We are celebrating National Pizza Day today, so of course we’re going to honor one of the most-beloved foods of all time. Plus, we’ll fill you in on where you can get the best pizza in Las Vegas. But first, the legend behind the origin of this tasty dish is kind of neat. It was named after royalty!

The Origin Of The Margherita Pizza

According to nationaldaycalendar.com, pizza first came from Italy in 1889. When a man named Raffaele Esposito made one for the queen, Margherita of Savoy. The chef used tomatoes, mozzarella and basil on the pizza to represent the colors of the Italian flag. And because it was inspired by Queen Margherita, the pizza was also named the Margherita.

Types Of Pizza

The Pizza Margherita is actually of the Neapolitan style. Which consists of basil, cheese, tomatoes and oregano, or some variation thereof. Neapolitan pizzas are traditionally so thin that they often have to be eaten with a fork, and they can’t hold a lot of toppings. They were often sold cheap by street vendors in Italy and consumed by the poorer citizens of the cities.

The Chicago style pizza is named after the city where it was invented. It was first made by Italian immigrants who came to Chicago and wanted something similar to their beloved Neapolitan pizza. Instead of the traditional thin crust, though, the pizza was made with the thick “deep dish” crust Chicago is known for, though the basic  ingredients from the Neapolitan remained the same.

New York style pizza, also named after its city of origin. It’s famous foldable crust is thick enough to handle a lot of toppings. Fun fact: New Yorkers believe the unique flavor of New York pizza comes from the minerals specific to the tap water in the area.

California Pizza was created in, you guessed it, California. It was when a rather experimental chef tried unusual pizza toppings like mustard and ricotta. He served his creations to Wolfgang Puck, who hired the man that eventually started the California Pizza Kitchen chain.

Detroit Pizza also has a cool origin story. Since Detroit is so known for its automotive industry, you’ll know a Detroit pizza when you see a square pizza cut into squares. That’s because the pizzas were first baked in the 1940s an automotive parts pan.

There you go. Some knowledge to impress your fellow pizza-lovers. There are other styles but those are the most popular ones.

The Best Pizza Places in Las Vegas

So where are the best places to find a decent pie in Las Vegas? We think these top the list.