Pizza

Pizza was invented in Naples, and arguably the best pizzas in the world can still be found here. *** = Luke's favorites, ### = haven't tried but want to

Recommended Pizzerie

Every Neapolitan has a different opinion on what the best pizzeria is, although many of them will point you to the Centro Storico (Historic Center) of Naples. Several of the most famed/popular pizzerie are featured on the Restaurant page and the Downtown Restaurant page, as well as below:

  • ***Da Michele (Condurro) - Sale Lilly (of Pizzasforsale.com fame, see below) rightfully calls this the "In-n-Out of Pizzerie," given its short menu (only margherita and marinara) and cult status (both with Neapolitans and with Oprah Book club readers of Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love; in every guidebook including Michelin). Via Cesare Sersale 1 (in the "Forcella" neighborhood in the Centro Storico, between Via Duomo and the main train station at Piazza Garibaldi), 081-553-9204, open 10-11, closed Sun except May/Dec; also closed for much of August. Get there early (or outside of normal meal hours) and/or be prepared to wait (no reservations, you take a number and wait).

  • ***Gino Sorbillo - often on people's short list for best pizzeria in Naples; their Margherita is slightly less soggy and oily than da Michele but not as toasty and the sauce has slightly less flavor. Via dei Tribunali 32, 081-446-643, closed Sun (except Dec). Don't get suckered in by the two (!) other Sorbillos down the street. (This is also the only Centro Storico pizzeria to make it onto Sale Lilly's Top 10 Pizzas List) Rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021, Michelin, and many others.

  • ***Gino Sorbillo Lievito Madre al Mare - Via Partenope 1, great branch of Gino Sorbillo right on the water near the Castel dell'Ovo (and the Chiaia shopping/nightlife district)...no reservations and it fills up fast, so get there when they open to ensure you get a seat—outside unless it's very chilly (since it gets hot inside!), see an early NYT writeup. As of ~2016-2018, they also had *excellent* gluten-free pizza.

  • ***La Notizia - some of the most inventive pizzas come from Enzo Coccia in his wonder of a pizzeria in Vomero; also features decadently light crust. Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio 53, 081-714-2155. To truly experience Enzo's genius, go with some friends and split several pizzas amongst the group. Rec'd by the NY Times, Michelin, Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021, and featured on Searching for Italy with Stanley Tucci

  • ***Concettina ai Tre Santi - Via Arena della Sanità 7 Bis (in the Sanità neighborhood, ~5 min walk from the Cavour metro station), is a fun place run by a pizzaiolo who cares about this often-neglected neighborhood; they have a pretty extensive menu, including some interesting calzones, also have some gluten-free options. Get there early to avoid a wait, and optionally participate in the "pizza sospeso" (a riff on caffè sospeso) tradition, where you pay for a pizza for a poor person who can't afford one (NY Times explains more). Rec'd Michelin, Lonely Planet, Scatti di Gusto, Gambero Rosso (they won a prize for being one of the top 6 pizzas in all Italy), Il Golosario, Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

  • ### 50 Kalò - new-ish pizzeria by Ciro Salvo in Mergellina that has really good ingredients, rec'd by the NYT and Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021 and Michelin

  • Di Matteo - one of the classic centro storico pizzerie; also has a busy business in take-away food. Via dei Tribunali 94, 081-455-262.

  • Il Pizzaiolo del Presidente - when Bill Clinton was in town for the G8 Summit in 2004, he stopped at Da Matteo for some pizza; shortly afterwards, the pizzaiolo, Ernesto Cacialli, decided to open up his own shop just down the street, which is another of the "short list" for best pizza in Naples. Via Tribunali 120, 081-210-903, closed Sun.

  • Port'Alba - the oldest pizzeria in Naples (founded in 1738!), just inside the eponymous Alba gate off of Piazza Dante. A little "upscale" but still nice--feels more like a restaurant than a pizzeria. Via Port'Alba 18, 081-459-713. See blogger review.

