{"id":355974,"date":"2026-07-29T09:07:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T09:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/355974\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T09:07:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T09:07:42","slug":"indian-pizza-is-expanding-nations-flavor-footprint-in-orlando","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/355974\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian pizza is expanding nation’s flavor footprint in Orlando"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cHow does a Greek-owned pizza place come to make Indian pizza?\u201d I ask Hetal Pancholi.<\/p>\n

He is one of the managers at Singas Famous Pizza, with locations in both Orlando and Sanford.<\/p>\n

It is an interesting story, one we can condense.<\/p>\n

In 1967, a Greek immigrant, Bill Singas, opened a pizzeria in Queens, New York \u2014 Elmhurst, not Astoria, in case you were wondering. It was a traditional spot, but had some homespun fusion in the mix \u2014 pies with Feta and spinach and olives \u2014 adding a bit of his native Med to the menu.<\/p>\n

Pancholi\u2019s father-in-law, Singas owner Naresh Patel, used to go there as a child in the 1970s.<\/p>\n

\"SignatureSignature Palak Paneer Pizza from Singas Famous Pizza on 1790 West Sand Lake Road in Orlando. “Our signature cheese pizza topped with creamy spinach (palak) and soft paneer cubes, seasoned with aromatic spices. Finished with raw onion and diced bell peppers for added freshness and crunch.” (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

As the neighborhood demographic began to change, Indian groceries began to move into spaces around the pizzeria. With a location in the central corridor of the community and affordable price points, Singas became an easy place for the community to stop and dine together.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndia is not a vegetarian nation; it\u2019s an omnivore culture, but \u2026 a lot of the Indians that came to America came from one or two specific states that are predominantly vegetarian, \u201d says Pancholi, whose Indian-born parents raised him on Long Island.<\/p>\n

A traditional cheese pizza becomes something easy, something delicious, something that requires no explanation of cultural idiosyncracies, he says.<\/p>\n

\"NareshNaresh (Rush) Patel adds onions to a Signature Pav Bhaji Pizza at Singas Famous Pizza in Orlando. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Nobody doesn\u2019t like pizza.<\/p>\n

And Singas, with its penchant for fresh toppings \u2014 onion, olive, spinach \u2014 in a fine dice, lent itself wonderfully to a very Indian way of eating.<\/p>\n

\u201cFresh, raw jalape\u00f1os over pickled, cilantro and mint and onion,\u201d he notes.<\/p>\n

As more Indians began visiting this and other Singas locations that had cropped up in the northeast, some began catering to their loyal customers, eventually landing on a multi-pie menu, vegetarian and non, that reflected their flavors back to them.<\/p>\n

\"SignatureSignature Desi Garlic Bread has fresh savory cilantro mint chutney and is topped with cheese and diced onion and peppers. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

In the early aughts, as Singas grew into a franchise, many opted to include Indian pizza options. Some, like the ones here in town, even developed new ones.<\/p>\n

The Desi garlic bread, which levels the whole thing up with cilantro mint chutney, diced fresh jalape\u00f1os and more, is a don\u2019t-miss.<\/p>\n

\u201cDesi is a slang term for people of Southeast Asian origin \u2014 we don\u2019t want to leave out our Pakistani or Nepali guests,\u201d says Pancholi. \u201cIt\u2019s inclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n

I feel pretty included with four pies on the table: chicken tikka, palak paneer and chana masala among them. There is also the new pav bhaji, a pie with a base that melds potatoes, cauliflower and spices into the mix.<\/p>\n

\"NareshNaresh (Rush) Patel grates fresh ginger on a Signature Chana Masala Pizza at Singas Famous Pizza in Orlando. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

On the weekdays, says Pancholi, most of the customers are American, but that flips on the weekends, when Indians come in. Many come from other parts of the country, familiar with the Singas brand and its Indian pies. They\u2019ve got options from apps to dessert, as here they\u2019ve got Indian ice creams on the menu.<\/p>\n

Standard kulfi pops, the sort you\u2019d pull out of the reach-in at your local Indian grocery, but also scoopable offerings from boutique brand Malai, in flavors like masala chai, cardamom pistachio crumble and ghughra \u2014 named for a pastry popular back home, a nut-overload for fans of such.<\/p>\n

\"ChickenChicken tandoori pizza from La Pino’z in Longwood. A nice balance of iconic presentation and Indian flavor. (Amy Drew Thompson\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Singas isn\u2019t even the only option for such delights. Longwood\u2019s relatively new La Pino\u2019z is an Indian-familiar chain, with more than 700 locations back home. It\u2019s making inroads here and offers a massive menu of pies, both American and Indian. The latter come in sizes up to 18 inches, and the punch of flavors here is potent.<\/p>\n

\"AA chicken tikka pie from Mazala Pijja in Orlando. (Courtesy Julius Mayo Jr.\/@droolius)<\/p>\n

While the crust feels \u201cchain,\u201d the flavors are way off it, a real blend of Indian spices that merges with the fast-food format. I\u2019d go back to try others when the mood strikes.<\/p>\n

In Orlando off OBT, tiny shop Mazala Pijja does a version with ample meat toppings, chicken and lamb, but feels more American familiar. And Tikka Shack\u2019s version, too, strikes a good, Chipotle-esque balance of flavors that Indians recognize, in formats that do the same for Americans.<\/p>\n

Tikka Shack\u2019s fast-casual fun will create new Indian-food fans | Review<\/a><\/p>\n

At Singas, Pancholi and Patel have been delighted by the interest of non-Indians in the \u201cunofficial\u201d menu, a list jotted on a board adjacent to the counter.<\/p>\n

Weeks ago, a viral video of someone dipping their cheese pizza into the butter chicken curry stirred some interest.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been nice to see so many people experiencing flavors they\u2019re not used to \u2014 fenugreek, cardamom and more.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of our missions is to open up everyone\u2019s palates to these kinds of flavors,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen someone says they tried our pizza and then went to an Indian restaurant for the first time, it feels good.<\/p>\n

The proliferation of Indian culture as American culture in the mainstream, he says, is positive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see more representation. We kind of started as Apu on \u2018The Simpsons,\u2019 and it has become more nuanced. Actual rounded characters versus a monolith. The same thing is happening in cuisine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter or Instagram\u00a0@amydroo<\/a>\u00a0or on the OSFoodie Instagram account\u00a0@orlando.foodie<\/a>. Email:\u00a0amthompson@orlandosentinel.com<\/a>, For more foodie fun, join the\u00a0Let\u2019s Eat, Orlando Facebook group<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you go<\/p>\n

La Pino\u2019z Pizza: 1050 W. State Rd 434 in Longwood<\/p>\n

Mazala Pijja: 1155 Doss Ave (Inside Laxmi Plaza) in Orlando, 407- 674 -0778; mazalapijja.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Singas Famous Pizza: 790 W. Sand Lake Road in Orlando, 407-440-2425 and 2921 S. Orlando Drive in Sanford, 407-688-2979; singaspizzas.com\/singassanford<\/a>;<\/p>\n

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