RHC’s Essential Guide to Pairing Pizza with Cocktails
Around 90% of RHC’s team is based in New York City, so you’d better believe we know more than a thing or two about pizza. With clients based in cities that have proudly bred famous pizza pie varieties, such as Detroit-style, Chicago Deep-Dish and of course, New York Style, plus working with the world’s best bartenders on the daily, we consider ourselves to be experts on the matter. Below we’ve painstakingly crafted an essential guide to pairing favorite pizza styles with classic cocktails and drinks, for your eating pleasure. In the crust, we trust…
Chicago Deep-Dish x Old Fashioned
When it comes to Chicago Deep Dish, it’s all about the filling and the buttery crust. The pie is typically baked in a pan and layered with cheese, sauce, and toppings of choice – all dished on top of a bulky, deep (obviously) crust. When pairing with this particular pie, it’s only fair to reach for an iconic cocktail of its city – the Jameson Old Fashioned – first made by Chicago barman Theodore Proulx in the 1800s.
Detroit-Style x Blue Moon
Detroit-Style pizza might look like a slice of Sicilian with its thick crust and square shape, but this style has got its own edge. The thick, chewy-crusted pizza is baked in a square or rectangular pan, topped with ultra gooey cheese, sauce, and a blanket of toppings. We’d recommend kicking back with a Detroit-style slice (or full pie) with an ice cold Blue Moon in hand – a Midwestern’s favorite. Game day idea?!
Neapolitan Style x Negroni
Neapolitan Style pizza, aka the little sister of the Italian pie, is thinner and flatter in its crust and always prepared with simple, fresh ingredients: San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, basil, garlic and olive oil. A classic pizza deserves a classic cocktail, such as the Italian Negroni. Saluti!
Sicilian x Spritz
Loosely translated to ‘thick sponge,’ the Sicilian slice resembles a piece of focaccia bread topped with meats, cheeses, and homemade sauce. This thick, crispy-edged rectangular shaped pizza became a popular choice among Sicilians in the 19th century and is still a favorite among Sicily’s locals and visitors today. Let this pie shine and opt for something light to drink alongside, like a refreshing Spritz – whether that be the classic Aperol or a trendy Hugo.
Margherita Pizza x Limoncello
The Margherita is a type of Neapolitan Style pizza that originated from mixing toppings that were already popular in Naples in the late 1700s, early 1800s (tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil – you know the drill). Pair this pie with another iconic Italian beverage, a shot of Limoncello.
Hawaiian Pizza x Split-Based Margarita – IMAGE
The most controversial of pizzas, a slice of Hawaiian is truly an acquired taste. Throw on some pineapple, ham and/or bacon and you’ve got both a sweet and salty ideation of this Italian royalty. Since you get a little of everything on this pizza, go with a split-based cocktail for a pairing, such as a margarita that’s split with tequila and mezcal.
California Style Pizza x Chardonnay
Thin crust California Style pizza is a canvas for fresh, nontraditional toppings to take center stage (think peanut sauce, artichoke hearts, and goat cheese, amongst others. Think of it as a combination of the above styles but with a more local twist. We recommend a crisp glass of local Californian chardonnay.
Greek Pizza x Martini
Craving a slice that tastes like you’re vacationing on the shimmery islands of Greece? Greek Style pizza is cooked in a shallow, metal pan (unlike the deep pan style used for the Sicilian, Chicago, or Detroit-style) and rather than being stretched to order. It is baked on the floor of the pizza oven. Toppings for this pie can include Mediterranean favorites like feta, tomatoes, onions, olives and peppers. To pile on the saltiness, go for an extra dirty vodka or gin martini.
New York Style x Champagne
Last but not least is the New York-style: typically served by the slice, always hand-tossed, massive in size, floppy, and deliciously greasy… Its crust is thin, yet mighty, holding its sauce and toppings in place, as New Yorkers devour it by that signature fold. We’d suggest pairing with a glass of Champagne – balancing that gorgeous grease with delicate effervescence.
Remember, pies have no limits. Feel free to DM us on Instagram at @wearerhc for tailored slice recommendations from city to city.
Featured Recipes to Recreate at Home
The Riff Raff Old Fashioned from The Riff Raff Club
2oz Wild Turkey 101 Rye Whiskey
.25 oz RRC Old Fashioned sorghum syrup (or substitute bottled sorghum syrup)
1 dash Angostura aromatic bitters
10d fig & fenugreek bitters
Orange oil over finished drink
Combine ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Stir well and strain over a large cube. Mist with orange oils and place atop.
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Sea Crest Spritz from Sea Crest Beach Resort
1.5 oz Strawberry Infused Aperol
.5 oz Lillet Blanc
4 oz Sparkling Wine
Splash of soda water
2 Dashes Rhubarb Bitters
Combine the strawberry infused Aperol and Lillet Blanc in a wine glass. Add ice and fill with the sparkling wine. Top with a splash of soda water and shake two dashes of rhubarb bitters on top. Garnish with a strawberry and dehydrated lemon slice
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Hereafter from Library Bar at Fairmont Royal York
1.5 oz Blanco Patron Tequila
.5 oz Aperol
1 oz Watermelon Cordial
.25 oz Casamigos Mezcal
2 oz soda
1-2 drops of cilantro tincture
Build ingredients in mixing glass and stir, strain into Collins glass and top with soda.
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Bleu Martini from Valerie | IMAGE
1.5 oz Gin Mare
.5 oz Bleu Cheese washed Conniption Navy Strength Gin
1 oz Method Dry Vermouth
1 half dropper bittermens hellfire bitters
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice and stir to dilution. strain and aromatize bleu cheese infusion (infused navy strength gin) atop finished cocktail.
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Meguroni #2 from Katana Kitten
.75 oz iichiko Saiten
.75 oz Caffo Red Bitter
.75 oz Choya Kokuto Umeshu Liqueur
.25 oz Genever
Combine all ingredients and stir. Strain over a large ice cube. Twist of lemon and discard and garnish with kinome.