  • Pizzeria Pellone - near Piazza Garibaldi, Sale Lilly's favorite pizza out of 365! Via Nazionale 93, just N of the Centrale train station, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

  • Various Pozzuoli pizzerie (such as Pizzeria La Dea Bendata and Boccuccia di Rosa) are on the Campi Flegrei page

  • NOT Rec'd: Brandi - the inventor of the Margherita pizza (see below) is unfortunately a bit overpriced and mediocre now.

  • ### In Caiazzo (~30 min N of Caserta, ~1 hour N of Naples): Pepe in Grani - Food and Wine Magazine and various other writers say this may be the best pizza in the world; Katie Parla has a great post explaining how their pizza reflects the Alto Casertano region

  • More pizzerie to consider:

      • Scatti di Gusto has some great (Italian) articles about pizzerie, such as this 2014 article with the top 30 in Italy (mostly in Naples), this 2016 one of 15 pizzas to try before you die, and this 2016 article of a critic's top 8 pizzerie...they also quote Gambero Rosso's 2015 rankings here

      • 2foodtrippers has a great Naples Pizza Guide

      • Pizzeria Carmnella - south of Napoli Centrale, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • La Masardona - south of Napoli Centrale, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • 1947 Pizza Fritta - around the corner from Da Michele, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Acunzo Pizza - Vomero near Cimarosa/Funicolare Centrale just south of Vanvitelli, old-school rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Pizzeria Fratelli Cafasso - near Campi Flegrei metro, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Ristorante Pizzeria Ciarly - also near Campi Flegrei metro, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Casa de Rinaldi - near Rione Alto metro, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Pizzeria Da Attilio - off via Toledo just north of Quartiere Spagnoli, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Antica Pizzeria & Trattoria al 22 - also just north of Quartiere Spagnoli, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Fresco Caracciolo - near Mergellina, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Gorizia 1916 - near Piazza Vanvitelli in Vomero, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Ristorante Pizzeria Mattozzi - near Chiaia, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Pizzeria Vincenzo Capuano - also near Chiaia, rec'd Slow Food Osterie d'Italia 2021

      • Palazzo Petrucci Pizzeria - Centro Storico near San Domenico Maggiore, rec'd Michelin

Types of Pizza/Pizza terms

The following will help you decipher terms not already described on the list of food words:

  • Pizzaiolo - the pizza baker; the best are true magicians

  • Margherita - named after Margherita of Savoy, wife of Italian King Umberto I. When Raffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi brought Queen Margherita three pizzas, she chose this one as her favorite--with the same green (basil), white (mozzarella), and red (tomato sauce) as the Italian flag.

  • Marinara - "Sailor style" pizza, with a simple tomato sauce seasoned with garlic, oregano, and basil (because sailors--or their wives--had to whip up a simple recipe upon returning to port)

  • Diavola - "Devilish," with spicy sausages. The closest thing to a pepperoni pizza, and consequently popular with Americans. (Note that "pepperoni" is the American word...the Italian word peperoni, with only 2 p's, means "bell peppers")

  • Filetto - "Fillets," meaning with fillets of chopped fresh tomatoes, vice a tomato sauce.

  • Siciliana - "Sicily Style," with melanzane (eggplant, the Sicilians' favorite vegetable)

  • Quattro Formaggi - "Four Cheeses," about what it sounds like

  • Quattro Stagioni - "Four Seasons," usually a pizza divided into four areas, each with a different topping

  • Vera Pizza Napoletana - a green sign (of Pulcinella pulling a pizza out of the oven) denoting pizzaioli who are certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (the Association of True Naples Pizza) as producing "true" Naples pizza, which meets certain standards of quality.

Gluten Free Pizza

Celiac or can't eat gluten for some other reason? Luckily, there are a lot of Italians in the same situation, and thus there is "pizza senza glutine" or "pizza per celiache". The Associzione Italiana Celiachia has more information. Here are some pizzerie that have gluten-free pizzas:

  • Pizzeria del Guappo - in Moiano (E of Caserta, ~1 hour north of Naples), named by Gambero Rosso in 2016 as the best gluten-free pizza in Italy

  • Gino Sorbillo Lievito Madre al Mare - see above

  • Pizzeria Fresco - on the waterfront near Castel dell'Ovo, although if you're there Gino Sorbillo's is better

Learning More About Pizza