Sourdough pizza rises in India with slow fermentation and full flavour

There is a quiet comfort in knowing that what you are eating is slow-cooked and fermented, even if it’s a pizza. Yes, you read that right! It’s not idli or dosa but pizza that is now joining the growing list of foods that use fermentation to enhance flavour, nutrition and digestibility.

The process starts with the infusion of a natural starter of wild yeast into the pizza dough instead of the regular yeast. This is followed by long fermentation and patient crafting. The result? A crunchy sourdough base with a subtle tang, which when topped with fresh sauces and seasonal produce, is indeed a more light, flavourful and wholesome version of the stretchy, cheesy fast-food pizza that first sparked everyone’s love for the dish.

Globally, sourdough pizza has long been a marker of quality. In London, Franco Manca popularised it from 2008 onwards, while in the US, artisanal pizzerias embraced sourdough through the 2010s, highlighting its craft and flavour. Across India too, restaurants are seeing a rising demand for sourdough pizza over the past few years, driven by young, experimental diners eager for authentic tastes.

Pioneering the dough

Among the earliest champions in the segment in Bengaluru was Brik Oven. “We created our initial starter almost 10 years ago at our first outlet on Church Street in 2016. The idea was to make all our pizzas in-house with 100 per cent sourdough instead of yeast, using the age-old Egyptian method of bread-making, which is good for the gut and easier to digest,” says Sreeram Anvesh, one of the founders.

Using authentic fresh ingredients, house-made dough, and house-made cheese, Brik Oven’s Neapolitan-style pizzas have been a hit with food-lovers. “The crust is charred, as we like to call it. And the health factor is a plus, which keeps people coming back for more,” adds Sreeram. Popular toppings include San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh fior di latte mozzarella, basil, Parmesan, and soft cheeses like feta and goat cheese added after baking.

Inspired by Italy

For Anirudh Kheny, Partner at Serious Slice, it was a trip to Italy that made him view pizza through a different lens. “What struck us about the Neapolitan pizzas there wasn’t just the flavour, it was how light and effortless they felt. People were finishing entire pizzas and walking away feeling content, not heavy. That changed the way we looked at pizza as a food experience,” he reflects.

Their pizza dough undergoes a 76-hour slow-fermentation process, giving it a light, airy texture and deep flavour. “Urban diners today are curious and discerning; they want to know what goes into their food and value craftsmanship over convenience. Bringing a pizza that is indulgent yet balanced was a natural choice,” notes Anirudh.

That the diners are well-travelled and curious is something that Suresh Kumar, Chef and Founder of Marseli Café & Patisserie, also believes in. That’s why the pizzas at his patisserie are crafted with premium-grade 00 Semola flour from Italy with the dough fermenting naturally for over 36 hours. “This slow, traditional process gives our base its light, airy texture, delicate tang, and that irresistible aroma that only true fermentation can bring,” he informs. 

Another popular chain of pizzerias that crafts its mother dough from a 500-year-old recipe is Si Nonna’s – The Original Sourdough Pizza. “This dough is kept alive and active on a daily basis. Once mixed, the dough rests and begins a slow fermentation that lasts for 24 hours. This slow process develops flavours, improves digestibility, and creates the light texture and open crumb that defines an authentic Italian Neapolitan crust. It also produces a base and cornicione that is light and airy, and structured with an open crumb, yet has a gentle chew,” reveals Massimo Verzini, Executive Chef, Si Nonna’s. “After the first rise, the dough is portioned and proofed again before it is hand stretched by our skilled pizzaiolos and baked at 400°c in our Vesuvian-tiled oven.”

The café experience

The ‘living crust’ is also reshaping the café experience with sourdough pizzas being paired mindfully with freshly roasted coffees. Coffee Mechanics, a café in Bengaluru, uses clean flour, local artisan cheese, good olive oil, and seasonal produce to make sourdough pizzas. “We focus on culinary techniques that lift the ingredient, not mask it. When the base is alive with flavour, the pizzas don’t need to be hid behind toppings,” points out Ganga Prabhakar, co-founder. 

Tarun Sibal, Co-founder and Chef at Street Storyss, notes how slow-cooked, thoughtfully prepared food brings joy and connection. “Sourdough pizzas connect people to something real, they carry a sense of nostalgia and craftsmanship. Fermenting dough naturally over many hours builds flavour, lightness and texture in a way that instant yeast never can,” he says.

Spice-forward fermentation 

Smaller, independent kitchens too are now hopping on the sourdough train, bringing their own twists and flavours to the slow-fermented crust. Supratim Bhattacharya, a fermentation biologist and founder of SCOBY Labs, a fermentation kitchen lab, is experimenting with sourdough for Indian palates through his venture – The Karam Kulture. “Pizza is loved universally, and our goal is to make it healthy, interesting, and inclusive. Keeping the Indian love for spice in mind, we infuse the dough with hot fermented Sriracha chilli oil, and use bold toppings like Mangalorean ghee roast mushrooms, paneer, chicken, and pesto herb roasts, while cheese remains a staple,” informs Supratim. 

“Our labneh cheese and lacto-fermented sauces add depth of flavour and gentleness to the pizza,” he adds. Flour-free bases and alternative cheeses for those with gluten sensitivities or who avoid fermentation entirely are also kept in mind.