Why Extra Virgin Olive Oil Deserves a Place in Every Pizzeria’s Strategy
As we head into Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, conversations will center around flour blends, fermentation times, ovens, tomatoes, and cheese. But there’s one ingredient that often gets overlooked — and it shouldn’t be.
Extra virgin olive oil.
In Italy’s most respected pizzerias, EVOO is not an afterthought. It’s a deliberate, carefully selected component of the final product. And increasingly, top operators in the U.S. are beginning to treat it the same way.
More Than a Drizzle
On a classic Margherita, most people think of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. But what ties those ingredients together — aromatically and structurally — is the olive oil.
A well-chosen EVOO can:
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Add aroma before the first bite
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Enhance tomato sweetness and acidity
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Bring balance to rich cheeses
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Introduce peppery freshness or subtle fruit notes
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Elevate perceived quality without raising food cost dramatically
Used before baking, olive oil helps ingredients harmonize during high heat. Finished after baking, it delivers bright aromatics and complexity that guests immediately notice.
In fact, research on traditional Neapolitan pizza has shown that high temperatures can enhance antioxidant compounds in both tomatoes and olive oil, while also creating new desirable aroma compounds. In practical terms: when you start with high-quality oil, heat amplifies its positive characteristics.
The Shift Happening in Pizza
In Italy today, it’s common to see premium olive oils listed directly on the menu — sometimes even specified for particular pizzas. The oil is chosen with the same intention as the cheese or cured meats.
Forward-thinking pizzaiolos treat olive oil selection as part of recipe development:
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Robust, peppery oils to add dimension to white pies
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Round, delicate oils for richer meat toppings
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Intensely green, bitter-spicy profiles to cut through cheese-forward pizzas
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Regionally aligned oils to complement traditional builds
The result? Balance. Harmony. Intentional flavor architecture.
This mindset is gaining momentum in the U.S. pizza market — especially among artisan, wood-fired, and premium-casual operators.
Why This Matters for Operators
Olive oil is one of the simplest ways to:
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Differentiate your menu
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Increase perceived craftsmanship
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Elevate guest experience
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Improve flavor complexity
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Justify premium pricing
And unlike adding new equipment or changing flour programs, upgrading EVOO is a relatively easy operational shift.
The right oil doesn’t overpower — it integrates. It should be noticeable but not dominant. Present, but harmonious.
Selecting the Right EVOO for Pizza
Not all extra virgin olive oils perform the same under heat or as a finishing oil.
When sourcing EVOO for pizza programs, consider:
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Harvest freshness
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Varietal characteristics (fruit-forward vs. grassy vs. robust)
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Polyphenol levels (impacting bitterness and pungency)
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Stability under high heat
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Flavor compatibility with your core menu
Many operators benefit from using two oils:
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A balanced blend for baking
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A more expressive, aromatic oil for finishing
This allows control over cost while still delivering a signature sensory experience.
At Pizza Expo: Let’s Talk Oil
As the pizza industry continues its quality evolution, olive oil is becoming part of the serious conversation.
If you're evaluating ways to:
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Refine your flavor profiles
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Enhance menu storytelling
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Build premium perception
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Or create signature finishes that guests remember
It starts with the oil.
Because the best pizzas aren’t just topped well.
They’re finished well.
