Everyone assumes that Italy is the birthplace of the pizza but they may not realize that other parts of the world continue to have an influence on this popular dish. The pies are different depending on the geographic location so when you head out of town, don't be surprised if the dish you ordered shows up a little differently than you expected.

The Neapolitan

Hailing from Naples, this pizza is the basis of most modern day pies. At first, it was a sauce only dish but near the end of the 1880s when Queen Margherita came to visit the Royal Palace. With the addition of cheese, it transitioned into the modern day pie called the Margherita. Today, the Margherita includes the crust, tomato sauce and includes mozzarella chest and basil. Thus giving it the three colors found in the Italian flag: red, green and white.

Chicago Style

Everyone has seen a deep-dish pizza but not everyone has tried one. Be sure to get out your fork and knife to try and take down a slice. It has been rumored that the dish came as the result of a restaurateur tasting a bad enchilada. He chose to make pizzas instead but has some concerns about how insubstantial of a meal it made. A change was made and the crust was thickened with some extra cheese being added to make it look larger and in a way, taller.

Lahma Bi Ajeen

Chances are this one is not going to be found at your local pizzeria. The translation means meat with dough and that is exactly what you are going to get when you order. It hails from Lebanon and customers order it with onions, cumin and yogurt. Ground lamb meat makes up the heartiest part of the dish.

The Calzone

The Italians took the pizza to a new level with the calzone. Here are all of the traditional ingredients are included. Instead of serving them on top of the crust, everything is enclosed in the crust. One edge is folded over to the other, making almost a moon shape. The calzone is baked and usually requires a fork and knife.

The Stromboli

The origin of the Stromboli has been in question for years but most agree that it started in the United States. While often linked to the calzone, it is in fact something completely different. Instead of a pizza, it is considered to be a sandwich. Like the calzone is a folded over version of a pie, the Stromboli is a rolled up version of the same pie. It too should be eaten with a fork and knife.