Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Followers Dish Out Their Favorite Pizza Toppings

Brick oven pizza from Barone's Pizzeria in Westlake Village

In a 2014 report, "Consumption of Pizza - What We Eat in America," the USDA highlighted the fact that 13% of the U.S. population aged 2 and older consumed pizza on any given day. And over 1 in 4 males ages 6 to 19 partake in a slice or two, or three, in a given day. According to PMQ Pizza Magazine, pizza restaurant sales in the U.S. for the 12 months ended September 30, 2015 were $38.5 billion. That's over $120 in pizza per capita.

So in a recent CVG Facebook Page drawing, locals were asked to comment on their favorite pizza toppings. Here's how the toppings stacked up in order of popularity based on over 150 responses:

• Pepperoni - with 18% of the total vote, pepperoni was the clear winner
• Sausage - however, sausage gave pepperoni a run for its money, with 14% of the vote
• Mushrooms - while I'm not opposed to mushrooms on my pizza, I still don't quite get why they are so popular, as indicated with their 3rd place showing at 12%
• Pineapple - at 8% of votes cast, this sweet, tangy fruit on pizza placed 4th, perhaps driven by the combination of pineapple and ham, Canadian bacon, etc.
• Olives, bacon - olives are also technically a fruit and tied for 5th place on this list with the combo of bacon/Canadian bacon, each garnering 5% of the vote
• Jalapenos, artichokes and "cheese only" tied at 4% of the vote

Honorable mentions go to green pepper, chicken, onions and garlic. Mentioned just once or twice were arugula, tomato, prosciutto, ricotta, steak, basil, meatballs, shrimp, spinach and eggplant.

Hungry now? So am I! Here's a compilation of local area newly opened and soon to be opened eateries of all types in and around Ventura County.