Pizza's Next Chapter: Innovation and Our Changing Tastes

Dr. Aris Thorne: Los Angeles and Seattle's Pizza Renaissance? Maybe it's a Sign of Something Bigger

Alright, friends, let’s talk pizza. I know, I know – it seems trivial. But bear with me, because sometimes the most profound changes start with something as simple as a really, really good slice. Lately, I’ve been seeing whispers, then shouts, about a pizza resurgence, specifically in Los Angeles and Seattle. One place in LA is causing social media to explode trying to get a bite of a massive pizza, and Cornelly in Seattle opening a second location due to their neighborhood-loved pizza. But is it just pizza? Or is it a sign of something more profound happening in our culture?

The Art of Connection

Think about it: food, especially pizza, is inherently communal. It's meant to be shared. It's about gathering around a table, laughing, and connecting. In a world that feels increasingly disconnected, could the rise of these beloved pizzerias be a subconscious yearning for something more tangible, more real? A craving, if you will, for human connection?

Cornelly, with its focus on local ingredients and a tight-knit team, feels less like a restaurant and more like a community hub. The owner, Brett Phillips, even collaborates with local knife makers. As Noah Larson, a local knife maker said, “Cornelly is a family that welcomes you in every time you dine with them. They all deeply care about each other. They all deeply care about your experience.” It's not just about the food; it's about the experience, the feeling of belonging. Are restaurants now more than just a place to eat, but a community to be a part of? Cornelly brings their cult-favorite pizza and pasta to Queen Anne

And then there’s this pizza in Los Angeles. The ordering process is online only, and involves opening the website right at 12 p.m. to order a pizza for pickup at the Hollywood storefront. It took three tries, but one reviewer finally secured a pepperoni pizza. It's not a perfect pizza, the reviewer notes, "but I appreciated the thinness of the crust and the flavor of the grease-streaked mottled cheese. And if someone else is offering to go through the trouble of ordering the pizza, I’ll happily eat it." The pizza isn't perfect, but the experience of trying to get it, and then finally sharing it with others, becomes a story in itself. A shared experience.

You might be thinking, "Aris, it's just pizza! Don't get carried away." But consider this: throughout history, food has been a catalyst for social change. Think of the coffee houses of the Enlightenment or the Parisian cafes that fueled the French Revolution. Food brings people together, sparks conversations, and fosters a sense of shared identity.

What if this pizza "renaissance" is a reflection of something deeper – a desire for authenticity, for community, for experiences that transcend the digital realm? Could these restaurants be at the forefront of a shift towards a more human-centered culture, one slice at a time?

I think about the implications, and I honestly get chills. What if restaurants aren't just places to eat, but the new town squares? What if the act of sharing a meal becomes a radical act of connection in an increasingly isolated world?

The Future Tastes Delicious

Is this the start of a new cultural movement? Only time will tell. But one thing is clear: the hunger for community is real, and sometimes, all it takes is a really good pizza to bring people together.