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Love is in the air (and the oven): Heart-shaped pizzas rise in popularity

Pizzerias are offering heart-shaped pizzas for Valentine's Day, a sweet and savory way to say "I love you." Learn about creating heart-shaped pizzas and why they are a hit for the romantic holiday.

Photo: Gamma Nine Photography

January 30, 2025 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Forget the box of chocolates and the overpriced bouquet. This Valentine's Day, pizzerias across the country are offering a different way to say "I love you" — with heart-shaped pizzas.

The cheesy creations are becoming a Valentine's tradition, with many shops reporting a surge in demand for these amorous pies. From classic pepperoni to gourmet veggie options, these pizzas prove that the way to someone's heart might just be through their stomach.

Pizza Marketplace talked to a number of pizzerias by email to learn why heart-shaped pizzas should be good movers in the weeks leading up to Valentine's Day.

Peter Piper Pizza

Peter Piper Pizza sells its heart-shaped pizza as a fundraiser for the month of February. One dollar for each of its heart-shape pizzas sold go to local Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in 11 cities across Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.

"We have long been committed to giving back to the families in our local communities that have supported us throughout the years," Genaro Perez, chief marketing officer at Peter Piper Pizza, said in a press release about the sales. "Last year, this fundraiser generated $25,000 for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, and we're determined to build on that success for an even greater impact in 2025."

The pizzas are made with Peter Piper's signature handmade dough and are sold as large, one-topping pizzas.

The brand has more than 120 locations across the U.S. and Mexico.

Pantry Pizza

Vasiliki (Betsy) Rammos-Tsichlis, owner of Dorchester, Massachusetts-based Pantry Pizza, said they sell up to 10 heart-shaped pizzas a day in the week leading up to February 14.

"We sell the heart-shaped pizzas because it is a novelty for our customers," Rammos-Tsichlis said. "Just like they go out and buy boxed chocolate in the shape of a heart for someone special, they also buy a heart-shaped pizza. We have had parents call in and order the pizza for their student kids who live in the area. It is a fun thing to do for Valentine's Day!"

East Village Pizza

Frank Kabatas, owner and operator of East Village Pizza in New York, New York, has been offering heart-shaped pizzas since 2019 and said they were an instant hit.

He uses his normal dough recipe and free styles the heart shapes.

"While this takes practice and care, it definitely helps create an even thickness for the pizza crust, and creates the perfect heart-shape for my customers to enjoy. It's truly a labor of love to create these special pies by hand and to make sure we always deliver the quality we're known for," he said.

"These pizzas are available to order year-round and are popular with my customers on special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays, but Valentine's Day is definitely the most-popular day of the year for these orders. Typically, we sell over 400 heart-shaped pizza pies on Valentine's Day — funny enough, last year we ran out of dough around 9 p.m. because they were so popular! Our Margherita, Pepperoni, White and Cheese pies are all available for purchase in a heart-shape, and are popular among customers coming in-store, as well as those who order through our delivery partners like Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash."

Dedham House of Pizza

At the Massachusetts-based Dedham House of Pizza, owner George Panagopoulos said his brand was the first greater Boston area pizzeria to serve heart-shaped pizzas beginning two decades ago.

"There has been a big demand for them ever since," he said. "We prepare hundreds of them and sell out every year. We usually offer them on Valentine's Day only, but this year, we are adding an extra day to accommodate the busy lifestyle of many of our customers who may not be celebrating Valentine's Day on the day itself and/or who aren't able to get through the door on Friday."

The idea of selling heart-shaped pizzas came from Panagopoulos' mother, Maria, the original matriarch of the pizzeria.

"She was always very creative and thoughtful and wanted to do something unique, which at the time, no other pizzerias in the area were doing," he said. "Since then, the heart-shaped pizzas have returned every year. We understand that everyone celebrates Valentine's Day differently, so we hope our heart shaped pizzas can cater to all types of loved ones — a spouse, a family member, a friend and more."

