The world’s most dangerous pizza cooked on top of an active volcano

This pizza business is booming.

In Guatemala, you can enjoy a slice of pizza with a side of lava and volcanic rock and the risk of eruption.

Chef Mario David García serves “the world’s most dangerous pizza” on top of Pacaya Volcano, an active volcano whose last lava eruption was in May 2021, using the lava as a cooking medium.

“I’ve sold everything from ice cream to vegetables, but I never thought a volcano would be the starting point of my culinary success,” Garcia told Times UK.

To cook on the volcanic rock, Garcia wears thick heat-resistant gloves and yellow goggles as he stands safely near the hot spot.

The pizzeria on top of the volcano has been running for five years now – but working on top of an active volcano comes with its own noises.

“In one case, the volcano was spewing a lot of sulfur,” Garcia recalled. “When we got off, our noses were bleeding, so we closed the restaurant for 15 days.”

Guatemala’s three active volcanoes attract tourists from all over the world.

“The Pacaya volcano is friendly and to some extent allows itself to be petted and admired,” he said.

He has also noticed an increase in extreme tourism. His pizzeria has expanded from two to five days a week, and he now welcomes children, corporate groups for team building and even wedding parties.

Sojourner White, who traveled from Wisconsin, told The Times that her entire trip to Guatemala was planned around volcano tourism — and she made sure to stop for a slice of pizza.

“I was a bit nervous, I mean, you’d think I’d be more scared. I was so amazed by it,” she told the media. “It wasn’t until I was sitting eating pizza that I realized it was an active volcano. It probably wasn’t the safest solo travel experience, but the pizza tasted great.”

Professor Matthew Watson, a volcanologist at the University of Bristol, advised tourists to “do your homework” when traveling for the sake of volcanoes.

“I’m not convinced that people are thinking too much about how dangerous some of the touristy things in Guatemala can be. It’s a bit of a Wild West, it’s the honest truth,” admitted Watson, who has worked at the site for 25 years.

As for the pizzeria in Pacaya, García is constantly checking bulletins from Guatemala’s official Institute of Meteorology.

“We are always very attentive to the activity of the volcano. But there are sudden changes,” he said. “It is mother nature. You don’t know what’s going to happen next.”