10 Fantalicious Pizzas to Go to Italy For

Never been to Italy but looking for a reason to go? I don’t know about you, but I would totally hop on a plane if it meant eating the world’s most authentic, best-tasting pizza. Here is a list of the ten best pizzas in Italy that are made so well, you may just die happy.

To start off our pizza adventure through Italy, let’s have ourselves a brief history lesson. Don’t worry, I will not bore you with the crusty details. The word “pizza” has been around for quite some time. Since 997 AD, in fact.

It is believed that the predecessor to pizza was focaccia, which the Romans called panis focacius (that sounds so cool). Someone got creative around the 16th century, added some toppings – the turning point being adding tomatoes, and voila, we got one of the greatest food inventions known to human kind.

Mamma mia, I am hungry. So in accordance with Daniel Young’s Where to Eat Pizza, here are the best of the best:

1 Margherita Sbagliata, Pepe in Grani, Campania

Margherita Sbagliata has basil, a cold tomato reduction, and mozzarella. Handmade flavors. Hand-chosen ingredients. That is how the master, Franco Pepe, has made his pizza for years.

Not many people say that pizza tells a story, but what comes out of the brick ovens here definitely does. The blend of flavors is smoky, nutty, hearty, and sweet speak of the country and of Pepe’s passion. You can even get pizza with chickpeas or figs!

2 Pizza con le Patate, Pizzarium, Rome

website: bonci.it

The Pizza con le Patate is one of the few pizza al taglio (by the slice) joints you can find that is also of exceptional quality. Garbiele Bonci is heralded as the Michelangelo of Pizza. Here is why: he bakes his crust, made from superior quality flour, first without toppings then adds seasonal toppings that accent the crust’s flavor. The combinations are well-planned and perfect every single time.

3 The Aromatica, La Gatta Mangiona, Rome

It is topped with Asiago, asparagus, and multi-colored peppercorns. A lot of pizzas on the menu are seasonal too. La Gatta Mangiona has been hailed as a “foodie” haven in Rome. The fusion of styles balances so perfectly. The dough is light, Roman in texture but Neapolitan in presentation. Toppings are called “simple,” but it’s the simplicity that brings out each individual flavor.

4 The Marinara, L’Antica Pizzeria de Michele, Naples

website: damichele.net

Tomato, cheese, and crisp crust – it is purely Italian in all the right ways. You might know this place from Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel, Eat Pray Love. This restaurant has been in business since the early 1900s, and it has never seen a reason to change its secret pizza-making formula. Although they only serve two kinds, the marinara and margherita, L’Antica Pizzeria de Michele has earned its place as “the benchmark” for all pizza.

5 The Shrimp Sashimi Pizza, I Tigli, Verona

website: pizzeriaitigli.it

Had to do a double-take on that one, right? The concept is not actually that weird in Italy. In fact, Simone Padoan, the chef, is said to be a frontrunner in the world of gourmet pizza. But the dough? That is traditional, perfect, and delicious. Every topping is harmonized, making it a truly umami pizza.

Read also – Where to Travel Based on Your Zodiac Sign (Ophiuchus included)

6 Antico Forno, Venice

website: anticofornovenezia.com

Try the deep dish pizza with seasonal toppings. While venturing through the canals of Venice, if you spot Antico Forno, you better make a pit-stop. This is one of the few places in Italy where you can order pizza by the slice. Not only that, but all the ingredients are hand-picked, fresh, and seasonally based. Some recent options had been red cabbage, pumpkin, and olives. People also rave about the calzones.

7 Sapore, Verona

website: saporeverona.it

Try: The Mortadella, Misticanza, or Pistachhi. Or all three. These feature Stracchino cheese, mozzarella, mesclun, and the last has pistachios.

What makes this pizzeria so awesome is not solely based on the toppings. Any true pizza connoisseur knows it’s all about the bread. The owner, Renato Bosco, expertly uses every pizza-making technique at his restaurant, bringing about the widest range of styles and flavors available in the region.

8 Piccola Piedigrotta, Reggio Emilia

Try: The 1940, a white pizza topped with Mozzarella di Bufala, escarole, anchovies, capers, pine nuts, raising and Gaeta olives. Another option is the Carbonara Parisi that has the same delicious mozzarella but has guanciale (a cured meat made from pork jowl), Parisi egg, and Conciato Romano Cheese. This pizzeria is where you go for a blend of northern and southern Italy flavors, such as Mortadella.

9 The Crema di Zucca, Santarpia, Florence

website: santarpia.biz

Try: The Crema di Zucca – a pie topped with pumpkin puree, mozzarella and guanciale; or there is the calzone fritta which is said to be incredibly light, crisp, and addicting.

The owner, Giovanni Santarpia, selects the finest ingredients from local markets. Because he is from Naples, Santarpia knows how to leaven the dough just right, resulting in one of the best crusts you will ever have. It is so light and flavorful.

10 Nicola’s Pizzeria, Bologna

Try: The Neapolitan or the Pizza ai Frutti di Mare (Seafood).

What makes this authentic Napoli-styled Neapolitan so great is the size versus the price. These slices are like 3-in-1, and the ingredients are so simple but amazing that you might be tempted to have a second. Of course, the menu is extensive. The other reason people love Nicola’s Pizzeria is because the owner is very friendly and chats with the customers.

Read also – 10 Healthiest Places in the World to Visit

Pizza junkies, these are all your dream pizza destinations that you may want to visit the next year, or this one, who knows. Did anyone of you visit any of these places before? Let us know about your best and worst pizza experiences.