What It Means When You See 'Pizza A Metro' On A Menu

If variety is the spice of life, then pizza is never short on variety. With seemingly endless combinations of toppings, crusts, and cheeses — not to mention numerous regional interpretations, pizza enthusiasts can enjoy variety to their heart's content. While many Italian styles of pizza like Sicilian are well known, pizza a metro is a variety worth taking another look at the next time you're craving a fresh pie.

First things first: Pizza a metro is Italian for "pizza by the meter," and it could be considered the party sub of pizzas. It may be a strange comparison, but it's apt because the size of a pizza a metro pie depends on the number of people who will eat it. Once that number is determined when a pizza is ordered, the dough is formed into an oblong (not quite rectangular or circular) shape and then topped with sauce, cheese, and toppings before being cooked on the stone floor of a pizza oven to ensure a thoroughly cooked and crispy crust.

Once they're cooked, the pies take on a texture and look that's similar to a French bread pizza. The crust is thick and crunchy, and the pizza is carved into square slices. Because of the shape and size of the pizza, this style is ideal for a table where everyone wants different toppings because it can easily be sectioned off.

The thought or the sight of a pizza a metro may chafe some pizza traditionalists who swear by square Sicilian pies or traditional circular pies. But, pizza enthusiasts of a certain age have likely already seen something close to this Italian specialty and may not have realized it.

In 1993, Pizza Hut introduced the Bigfoot — a pizza a metro-esque rectangular pizza that measured 12 inches by 24 inches (two square feet of pizza). Marketed as the ideal pizza for parties, the standard version allowed customers to choose up to three different toppings. Pizza Hut's offering came in response to a similar pizza that Little Caesars offered in 1993 — the Big! Big! Cheese, which was a pair of Detroit-style pizzas paired together. Domino's later followed the trend in 1993 with the Dominator, a pizza that was the most massive of the three chain options, but also the least successful since it was too big to be delivered.

Whether you're enjoying a pizza at a dine-in restaurant or grabbing a slice on the go, one of the most appealing parts of pizza is the variety. Ordering a pizza a metro with family or a group of friends offers a chance to enjoy that variety with a style that's straight out of Italy.