Raise your hand if pizza is your favorite food. It sure is the favorite food of many Italians, considering even that, according to a survey, pizza makes Italians happy.
Gambero Rosso, the publisher of highly regarded guides to the best Italian restaurants, has just released its 2020 Pizzerie d’Italia guide, which lists 700 pizza establishments across Italy in the four categories of ‘napoletana’ (Neapolitan-style), ‘italiana’ (Italian – pizza in its regional variations), a degustazione (gourmet pizza), al taglio (by the slice). The book aims to be a comprehensive guide of the pizza world in Italy, featuring well-established names and up-and-coming pizza chefs, trends and traditions, with attention to quality and creativity.
Now, without further ado, here are some of the top chefs and pizza restaurants in Italy, according to Gambero Rosso.
Top Pizza Chefs in Italy
According to Gambero Rosso, these are the pizzaioli that have revolutionized the concept of pizzeria, regardless of place, tradition and original recipe.
96/100
Franco Pepe of Pepe In Grani, Caiazzo (Caserta, region of Campania)
Simone Padoan of I Tigli, San Bonifacio (Verona)
95/100
Gabriele Bonci of Pizzarium, Rome
94/100
Renato Bosco of Renato Bosco Pizzeria, San Martino Buon Albergo (Verona)
Massimiliano Prete of GustoDivino, Saluzzo (Cuneo, Piedmont)
Enzo Coccia of LaNotizia, Naples
Massimo Giovannini of ApogeoGiovannini, Pietrasanta (Lucca, Tuscany)
New pizzerie awarded the ‘Tre Spicchi’ (Three Slices), the top recognition, for 2020 (there are 72 pizza restaurants awarded the ‘Tre Spicchi’ featured in the guide):
Francesco e Salvatore Salvo, San Giorgio a Cremano (Naples)
Ammaccamm in Pozzuoli (Naples)
La Contrada in Aversa (Caserta, Campania)
Duje in Florence
Sud in Florence (Neapolitan pizza)
Sbanco in Rome
Vola Bontà Per Tutti in Castino (Cuneo, Piedmont)
Crosta in Milan
Zenzero Osteria della Pizza in Pisa
For pizza by the slice, the emerging pizza chef is Francesco Arnesano of Lievito, Pizza, Pane in Rome, who trained with Gabriele Bonci.
Pizza of the year is ‘Oceano’ by the Salvo brothers of Naples, made with fiordilatte, buffalo ricotta flavored with algae, smoked amberjack, pink pepper, lemon zest, Muraglia smoked oil.
Overall, Campania is still at the top with 19 award-winning pizzerie, and we shouldn’t be too surprised since the region is considered the birthplace of pizza (Napoli).
For the full list, click here (in Italian): https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/classifiche/migliori-pizzerie-ditalia-2020-del-gambero-rosso-tutti-i-premi/
Love pizza? Here's Pizza Margherita's history and recipe.
And for pizza made with ancient grains, a recent trend in Italy, try this recipe.
