Americans love to eat. Major U.S. locations are known by their locals for their signature food—Chicago for its namesake hot dog, Louisiana for its gumbo, Wisconsin for cheese, and more. But one of the fiercest debates between various cities is for the title for the “signature” slice—the king of pizza.
And while pizza connoisseurs from across the country will try to convince pizza lovers why their pie is the best, Normal’s very own Pizza Payaa may just have everyone beat.
Last month, Pizza Payaa owner Adam Elpayaa took his pizza-slinging talents to the city of sin, Las Vegas, to deep-dish out some pain—or, more accurately, delicious food. Elpayaa competed against over 780 contestants at the International Pizza Expo, one of the largest global pizza competitions, where he placed in the top five in the Pan Pizza category and 2nd place overall for the Detroit Style subdivision.
Starting as a pop-up shop among friends and family in the aftermath of COVID, Pizza Payaa grew into a staple of Bloomington-Normal. Now with a physical location in Uptown Normal, the family-owned restaurant has become a premium dining destination with their now internationally acclaimed pizza.
Ahead of the week-long expo in March 2026, Elpayaa prepared his dough and ingredients at his restaurant in Normal before packing everything into a cooler and flying with them to Las Vegas.
While Elpayya previously served as a judge and guest speaker at Pizza Expo, 2026 marked only his second time competing.
“To place at this level against the best pizza makers in the world is incredibly rewarding,” Elpayaa said, “It motivates me to keep refining and come back even stronger next year. We’re incredibly grateful for our supporters and proud to represent Bloomington-Normal on a global stage,” Elpayaa said.
While New York City may have birthed the American obsession with pizza, Elpayaa’s Detroit style has modernized and perfected it. IWU students can try Pizza Payaa’s world-renowned “What Happens in Vegas” and “Honey Badger” pizzas, or other build-your-own pizzas (with gluten-free and vegan options) at Pizza Payaa’s 107 East Beaufort Street location, which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.)