Photo: Tievoli Pizza Bar

Tievoli Pizza Bar

Suburban Chicago pizzeria Tievoli is making heart-shaped pizzas only on Feb. 14 to celebrate the brand's second year and the Valentine's Day holiday. Award-winning pizzaiolo Giovanni Labbate said he hopes to sell at least 50 heart-shaped pizzas, as this is the brand's first year offering them.

He doesn't use a pizza pan and said offering heart-shaped pizzas is a fun business idea for pizzerias. All of his pizzas are available in a heart shape on Valentine's Day.

"Give it a go — it won't hurt your business," he said. "You could even offer other heart-shaped items as well, which might help bring in more customers."

Photo: Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream

Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream

Iowa-based Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream can customize their heart-shaped pizza with any flavors or toppings on the Happy Joe's menu — including the brand's famous Taco Joe pizza.

"In February, our heart-shaped pizza takes center stage as a fan-favorite, coming in as our second-best-selling pizza of the month — just behind our legendary Happy Joe's Taco Pizza. It's a seasonal sensation that brings families, couples, and pizza lovers together, proving that love (and great pizza) is always in high demand at Happy Joe's," said Tom Sacco, president and chief happiness officer for the brand.

Sacco said the pizzas sell well because of the novelty of the shape, but the flavors are what make Happy Joe's special.

"We stay true to our roots by focusing on authentic, regional comfort foods and then reimagining how they can top our heart-shaped pizzas," he said. "This year, we're taking things to the next level with our brand-new, heart-shaped Cherry Pie Dessert Pizza, a sweet and nostalgic twist that keeps our tradition alive: giving our guests exactly what they crave — not just what we think they want."

Crafting the pizza

Using a pizza pan is a straightforward way to make a heart-shaped pizza. The pan provides a guide for shaping the dough and ensures a uniform thickness. This method is great for beginners and those who want a consistent result.

On the other hand, free styling a heart-shaped pizza allows for more creativity and personalization. You can customize the shape and size of the heart to your liking and add details like a pointed tip or a rounded bottom. This method is perfect for experienced pizza makers who want to add a unique touch to their creations. Ultimately, the choice between using a pan or free styling depends on your skill level and desired outcome.

Mike Macdonald, vice president of sales for Chicago Metallic, said a pan helps keep pizzas moving on the makeline, especially important on a busy day like Valentine's Day.

"It's a faster, easier process overall with no need to worry about mis-shaping the dough," Macdonald said. "It ensures consistency in the shape, which is important for branding, portion control and customer expectations. In addition, less skills are required for placing dough in a pan versus free styling."

He said a pan also presents the opportunity for a better variety of toppings without having to worry about toppings falling off the sides of the pizza.

"The pan itself is versatile and can be used for multiple occasions throughout the year, giving you more value for your pans," Macdonald said. "Use not only for Valentine's Day, but also for weddings, bridal showers, anniversaries, holidays such as Mother's Day or Father's Day, and Sweetest Day."

When using a pan, Macdonald recommends not over-filling the pan or using too much dough. Ensure that ingredients are layered evenly.

And heart-shaped pans can be used for more than pizza.

"Consider a heart-shaped dessert, such as a cookie, brownie or cake," Macdonald added.

If you're free styling your dough into heart shapes, master pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani, of Tony's Pizza Napoletana, in San Francisco has some tips.

"Making heart-shaped pizzas can be tricky, but here are a few tips to nail it," he advised. "Use a pizza screen to maintain the shape — carefully place the heart-shaped dough on the screen and make any necessary adjustments before adding toppings. This will help prevent the heart from losing its form in the oven. A dough docker also helps keep the shape consistent and reduces bubbles. Lastly, making a template and using a pizza wheel to cut your heart-shaped dough will help when starting out."

About Mandy Wolf Detwiler

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Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.
 
An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living. 

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