I couldn't disagree more. I've also been to Italy, specifically to Napoli, and just the dough alone is phenomenal, something between pancake and bread. Then the fresh tomatoes and mozzarella on top with the fresh basil leaves for the something extra - perfect balance, heaven in my mouth!
I've also been to the US (west coast, Portland) and Jebus, that was terrible. First they don't give you a pizza but a slice of pizza, then it's reheated because they make a lot of it and can't sell it fresh. The toppings is dry ham and tasteless cheese, a ton of cheese, but just flavorless cheese. I tried in a couple of places there with practically the same result. Thanks, but no thanks.
The Swedish pizza is probably what I would say is what you're talking about, tons of toppings and decent dough.
Bro you went to Portland Oregon and got some shit new york style by the slice? You fucked up
You should try
Ken's Artisan Pizza
A'pizza Scholl's
Pizzeria Otto
Pizza Thief
The Star
And that's just the best of the best that I've personally been to. Plenty of smaller places serving up phenomenal pies as well dotted everywhere. You only get by the slice of you're starving right now and have less than 5 bucks.
I've also been to the US (west coast, Portland) and Jebus, that was terrible. First they don't give you a pizza but a slice of pizza, then it's reheated because they make a lot of it and can't sell it fresh. The toppings is dry ham and tasteless cheese, a ton of cheese, but just flavorless cheese. I tried in a couple of places there with practically the same result. Thanks, but no thanks.
WTF, that doesn't sound even remotely correct. How much did you pay, $0.50? You got scammed dude. I'm from Texas which, afaik, is probably at the bottom of the list of "places you think of when someone says, 'pizza'" but I've had way better pizza than what you're describing. Hell, Pizza Hut is probably better than what you're describing lol. That sounds horrid.
Well there's your problem, the west coast has been doing strange things to their Pizza ever since that one cannuck thought using pineapples would excuse calling something a Hawaiian pizza without any spam
I just came back to Europe after a couple weeks in the US. The US was beautiful (travelled in the Rockies). I was surprised by the fact that I unironically would not be able to live there just because of the food. Everything was so drowned in cheese / sugar / unspecified ultraprocessed something that I had legitimate digestion issues the first week.
"I would like an omelette please"
"Yes sir, do you want eggs in that or just the cheese?"
I had no idea I could miss just plain real bread as much as I did by the time I got back.
American pizza and Italian pizza are two different animals that share the same name. They both have good, mediocre and shitty examples. I have had all three in both countries.
As to which one I prefer? Ehhh depends on the day.
Other countries also have their unique take on Pizza that I have tried and enjoyed. I had some in Spain and Brazil that were amazing yet very different.
The worst pizza I ever had was when I was a kid and we took a trip to Italy and my parents got me some from a street vendor. The problem is it was American-style pizza and the Italians didn't know how to make American-style pizza.
The second-worst pizza I ever had was St. Louis style pizza at an Imo's, which is the way to have it, and it is fucking foul.
The third worst pizza I ever had was in Cozumel, Mexico. They put slices of tomato on it instead of tomato sauce, but did the rest of it the American way. Bleah.
Cheddar, Swiss, and provolone with a shitton of sodium citrate. That's a combination I don't think I'd go for. Sounds like having American cheese on a pie.