Philadelphia, PA - New England pizza styles tend to vary more drastically than in California. Beyond Greek-style and Italian slice pizzas, New Haven clam pizza, regional specialties such as Newburyport white clam pizza, Boston South Shore bar pizza, and Salisbury Beach pizza exist as distinct regional specialties.
A Guide to New England Beach Pizza: The Sweet, Saucy Slice of Summer
In the world of regional American pizza styles, one of the most unique, nostalgic, and fiercely debated is New England beach pizza. Born in the mill towns of Massachusetts and perfected on the sunny shores of Salisbury Beach, this is not your typical slice. It's a culinary tradition with a cult-like following, defined by a thin crust, a distinctively sweet sauce, and a decades-long, Hatfield-and-McCoy-style feud between its two most famous purveyors. This is a guide to understanding and enjoying this quintessential taste of a New England summer.
What Exactly is Beach Pizza?
Forget everything you know about Neapolitan or New York-style pies. Beach pizza is a different category altogether.
- The Crust: It features a very thin, almost cracker-like crust that is baked in large sheet trays, giving it a sturdy, crispy base.
- The Sauce: The defining characteristic is the noticeably sweet tomato sauce, which is spread generously across the crust.
- The Cheese: A very light dusting of mozzarella and/or cheddar cheese is applied before baking. For those who want "extra cheese," the traditional method involves placing a slice of provolone cheese on top of the hot slice after it comes out of the oven.
- The Cut: It is almost always served as a rectangular slice or a full sheet cut into squares.
The Birthplace and a Legendary Rivalry:
The story of beach pizza begins in 1944 at Tripoli Bakery in Lawrence, Massachusetts. This Sicilian bakery added sheet-pan pizzas to its repertoire. It soon expanded to the bustling resort town of Salisbury Beach, where the pizza became a massive hit with summer crowds, earning its "beach pizza" moniker.
Soon after, another shop, Cristy's Pizza, opened just two doors down, serving a very similar style and igniting a friendly but fierce rivalry that continues to this day. On any given summer day, you will see two parallel lines of devoted customers stretching from each shop, with only the Joe's Playland arcade sitting between them. Declaring your allegiance to either Tripoli (known for its sweeter sauce) or Cristy's (whose sauce has a bit more savory, herbaceous flavor) is a rite of passage.
How to Enjoy Beach Pizza:
This is a dish best enjoyed the way it was intended: as a casual, handheld snack. It's the perfect food for a day at the beach, a walk on the boardwalk, or a late-night bite. While both Tripoli's and Cristy's have expanded to other locations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the original Salisbury Beach experience is a true slice of New England history.
New England beach pizza is a unique and polarizing culinary creation. For the uninitiated, its sweetness can be surprising, but for generations of New Englanders, it's the nostalgic taste of summer. It's a simple, unpretentious, and delicious tradition, and the friendly rivalry between Tripoli and Cristy's only adds to its legendary charm. A visit to Salisbury Beach to try a slice from both is an essential part of any New England food tour.
Sources:
- Tripoli Bakery & Cristy's Pizza Official Websites
- The Boston Globe & other New England news archives
- Eater Boston
- Local historical societies of Lawrence and Salisbury, MA
- Online food publications and blogs (e.g., Vice, Matador Network)
- Online review platforms
