The Underrated US Pizza Chain Known For Its Special Crust

If you enjoy flame-fired pizza and are short on time, skip the boring frozen pizza and consider searching for a Blaze Pizza near you. Blaze Pizza is a fast-casual restaurant offering made-to-order artisanal pizza. Founded in 2011, it now has over 340 locations in 38 states and six countries. Blaze allows customers to build their own pizzas, choosing fresh ingredients from the Chipotle-style assembly line, or to select from the chef-inspired signature pizza collection (there are also options to order online for pickup or delivery). One of the hallmarks of the pizza restaurant's pie is its delicious, fast-fired, crunchy thin crust. 

According to a 2018 Chicago Tribune review of Blaze Pizza, the crust is allowed to rise for 24 hours before it's cooked in a gas-fired oven for two to three minutes until it's bubbling, brown, and crispy. The extra high heat produces a tasty char on the very thin crust. Demonstrating its commitment to the excellent crust, observant customers might spot an employee checking the bottom of the pizza to ensure it doesn't burn. While the default crust is extra thin, customers can choose the high-rise dough option for a thicker pie. Other options include a gluten-free crust and a cauliflower crust which is gluten-free but contains dairy and eggs. All of its crusts besides the cauliflower crust are vegan. 

Make your own flame-fired pizza using an oven like the Big Horn Outdoor Wood Pellet Pizza Oven. Or, check out the Ooni Karu Multi-Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven. 

Blaze Pizza was founded by Wetzel Pretzel owners Rick and Elise Wetzel and culinary chef Brad Kent (who left the company in 2023). The first locations opened concurrently in Pasadena and Irvine, California. While its pizza is flame-fired in an open hearth, it's not wood-fired. The founders converted giant wood-fired pizza ovens into gas-powered ovens in order to have more control over the cook, while still being able to fire the pizzas quickly. 

In 2012, NBA legend LeBron James became an investor in Blaze Pizza and helped to quickly grow the pizza chain's popularity, opening 200 locations in just five years. Headquartered in Los Angeles, their restaurant locations are spread throughout the U.S., including on the East and West coasts, in the South, and in the Midwest. Blaze has won several accolades for its pizza, including the top spot in 2017 for Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers and the 2021 Franchise Innovation Award.

Besides its flame-fired crust, it offers a wide array of toppings to choose from, using natural ingredients without artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners. Try its unexpected pizza toppings such as white cream sauce, garlic pesto, crumbled meatballs, smoked ham, spicy chorizo, artichokes, fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, roasted garlic, or roasted broccoli. Go beyond the normal shredded mozzarella and try some fresh mozzarella, ricotta, feta, gorgonzola, or vegan cheese. And don't forget to drizzle on a flavorful sauce such as spicy chili oil or sweet hot honey.