Try These Three Pizza Oven Menu Items That Aren’t Pizza

Investing in the right pizza oven makes sense for many restaurants and foodservice operations. Pizza is popular and profitable. But what about those operations looking to expand their menu? Is it possible to create a diversified menu using traditional pizza ovens? The answer is a resounding yes.

One way to consider additional menu items for your pizza oven is by taking into account the oven type. Let’s look at menu diversity through the lens of three different traditional pizza oven styles. We’ll explore a few dishes that pair well with each oven.

Italian Meatballs in a Conveyor Pizza Oven

Cooking meatballs in a conveyor oven makes sense for many reasons. Consistency, quality, and a reduced impact on labor are the biggest. Conveyor pizza ovens offer even and consistent heat distribution. This is ideal for uniform cooking, resulting in a dish that is tender, juicy, and flavorful without all the attention that pan searing demands. 

As the conveyor belt moves the meatballs through the oven, the steady heat will cook them to perfection, rendering a delightful caramelized exterior while locking in their natural juices. Use a cast iron skillet to enhance the Maillard reaction further. The results will emerge approximately 15 minutes later, requiring very little effort from staff while consistently delivering quality every time.

Roasted Vegetables in a Deck Pizza Oven

A side of roasted vegetables can be an excellent accompaniment to pizza. They offer a healthy, flavorful option that can be enjoyed alone, paired with pasta, or used to elevate a mixed salad. No matter how they’re served, roasted vegetables are a great way to attract health-minded clientele and upsell with a premium-priced menu item.

Because deck pizza ovens can reach extremely high temperatures, you can creatively roast items like red peppers or artichokes, almost charring them to enhance flavors. With a deck oven, vegetables can achieve the highly coveted roasted texture and flavor profiles that drive consumer purchase decisions.

Pork Chops in Brick Pizza Ovens

With brick ovens, there’s something captivating about the allure of flames in a kitchen. They can draw in diners when visible in front-of-house, theater cooking situations, and they impart amazing flavor profiles that are unrivaled in pizza ovens. For these reasons, brick pizza ovens are a great candidate for creating menu diversification.

Brick pizza ovens are known for infusing smoky flavors, particularly when they are wood-burning. This makes for a logical oven selection for pork chops, which restaurants can position as a premium menu item. As diners increasingly seek unique and memorable culinary experiences, the profitability of cooking pork chops in a brick pizza oven lies not only in the delicious product but also in the ability to create a lucrative niche in the competitive restaurant industry.

Try any of the pizza ovens from the Middleby family of brands. Visit a conveniently located test kitchen and begin your menu development today.