While most people believe it is the Italians who invented pizza, its origins can be traced back to ancient times when Babylonians, Israelites, Egyptians and other ancient Middle Eastern cultures were eating flat, un-leaven bread that had been cooked in mud ovens. Ancient Mediterranean people such as the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians even topped the bread with olive oil and native spices.
But it was the people of Naples, Italy, who added tomatoes to their yeast dough and created the first simple pizza as we know it.

By the 17th century, pizza had achieved a local popularity among visitors to Naples who would venture into the poorer sections to taste this peasant dish made by men called "pizzaioli".

The first pizza delivery was in 1889, by Raffaele Esposito, owner of the famous pizzeria Pietro il Pizzaiolo in Naples. The recipients were King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy who were residing with the queen's family in Capodimonte Park. Refusing to go to the likes of a pizzeria, the queen ordered in, being anxious to try this food she had heard so much about. Queen Margherita’s favourite pizza was the one made with tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil -the pizza colours red, white and green being the same as the Italian flag. Pizza Margherita (as this combination became known) is to this day one of the most popular pizzas sold.

The first known pizza shop was Port 'Alba in Naples. It opened in 1830 and is still open today.

In Malaysia taste buds have seen the pizza evolve in a very different way to other pizza markets in the world with a variety of unique pizza bases and toppings