If Italians are known for one thing, it’s pizza. Nowhere in the world will you find a better example of how it’s done than in its mother country. Here, it’s all about fresh ingredients, simple flavours and age-old culinary traditions.
If you’ve been tempting yourself with an overseas culinary adventure like no other, you could do worse than to make Italy numero-uno on your hotlist, and dive into what many consider to be the perfect slice of pizza. You can often find cheap flights to Italy year-round, so what have you got to lose?
In its earliest form, pizza was little more than baked bread with tomatoes, until sometime in the late 19th century a genius pizza maker decided to add cheese to the bread. It was only a matter of time from there – a few decades to be precise – before people all over the world began adding their own spin to the classic Italian dish. To this day, the birthplace of pizza is where you will find the best slices in the world.
Pizzeria del Corso, Forli
The owner of Pizzeria del Corso was the winner of Italy’s first “National Championship of Typically Regional Pizzas.” Over 900 people competed to see who could make the best pizza using toppings that represented his or her own region. The contest winner was “Dolce Elba,” made with olives and pine nuts. When you go to Pizzeria del Corso, order their number one seller: the “Fabiola Uno”! It’s made with tomatoes, pineapples, mushrooms, and seafood, and is seriously good fare.
Da Michele, Naples
You simply cannot go on a pizza tour of Italy without going to Naples. Pizza’s first city is home to a number of pizzerias, each seemingly better than the last. At Da Michele, you can forget the hassle of which toppings to order, or whether to buy thin or thick crust, and even whether or not you made the right choice. Why? Because here you only have two choices – pizza margherita or pizza marinara! Fear not, neither will leave you wishing you had more choice. This is the real deal and you will not be sorry. The downside, if any, is that you’ll often be greeted with a lengthy line of locals and tourists…but that’s okay – there’s nothing more reassuring that you’ve made the right choice than a queue!
Brandi, Naples
Thought to be the location of the very first pizza – the margherita, Brandi is an unmissable stop for any pizza connoisseur. It goes without saying that the drawcard here is the margherita that made the restaurant famous. Not to be cornered by infamy, there are many other items on the menu to appeal to all taste buds, and some great traditional side dishes. And if you’re really looking to compliment your experience, don’t forget to wash down your slice with a delicious Italian beer.
La Gatta Mangiona, Rome
Come for the pizza, stay for the wine list! La Gatta Mangiona has over 200 wines and 70 types of beer to go with their delicious pizza-pies. Top picks here are the pizza topped with salmon or potato. If you happen to be travelling with the rare individual who prefers not to eat pizza (and I haven’t met one yet), La Gatta Mangiona has plenty of offerings aside from pizza to appease any hungry stomach.
La Fucina, Rome
For the widest assortment of pizza offerings, La Fucina is your best bet. You can find such toppings as pistachios, pork fat, or even courgette flowers. This spot is a favourite among the locals, but obviously tourists cramp the tables of this pizzeria in harmony. This place is only open for dinner, so work up your appetite with some scenic walks by day, and unwind here as the sun goes down!
A pizza tour of Italy is a fun and delicious way to see this beautiful country. These tips are definitely a great place to start your tour de food, but obviously there are plenty of other pizza havens to check out. One thing is for sure – after you’ve had the real deal, pizza will never be the same again!