Silicon Valley Pizza Week, organized by the Weeklys Media Group, of which Metro is a part, runs Jan. 29–Feb. 8. Also this week: pizza’s evolution from street food to haute cuisine, a history of Silicon Valley pizza companies and a list of Pizza Week participants. Visit SiliconValleyPizzaWeek.com for more, or download the Pizza Week App.
Several millennia of Indian gastronomy seemed to be assembling the ingredients for Indian pizza, but it took the Bay Area’s culture of innovation to hit the tipping point. Some of the fastest growing pizza operations these days are places like Parktown Pizza, known for its butter chicken pizza, and Indian fusion pizza champion Tandoori Pizza, with locations in Sunnyvale, Fremont and San Jose.
Wheat made its way from the fertile crescent to northern India around 4000 BCE, toward the end of the Neolithic period, when humans abandoned foraging for farming, and one of the world’s first urban civilizations took root in the Indus valley.
Round, flat wheat breads such as roti became popular at that time, as did paneer cheese. Later on, naan bread trended in the royal kitchens of the Persian-influenced Mughal emperors. The flat bread was fired at high temperatures in wood burning tandoor ovens, much like today’s Neapolitan delicacies.
The Portuguese brought tomatoes from the Americas to Italy and India in the 16th century. While all the basic ingredients were in place, the invention of Indian pizza didn’t occur until 1986, according to modern food historians.
The same beautiful Bay Area melting pot that gave us sushirritos, ramen burgers and Kamala Harris is responsible for this culinary fusion. Dalvinder “Tony” Multani, the owner of San Francisco’s Zante Pizza and Indian Cuisine in the Mission District of San Francisco, is widely credited with pioneering the Indian pizza.
After moving from India to New York City in 1986, Multani polished his pizza-making skills at Gloria Pizza in Queens before relocating to the West Coast.
The Bay Guardian took notice and the SF Weekly observed that “an old neighborhood pizzeria” had “started selling Indian food while still offering pizzas. … Continued suggestions by the clientele to combine the two resulted in the creation of Indian pizza—a classic crisp, thin crust layered with spinach as well as sauce, mozzarella” and toppings such as tandoori chicken, lamb, cauliflower and eggplant.
“North Indian cooking and straightforward New York-style pizzas were served side-by-side, divided by an invisible firewall,” the Chronicle’s Soleil Ho wrote in 2022. “But like two star-crossed lovers that find themselves alone in some silent garden, the curries and pizzas quickly became entwined. And thus, local culinary history was made.”
Over the decades, Indian pizza has grown from a local curiosity to an established phenomenon, celebrated in cities around the nation with Indian American populations. In Texas, where barbecue reigns, Indian pizzas topped with smoked meats and tangy chutneys became a regional specialty.
The fusion attracted international attention in 2010 when it appeared on the Cooking Network show United Tastes of America, Multani told Vice in 2017.
Fremont and Berkeley became hubs for Indian pizza, thanks to their large Indian-American populations. Gursewak Gill first opened Bombay Pizza House in Union City in 2012. He took on a partner, rebranded and two years later opened Curry Pizza House in Fremont.
Curry Pizza House brought unique twists, such as the signature Curry Chicken Masala Pizza, prepared with curry sauce, bell peppers, red onions, cilantro and diced masala chicken. Their Butter Chicken Pizza combined shahi sauce, diced tomatoes, red onions and diced butter chicken. The Palak Paneer Pizza incorporates homemade pesto, cheese, spinach, red onions, masala paneer, green chilies, ginger and garlic.
The nascent chain expanded throughout the Bay Area and now has two locations in Fremont and three in San Jose, as well as outposts in Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Palo Alto, Redwood City and San Mateo. As of 2023, Curry Pizza House had 17 locations across California, Nevada and Texas.
On the Peninsula, cities like Palo Alto and Mountain View saw the rise of Indian pizza as part of the region’s adventurous food culture. With the influx of tech workers from India, the demand for Indian-inspired comfort foods soared. Restaurants began offering Indian pizzas alongside more traditional fare, catering to both Indian-American families and foodies seeking something innovative. The combination of authentic Indian flavors with the familiar pizza format became an instant hit.
In the South Bay, where cities like San Jose and Santa Clara boast significant Indian populations, Indian pizza became a culinary mainstay. Family-run establishments and chains like Tikka Masala Pizza expanded their presence, offering creative variations such as goat curry pizza, mango chutney pizza, and spicy vindaloo pizzas. The South Bay’s tech-driven, multicultural community embraced these offerings, helping Indian pizza become a defining part of the local food scene.
