The U.S. Pizza Team squared off against some of the best pizza makers on the planet in the 2012 World Championship of Pizza last week in Salsomaggiore, Italy.

“You should see this 7-year-old twirl pizza.”

The restaurant industry appears well positioned for gradual improvement in the first half of 2012.

“Through a new partnership with eThor, pizza and delivery point of sale developer SpeedLine will give its POS users access to a web and social marketing dashboard, reported Pizza Marketplace.”

“There are countless pizzerias in Central Jersey, but Pete Lombardi still managed to make his stand out from the rest.”

“Looking at pictures of high-carb food like pizza makes things taste better, research shows.”

“It’s called Park Square Pizza. But customers who peruse the menu will easily see that there’s much more than pizza here.”

“Two South Jersey pizza shops are working to raise money for an 18-year-old delivery driver who was badly beaten in a robbery.”

“Local pizza chain Lou Malnati’s was shipping pizzas and other local foods to Belgium Tuesday to showcase Chicago products and help tell the city’s story in advance of the G8 Summit in May.”

“Authorities in Polk County, Fla., are on the lookout for a 6-foot slice of pizza that grew legs and walked out of a Papa John’s restaurant.”

“There’s an elegance to the group effort. I like to think the owners’ hometown of Monte di Procida, not far from Naples, has restaurants like this: bustling, intimate, without unnecessary razzle-dazzle and just plain good homemade Italian pizzas and pastas.”

On This Week in Pizza – Pizza Market Now Represents $46 Billion in Sales; Goat Enjoys Slice in Manhattan Pizzeria; and 10 LA Pizzerias Stepping Up Their Game

“Is it possible that Los Angeles has turned into the New Pizza Capital of America?”

“Restaurants need to promote the benefits they offer, and they need to do it at little or no cost.”

“During March Madness, pizzas fly off the shelves like hotcakes. (hot pies?) Americans love their pizza and the numbers are there to back it up.”

“I feel like New Orleans is actually paying attention to pizza now, and I want people to see what’s happening in this city.”

“A 20-year-old Slidell man was sentenced to more than three decades in prison for robbing a pizza delivery driver at gunpoint for his wallet, cellphone and pizzas, reported the New Orleans Times-Picayune.”

Tight credit restrictions and high loan eligibility requirements are leaving business owners-and pizza operators in particular-with few options when they need working capital to fund renovations and repairs or purchase much-needed, expensive equipment.

Although most native Milwaukeeans know of our city’s great reputation for Milwaukee-style pizza, only recently has this well-kept secret begun to get out.

“Rose Marie Cioppa used to pile up french fries on the plates of undernourished students in the Woodland Hills School District to fatten them up.”

“Naked Pizza, an all-natural pizza restaurant, opened its doors in Reston on Saturday.”