Dill Pickle Pizza Arrives in Freezers: California Pizza Kitchen's Bold Move Divides Fans

Brace yourselves, pickle lovers (and skeptics): Dill pickle pizza is coming to a freezer aisle near you, thanks to California Pizza Kitchen's latest frozen creation. The company is touting it as "the ultimate cheesy and tangy pizza combination," featuring real dill pickles, mozzarella, dill seasoning, and a creamy garlic sauce on a crispy thin crust. If your taste buds are as adventurous as your Netflix recommendations, you can grab one at Target this month for $8.49.

California Pizza Kitchen isn't the first to try this briny experiment – Caulipower rolled out a cauliflower-crusted dill pickle pizza at Whole Foods earlier this year, and even Target’s own Good & Gather line has jumped on the pickle pie train. It seems the pickle craze is officially everywhere, with brands promising protein-packed, preservative-free options for the health-conscious (or at least, pickle-obsessed) crowd.

Michelle Hlivka, brand manager at California Pizza Kitchen, seems confident the trend is here to stay, saying their team wanted to deliver the "it" flavor of the moment. I mean, pickles on pizza have even gone global, with Domino’s offering it in Japan and Pizza Hut spicing things up in New York with a Nashville hot chicken version last year. The Wisconsin State Fair also got in on the action, because if you can fry it or put it on a stick, it belongs at a fair.

But despite all the hype, not everyone is convinced. A 23-year-old food reviewer on X (formerly Twitter) gave the new pizza a less-than-glowing review: "Had that dill pickle pizza and was underwhelmed to say the least, very little pickle taste." Ouch. California Pizza Kitchen's response? Leaning into the pun game: "What can I say? It's kind of a big dill."

So whether you're a pickle fanatic or someone who thinks cucumbers should stay in the salad, the big question remains: Is the world really ready for dill pickle pizza in the frozen aisle? One thing’s for sure – it’s not for the faint of tart.