The Quest for Pizza

The main reason I managed to convinced Paul to visit Italy was pizza. Regaling him with tales of the best pizza I ever had was in Italy - airy but thin and chewy dough, the sweetest tomato sauce, the creamiest mozzarella - it was easy to convince this pizza lover that Italy was where we had to be. Journeying from Rome to Amalfi Coast, I made sure we stopped a couple of days in Naples just to visit via Tribunali. After much internet research, the pizzerias we visited and our review...

1. Pizzarium (Rome)

Pizzarium slices

This hole-in-the-wall was featured in Antony Bourdain's No Reservations. Selling pizza by the weight, toppings are modern and varied. Although interesting, the dough was too crunchy and dry for our taste. 6.5/10

2. Baffeto (Rome)

Pizza Oven at work

One of the best pizzerias in Rome according to various sources, we soon discovered Romans like their pizza dough wafer-thin with a crunch instead of springy and chewy. Not our preference but this margherita was still delicious! Sauce was tangy and sweet with the romano cheese adding plenty of unami. We lapped it up even though our preferred pizza dough is not crunchy. 8.5/10

3. Roscioli Forno (Rome)

Slices for sale at Roscioli

Salmon and arugula, anyone?

Delectable fresh mozzarella and tomato

This bakery and pizza shop sells pizza by the slice - ideal for lunch and pizza on the go. Toppings are fresh and delicious - salmon, arugula and ricotta, fresh buffata mozzarella and tomato and so on. 8/10


4. Hosteria Dino (Rome)

Pizza bianco at Hosteria Dino

Deviating from my internet research, we took one restaurant recommendation from the B&B we stayed at. We should have ran away when we saw all the tourists inside. Food was uninspired including this pizza bianca Paul ordered 4/10

5. I Decumani (Naples)

Pizzas to go at I Decumani

Pizza in hand

First thing on the agenda for Naples - head into pizza central, otherwise known as via Tribunali. We picked up pizza on go - a whole pizza folded into quarters and wrapped! Hot, delicious and only 1 Euro! Finally, we were eating the dough of our dreams - springy dough but airy. Not enough sauce though - 7.5/10

6. Di Matteo (Naples)

Love the plates - yes, I leave the crusts - Paul hoovers those up

Gorgeous margherita! Spring, airy dough but thin in the middle, fresh and sweet Vesuvius tomato sauce with buffata mozzarella and basil. My absolute favorite style of pizza - soupy in the middle. With the pizza hot from the oven, I always eat the center first, leaving the crusts on the side at the end. I'm not a huge fan of the crust but Paul loves them. Only issue with the pizza ovens, have to avoid the charred black bits at the bottom 9/10

7. Pizzaiolo del Presidente

Enjoying his margherita

My capriciossa

Pizza and beer - not a bad combination

The oven master at work

Our final evening in Naples - we hit the pizzeria renamed after President Clinton visited. I deviated from the usual order for a capriciossa. Turned out that the dough at del Presidente was the best! The chewiest, springy-est I had on my whole trip - a 9.5/10. If I had the margherita - it would have been my 10/10. Paul did have the margherita but as he's not a fan of the soupy middle - it didn't get full marks for him.

8. Che Bonta (Praiano)

On the Amalfi Coast, we ate more seafood and pastas but Paul did find his favorite pizza of the whole trip in the village of Praiano. Although not my favorite by far, Che Bonta, you get Paul's 10/10!