Pizza Styles Compared: Neapolitan vs New York vs Detroit vs Chicago
Not all pizza is created equal. Each style has its own dough recipe, hydration, shaping technique, and ideal baking temperature. Understanding these differences is key to making authentic pizza at home.
The Complete Comparison
| Style | Hydration | Ball | Oil | Temp | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neapolitan | 55-62% | 250g | 0% | 450-500°C | 60-90s |
| New York | 60-65% | 300g | 3% | 315-370°C | 4-6 min |
| Vito's Double | 65-70% | 250g | 2% | 250-300°C | 3-5 min |
| Detroit | 70-75% | 400g | 3% | 260-290°C | 8-10 min |
| Chicago | 58-65% | 350g | 4% | 220-260°C | 25-35 min |
🍕 Neapolitan
The original — born in Naples
Governed by AVPN rules: Tipo 00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, no oil. 450-500°C cooks in 60-90 seconds with charred, blistered crust.
Key: Never use a rolling pin. Stretch by hand, leaving the rim for the cornicione. Best for: Pizza oven owners.
🗽 New York Style
The foldable, crispy-bottomed slice
Olive oil gives characteristic crispness. Wider, thinner stretch than Neapolitan. Low-moisture mozzarella for even melting.
Key: Pizza stone or steel essential for crispy bottom. Best for: Home oven bakers.
👨🍳 Vito's Double Ferment
Two fermentations, maximum flavor
24h room temp + 24h cold. The combination creates exceptional flavor complexity with a light, airy crumb.
Best for: Intermediate bakers who want to push flavor to the next level.
🏭 Detroit Style
Crispy cheese edges in a steel pan
Rectangular steel pan. Cheese pushed to edges caramelizes into crispy "frico." Sauce added in stripes on top after baking.
Key: No stretching needed — press into oiled pan. Best for: Beginners and home oven bakers.
🫓 Chicago Deep Dish
The deep, saucy pizza pie
Dough pressed into deep pan with edges pushed up like pie crust. Assembly inverted: cheese, toppings, then sauce on top. 25-35 min at lower heat.
Best for: Weekend project. Works great in standard home oven.
Try any style with our calculator
Select your style, set your bake time, get a complete recipe with timeline.
🍕 Open Pizza Calculator →Which Style to Start With?
Pizza oven (450°C+)
Start with Neapolitan — simplest dough, high heat does the work.
Home oven (up to 275°C)
Start with Detroit (no stretching, very forgiving) then move to New York.
Maximum flavor
Vito's Double Ferment or any style with 48-72h cold fermentation.
🛒 Style-Specific Gear
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Neapolitan and New York pizza?
Neapolitan uses Tipo 00 flour, 60-65% hydration, and bakes at 450°C for 60-90 seconds with a soft chewy cornicione. New York uses bread flour, 58-62% hydration, and bakes at 290°C for 12-15 minutes, producing foldable slices with crispy edges.
Which pizza style is easiest for home baking?
Detroit or New York styles are easiest in a home oven. Detroit bakes in a pan at 230°C with no stretching pressure. New York handles 290°C comfortably. Neapolitan needs 450°C+ — use a pizza steel with the broiler technique for closer results.
What is the thickest pizza style?
Chicago deep dish is the thickest at 5-8cm with a buttery pastry-like crust. Sicilian and Detroit sit at 3-4cm. Roman al taglio is 2-3cm. Neapolitan is the thinnest centre at under 5mm, framed by a puffy 1-2cm cornicione.
What's the difference between deep dish and stuffed pizza?
Both are Chicago styles, but stuffed pizza has a top crust over the filling with tomato sauce poured on top. Deep dish is open with a thick chunky tomato sauce layered over the cheese. Stuffed is denser; deep dish shows more of its crust.
Which pizza style has the highest hydration?
Roman al taglio leads at 80-85% hydration for its airy honeycomb crumb. Detroit runs 70-75%, Sicilian 70%. Neapolitan and New York sit lower at 60-65%. Higher hydration means longer fermentation and trickier handling but gives an open, light crumb.
🍕 Try these recipes
🍅 Pizza Margherita
Neapolitan
🗽 New York Style
New York
⬛ Detroit Style
Detroit
🇺🇸 Americano
American hand-tossed
🥧 Stuffed Pizza
Chicago stuffed