A Slice of History: How Italian Immigrants (and One Brilliant Neighbour) Helped Shape Glasgow’s Pizza Scene
- The Doughter
- Apr 11
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Pizza might be Italian by birth, but it’s Glaswegian by attitude.
And trust us, there’s nothing quite like a city that looked at pizza and said, "Aye, but what if we deep-fried it?"
From Hokey Pokey to Hot Pizza: A Tasty Timeline of Scotland's Pizza History
Let’s rewind to the late 19th century. Italy sent us some of its finest exports: passion, pasta, and a whole lot of gelato. Many Italian immigrants arrived in Scotland chasing opportunity and ended up changing our tastebuds forever.
First came the ice cream barrows, affectionately known as “hokey pokey” carts, which rolled into working-class communities faster than you could say, “Do you want a flake with that?”
Then came fish and chips, naturally. Ice cream and fried fish: two great loves Scotland took to like a pizza takes to melted mozzarella. And with that, the Italian chippy was born... a sacred institution. Even now, most Scottish towns have one. If yours doesn’t, move.
(Source: Created & Curated by Sara Brown – read more here)
Enter Victor Pizza: When Neighbourhood Chat Turned Into National Obsession
Fast forward to the 1970s. Picture it: Glasgow, a wee bakery, and a neighbour with a deep fryer and a dream.
Our Italian next-door neighbour popped round one day and asked if we could whip up a pizza that could be… well... deep fried. Like the kind he remembered back home in Naples (but obviously, more Scottish).
We said yes. Because we’re not in the business of saying no to pizza experiments.
A lot of recipe tests, enough flour to fill a silo, and a small kitchen fire later, the Pizza Fritto was born: golden, crunchy, indulgent chaos – in the absolute best way.
Word got out. Then it sprinted. Before we knew it, chip shops across the city were flinging these battered beauties into fryers like culinary confetti. It wasn’t just a trend... it was a movement.
Pizza had been Glasgowed. And once that happened, there was no going back.
Keeping the Legacy (and the Deep Fryer) Alive
Now, Victor Pizza Co. supplies dough balls, pizza bases, and topped pizzas to wholesalers, restaurants, and yes... chip shops (through a team of dedicated agents).
We’ve grown, but our soul’s still the same: family-run, community-built, and forever hungry.
Our dough balls? Iconic.
Our chip shop pizzas? Revolutionary.
Our topped pizzas? Ready to go faster than you can say “nae pineapple.”
We’ve seen it all, from chefs topping pizzas with everything but the kitchen sink, to customers insisting the base should be thick enough to support a full fry-up.
And through it all, one thing remains clear: people don’t just want pizza. They want personality. And ours comes with extra cheese and zero apology.
Because in Glasgow, pizza isn’t just food – it’s history, culture, and a wee bit of deep-fried genius.
📦 Stock Victor Pizza Co.
Need supply of (not quite) WORLD FAMOUS PIZZA? You’ve come to the right place. Whether you're a chippy, café, pub, or pizzeria, we’ve got the goods:
Dough balls so dependable, even Nonna would give them a thumbs-up.
Pizza bases primed for greatness
Deep-fried icons that made Glasgow proud (and cardiologists nervous)
Topped Wholemeal Pizza, because your health is your wealth
AND LOTS MORE...
👉 Drop us a message today to discuss any pizza or pizza base requirements.
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