Pita bread is a type of flatbread believed to have originated in the Middle East around 2500 BCE, making it one of the oldest types of bread in the world. Archaeologists have found evidence of flatbreads made by ancient civilizations across the Middle East and Mediterranean, including the Egyptians and Sumerians.

The term "pita" is a Greek word, which means "pie" or "bread". This might suggest that the Greeks adopted this form of bread from their Middle Eastern neighbors. The bread is a staple in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines today, including those of Greece, Türkiye, Lebanon, and Syria.

The simple process of making pita bread, which involves mixing wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt, then baking it at high temperatures, would have been achievable with the tools and resources available to ancient civilizations. The high heat causes the dough to puff up and create a pocket, which is a distinctive feature of pita bread.

This pocket makes pita bread versatile for a variety of dishes, as it can be used to scoop up or hold various fillings. Pita is the perfect choice for steaks, lamb, falafel, kebabs, or chicken, and it is traditionally paired with hummus, tzatziki sauce, or tabouleh.