Top 10 Pizzerias in Naples, Italy: Home to the World’s Finest Pizza

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The Ten (almost) Best Pizzerias in Naples (Napoli)

This year, I decided to celebrate the New Year with some amici in Naples, and I bet them that we would discover the best pizzeria in Naples by eating nothing but pizza for our entire five-day stay. I won the bet (thanks to Sant’Antonio Abate, the patron saint of bakers?), although I might have put on a few extra kilos 🙂 New Year’s Eve was the only day almost all pizzerias were closed. So we welcomed the New Year in the beautiful Piazza Plebiscito and Castel dell Ovo, watching spectacular fireworks after a delicious seafood dinner.

La Vera Pizza (Neapolitan Pizza Association ) of Napoli has a few basic golden rules:

• It can only be cooked in wood-burning brick ovens.
• The crust has to be soft and light; that’s why the dough is made the day before it’s used, allowing the yeast to rise for at least 10/15 hours.
• the pizzaiolo (pizza maker) must be a real maestro; the dough stretching technique is essential, and you need at least 2/3 years of apprenticeship to become a pizzaiolo

We visited many, many, many pizzerias, and now we can list our definitive ten best pizzas in Naples :

1. Da Michele

Let’s begin by addressing what some might view as inconveniences: the restaurant embraces a rustic, nearly spartan “no frills” atmosphere; it does not accept reservations, requiring everyone to wait in line (we encountered a queue of 40 people!); and it offers just two kinds of pizza. Nothing but the pizza Margherita and pizza marinara here, using only fiordilatte cow´s milk and sweet, enticing San Marzano tomatoes. So why do we recommend this place? This is the best pizza in Naples, in our opinion!!! The Condurros have been making pizzas for their hungry patrons since 1870, catering to everyone from tourists and local Napoletani to VIPs. They take special pride in having had the famous soccer player Maradona as a diner!

www.damichele.net

2. Il Pizzaiolo del Presidente

Right in the heart of Spaccanapoli, the historic center of Naples, Signore Ernesto Cacialli welcomed us with a huge smile. Pizzaiolo since the time he was 7 (!!!), Ernesto invited former US president Bill Clinton – who was in Naples for G8 – to taste his creations (back in 1994). Since then, his pizzeria  (the “president´s” pizzeria) was re-named in his honor. Buono!

www.dalpresidentepizzeria.it

3. Brandi

Close to the elegant Chiaia neighborhood and Piazza Plebiscito, this location is the birthplace of the mythical “pizza Margherita.” Although pizzas have been around in one form or another since Ancient Roman times, Raffaele Esposito is credited with creating the Margherita. He worked at this very pizzeria (established in 1780,) and in 1889, they asked him to bake three different kinds of pizza for the royal visit of King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy. The Queen’s favorite was a pizza with the Italian flag colors: basil leaves for green, mozzarella for white, and tomatoes for red. He named Pizza Margherita in her honor; this is how this pizza is still universally known. Brandi is one of the more elegant and atmospheric pizzerias, offering many traditional Napoletano side dishes. While Italians tend to drink beer with pizza, they also provide some lovely Falanghina white wines and Aglianico-based reds here.

www.brandi.it

4. Di Matteo

Founded in 1936 by Salvatore Di Matteo, the pizzeria was then managed by the “scugnizzi pizzaioli” (street urchin pizzaioli kids, usually poor, going to school only when they had to and spending a lot of time hanging out in the narrow streets of Naples) that used to work for him. Today, it is run by Raffaele Marigliano, who 50 years ago created a fantastic pizza con alici e cicinielli (anchovies and newborn very, very little fish, not produced anymore). You cannot miss the pizza fritta, a deep-fried pizza with ricotta cheese, provola cheese, tomato sauce, and sugna (lard). Heaven on earth!

www.pizzeriadimatteo.com

5. Sorbillo

This is another pizza “temple” in the “centro storico” of Naples, run today by Geno Sorbillo, a 3rd generation pizza-making family member. Sorbillo can also deliver to your home or hotel (in the historic center of Naples), and you can order online.

www.sorbillo.it.

6. Da Ettore

Right on the seafront, facing the pretty Castel dell’Ovo marina/fortress on the elegant Santa Lucia boulevard (where politicians, actors, and tourists frequent), the pizza here is truly excellent. But apart from pizza, they also excel in the “frittura all’italiana,” a sinfully delicious mix of deep-fried aubergines (eggplant), zucchini, mozzarella, arancini (rice croquettes), cauliflower, potato croquettes, zeppulelle con alghe (salty doughnut-like fried thingie with seaweed).

https://www.facebook.com/DaEttore.ve/

7. Lombardi 1892

Close to the fabulous Archaeological Museum of Naples, home to the fascinating Erotic Room of Pompeii mosaics and the Farnese collection, Enrico Lombardi founded Pizzeria Lombardi at the turn of the century. Before establishing his pizzeria in Naples, he sold pizza in Brazil. Nowadays, his grandsons, Nando and Gigi, run it. They also offer a variety of simple, perfectly executed dishes, but the pizza is what you come for. Their specialty is pizza with smoked provola cheese. yummmmmmmmm.

www.pizzerialombardi.it

8. Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba – Oldest pizzeria in Naples!

This is the oldest pizzeria in Naples and Italy. Founded in 1738 as a street food seller, it became a real pizzeria in 1830. Vincenzo Luciano is the 5th generation to run the business.

9. La Notizia

Named after the movie (the owner, Enzo Coccia, loves Citizen Kane), this pizzeria only opens for dinner, allowing the yeast to create the perfect dough. A real treat is the pizza bianca—without tomatoes—with Scarola salad, aubergines (eggplant), and provola cheese. It is not located in a touristy neighborhood, but it is absolutely worth going to the upper part of the town to reach it. Authentic Napoli.

www.pizzarialanotizia.com