The Naples Pizza Battle

May 23, 2019 Kevin Leitch

This is where it all began! Welcome to Naples, or Napoli to Italians, the birthplace of pizza as we all know and love it. The classic stuff, not those gluten-free pizzas of today with cauliflower crusts, or those topped with ham and pineapple. Especially not pies with ham and pineapple!

Pizza as we know it originated here in Naples, hence the term Napoletana. It’s not just food in the Napoli culture as it carries great pride and is absolutely a part of what makes Naples Naples! There is no shortage of pizzerias, but it’s not just about commercialism or meeting the demand of tourism. Many pizzerias are generational and are family businesses. Most of these feature two pizza options - Marinara or Margherita, the latter featuring fresh Mozzarella.

The tomato and Mozzarella are typically regionally sourced and ridiculously fresh. It’s simple, it’s incredible, and there’s no reason to share. Get your own pie and enjoy. If you want to follow the Cocktails and Carry-Ons method, hit up two or three pizzerias in one night and pick your favorite while sharing with your traveling mate!

The Island of Capri ⋆ Positano and The Amalfi Coast ⋆ Staying at Casa Buonocore in Positano ⋆ A Visit to Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius, and Naples ⋆ The Path of the Gods ⋆ Gastronomic Trekking on the Amalfi Coast ⋆ Exploring the Cinque Terre with a Local ⋆ Portofino ⋆ The Italian Riviera ⋆ Parma ⋆ Modena ⋆ Bologna

See this map in the original post

I must note, I had aspirations of hitting 5 pizzerias in one night, but it’s just not possible. Other notable establishments on my to-do list include Starita, Da Concettina ai Tre Santi and Da Attilio. The latter was recommended to us by a local pizza critic while we were dining in Amalfi, so it’s sort of a must now!

In the past decade Pepe in Grani, in Caiazzo just outside of Napoli, has been dubbed as the best pizza. The 50 Top Pizza Guide even gave it their #1 ranking. It’s new by Italian standards but strives for perfection in every pizza and has been hugely successful in their efforts.

While I wasn’t a massive fan of Naples, in general, it’s a quick and cheap flight with EasyJet. I’m absolutely not opposed to flying there directly if visiting the region and stay 1-night for the opportunity to devour these delicious pies! As soon as I have the chance to visit again, I will visit new places and include them in the rankings! It may be worth flying back just to get out to Caiazzo!

Let The Battle Begin!

#3 Di Matteo

Via dei Tribunali, 94, 80138 Napoli - www.pizzeriadimatteo.com

Crust - The crust was OK but had less of the springy bounce back from the pinch test and didn’t have the same depth as others.
Cheese - The Mozzarella was generous and delicious. It was just melted enough to lose the elasticity and was excellent.
Sauce - The sauce on this pizza was great. It was the perfect amount for my preference and was very flavorful! It was very fresh and not watery.
The Vibe - The restaurant had the feel of a simple pizzeria. Nothing crazy, just a great Naples pizzeria feel. We were fortunate to be near the entrance so we were able to see them frying yummy treats.
Verdict - Excellent Pizza - The crust was the difference on this one and wasn’t as soft and fresh tasting. I loved that they offered hot pepper oil which was a nice touch for the crust. While it was third but I wouldn’t think twice of recommending it. It was a great pie!

#2 L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele

Via Cesare Sersale, 1, 80139 Napoli - www.damichele.net

Crust - This crust was incredible. It was perfectly springy from the pinch test and just tasted incredibly fresh.
Cheese - The Mozzarella was very good but I thought it could use another 15 seconds of baking as it was a little solid for my liking. Super fresh though and very good.
Sauce - The sauce on this pizza was also great and super fresh. It was a little light for my liking but was perfect for the crust.
The Vibe - The restaurant turns tables quickly but has to do so because there are so many people standing outside waiting. It’s a simple restaurant inside and the focus is the pizza!
Verdict - Excellent Pizza - Da Michele definitely lived up to the hype. It was a fantastic pizza and the crust was absolutely incredible.

#1 Sorbillo

Via dei Tribunali, 94, 80138 Napoli - www.sorbillo.it

Crust - This crust had a little more weight to it and was perfectly balanced all around. It was springy, soft, and a little more of it. So yummy.
Cheese - The Mozzarella was perfect in portion and perfectly fresh and melted.
Sauce - The sauce was incredibly fresh with a little texture to it and not watery at all. It was perfect.
The Vibe - We arrived at 8:00 PM so we had a much longer line than the previous two. It was to be expected given the timing. There was a flood of people outside but if you get your name in, they announce on the speaker outside. There’s a bar next door where you can buy drinks while you wait outside. After a 90 minute wait we were finally seated and it was worth the wait. The interior is beautiful and quite honestly a nicer and more relaxed vibe.
Verdict - Best Pizza in Naples, so far - The pizza really was incredible all the way around, no pun intended. Chanel ordered hers with prosciutto and it was also amazing. The only drawback was that they know if you aren’t a local and they are quick to drop a receipt on the table. Locals around us were able to order deserts, more drinks, and such. A bit of a bummer after the long wait. But this is a pizza battle not a customer service battle.

Cocktails and Carry-Ons