What is Regina pizza? It’s Greek, good and gets under the crust of Rider rivals

Regina, the capital city of Saskatchewan, has a unique culinary emblem - a two-fisted, square-shaped, greasy-cheesy pizza with a distinctive thick crust. The pizza, known for its ample tomato sauce, vegetables, and deli meat, is a staple in Regina dating back about a half-century. It was first introduced in 1970 by Greek immigrant brothers George, Gus, John and Tony Kolitsas who opened their first Houston Pizza restaurant on Hill Avenue.

Jim Baiton, owner of Tumblers Pizza, says the Regina-style pizza should be baked until golden brown and served in square pieces to maintain the integrity of its filling. The pizza's thick crust and generous toppings are a departure from the thinner, more delicate pies popular in places like Chicago and New York City. Baiton, with roots in the pizza industry since he was 14, attributes the pie's resilience to both Greek culinary traditions and Saskatchewan's agricultural roots and cold winters.

Tourism Regina, the city's tourism agency, recently embraced the pizza by launching merchandise featuring the four-sided pizza slice. The city's rivalry with a Winnipeg-based CFL team, the Blue Bombers, adds a unique twist to Regina's pizza narrative. The Blue Bombers have publicly mocked Regina's signature dish, calling it "someone took a three-week old lasagna and slapped it on a piece of dough."

Despite this, the Riders' head coach, Corey Mace, remains unfazed by the criticism and defends Regina pizza as a symbol of the city's hearty spirit and resilience.