Pizza, a dish of Italian origin, has conquered global palates and become a symbol of identity in various cities. While Naples is recognized as the birthplace of this culinary creation and New York also stands out for its pizza culture, another location surprises with its high concentration of such establishments: a municipality on the coast of Cadiz.

Rota holds the title of the second locality with the most pizzerias per thousand inhabitants globally. With a population of nearly 30,000 and approximately 30 pizzerias, the ratio stands at one per thousand people. This figure places it ahead of New York, which has one pizzeria for every 4,300 inhabitants, though behind Naples, which registers about nine per thousand.

The origin of this peculiar gastronomic feature in Rota is not entirely clear, but it is speculated that the presence of the U.S. Naval Base since 1953 could be a determining factor. The hypothesis suggests that many local businesses adapted their offerings to attract American military personnel, opting for pizzerias given their popularity in the United States.

This strong presence of pizzerias has made Rota an international benchmark. The municipality annually celebrates, in spring, its traditional Pizza Festival, an event that pays homage to this dish which has shaped the town's culinary identity.