We Wish These International Costco Food Court Pizzas Were Available In The U.S.

Every Costco has a food court worth visiting, whether you’re hitting up your local warehouse for a simple slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza or heading out of the U.S. to see what kinds of local concoctions other Costcos are cooking up. International Costco food courts are famous for offering some seriously incredible items. 

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And we’ve discovered that even when it comes to pizza — a food court staple — international Costco warehouses can offer flavor combinations and toppings we’ve never seen before at U.S. stores. Here are a few of the international Costco pizzas that we’d love to see pop into the U.S.-based warehouses just so we can give them a taste.

Japan’s Extra-Large Pepperoni

Pepperoni pizza is one of the only two pizza options in the U.S., so we’re already quite familiar with Costco’s pepperoni game — well, we thought we were. And then we saw photos of Japan’s take on pepperoni pizza, which puts ours to shame.

Costco stores in Japan also sell a pepperoni pizza in slices and 18-inch pies. But there’s a noticeable difference: the pepperoni is way bigger. In fact, while it’s technically pepperoni, the “real” (or American) version of the meat is tough to find in Japan. So, the pizzas feature something that tastes like pepperoni but is really salami.

Bigger in size and more thickly sliced according to those who’ve tried it, the pepperoni pizza sold in Japan’s Costco food courts tastes slightly different. It’s more of a spicy salami pizza than a crispy pepperoni one — but if you’re a salami fan, that’s only a perk.

China’s Okonomiyaki Pizza

Forget about pepperoni if you’re visiting Costco in China, because the pizza options here are way more interesting. China’s Costco food courts offer an okonomiyaki pizza which is jam-packed with toppings you’ll never find in the U.S. — each slice is loaded with octopus, green peppers, corn, mayo, and bonito flakes. 

Worried about trying octopus, mayo, and corn altogether on top of a typical pizza sauce? Don’t worry, the ingredients are balanced. There isn’t much cheese to be found on the okonomiyaki pizza, and the tomato-based sauce that’s typical of U.S. pizzas is swapped for a mayo one. 

And if you’re a seafood fan, you’ll absolutely want to to try this China-exclusive Costco pizza. Those who’ve tried it say it comes with “tons of octopus,” and the only thing it might be missing is a bit of cabbage.

Japan’s Ham and Caesar Pizza

Visit a Costco warehouse in Japan, and you’ll find a pizza that’s something of a combination of a Caesar salad and a ham-topped pizza (but don’t worry, there’s not a single slice of pineapple to worry about… although Japanese Costco food courts did previously offer a Hawaiian pizza!). 

Topped with large slices of ham and a Caesar dressing-like sauce, this international Costco pizza might sound a little unusual — so much so that one Reddit user asked, “Is this a pizza crime?” But in reality, those who’ve been to Japan and tried it firsthand say that it’s a solid slice.

If you’re wondering what it tastes like, it’s relatively mild. One customer said it was good but “didn’t have as big of a Caesar flavor as I was hoping,” meaning it’s likely to be a great choice for those who want to get adventurous but are a little wary of too-bold flavors. 

Mexico’s Combo Pizza

Lastly, this pizza from one of Costco’s international food courts isn’t exactly adventurous, bold, or even uniquely flavored. Its toppings are pretty simple, but since this slightly leveled-up pizza is no longer available at U.S. Costco stores, we wish we could steal it right off Mexico’s menus.

The pizza in question is the combo pizza, which is still available at Costco stores in Mexico. Topped with pepperoni, Italian sausage, red onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and black olives, it was the supreme choice at U.S. Costco food courts until 2020. And when you visit warehouses in Mexico, it’s still available to order in slices and whole pies. 

We miss this classic mix of toppings enough to consider making a trip down south just to get our hands on it once again.