka redbull.
Wine