Napoli on the Road, an Italian-owned pizzeria located in London’s Chiswick district, has been named the world’s best pizzeria in the latest 50 Top Pizza World rankings announced last month. The accolade places the establishment ahead of several renowned international competitors, highlighting its rising prominence in the global pizza scene.
Despite this recognition, Italy continues to hold a central place in the pizza world, with its rich regional traditions and centuries-old origins rooted in Naples. Italian pizzas vary widely depending on the area, from the soft, pillowy Neapolitan styles to the thick, oregano-topped Sicilian sfincione. Among Italian pizzerias, Confine in Milan was ranked as the country’s highest entry in the awards. The Milanese restaurant is known for its gourmet tasting menus, demonstrating the versatility and evolution of pizza into fine dining.
Italy also boasts numerous historic and culturally significant pizza destinations. Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba in Naples, in operation since 1738, is celebrated for its traditional offerings such as the Mastu Nicola, an early style pizza without tomato, featuring lard, ricotta, pecorino, and basil. In Caserta, I Masanielli is acclaimed for its gourmet approach, incorporating steamed, fried, and baked dough elements alongside multiple types of buffalo mozzarella. Caserta lies about 50 minutes from Naples and is known for its historic Bourbon palace.
Rome offers several notable pizza venues, including Pizzeria Ai Marmi, locally nicknamed “The Morgue” due to its marble-topped tables, which has been serving crispy, thin-crust Roman-style pizza since 1931 under the Panattoni family’s management. Another Roman establishment, Bonci Pizzarium, is renowned for its pizza al taglio—pizza by the slice—with a 72-hour-fermented dough producing a light but crunchy crust complemented by seasonal and inventive toppings.
Veneto’s I Tigli, located near Verona, holds a top ranking among sit-down pizzerias, emphasizing simplicity and quality in its twice-baked dough bases topped with refined ingredients. In southern Italy, Palermo’s Panificio Graziano is known for sfincione, a thick, rectangular pizza that inspired New York’s Sicilian style; its version is characterized by a spongy base topped with tomato sauce, onions, anchovies, and caciocavallo cheese.
Tuscany hosts Pizzeria Osée, a distinctive, circus-themed pizzeria near the Cascate del Mulino thermal springs, led by Antonio Simonini, once ranked the world’s second-best pizza maker. His signature Briaca pizza combines four cheeses with radicchio and wine-soaked pears. Additionally, Naples’ Isabella De Cham preserves the local tradition of pizza fritta—fried pizza filled with various ingredients—offering a lighter, airy take on this historic style prepared by an all-female team in the Sanità district.
This array of pizzerias across Italy exemplifies the country’s ongoing influence and innovation in pizza-making, from humble street food origins to contemporary gourmet cuisine, while Napoli on the Road’s international recognition underscores the global appeal of this beloved dish.