The 20 Best Pizzas To Try In Italy, According To An Expert

American pizzas are partly defined by their toppings. Sometimes it seems like the wackier they are, the better. Finding pizza toppings like tortellini, burrito fillings, or alas, ham and pineapple, is not all that unusual. But the pizza culture in Italy is very different. Having lived there for many years, I can attest to the fact that wacky toppings are strictly unavailable. Though, restaurants might use ingredients that may seem unusual to an American, such as yellow Datterini tomatoes or horse jerky (known as "sfilacci di cavallo" on pizza menus).

Indeed, Italian pizza is all about simplicity and making the most out of a few ingredients. In order to do so, the best pizzerias will only use top-quality ingredients, such as San Marzano tomatoes, which are coveted for their sweeter, less acidic flavor. But given the high bar pizzerias in Italy must clear to remain competitive, sometimes even that is not enough. Witness, for instance, the rise of the pizza tasting menu, where you can order single slices of different pizzas presented as multiple courses. Or you might see inventive alterations to the pizza dough, like black charcoal crusts. Pizzerias in Italy seem to be upping their game more than ever before, so let's take a look at some of the best places to experience tasty and inventive pizza, based on my personal experience and verified reviews. 

At this pizzeria, tucked away in a small town on the Piave river in northern Italy, you will find five different takes on the classic Margherita: a simple pie made with tomato sauce and mozzarella. There are also a series of other pizzas to try, with heftier toppings like sausage or porchetta — but you still might want to stick to a Margherita.

That's because a Margherita is the true test of how good a pizzeria is; other toppings only distract from the underlying quality of the pie. And the pie at Pizzeria da Ezio is of unbeatable quality. Enjoy it to the max by ordering a Margherita.

pizzeriadaezio.it

(+39) 351 662 0486

Piazza Licini, 2, 32031 Alano di Piave BL, Italy

Crocca is a chain of pizzerias with locations throughout Italy, but don't let this turn you off trying one of its pizzas. Crocca is by no means a chain like Pizza Hut is a chain — that would be like comparing a hot dog stand to Michelin-starred restaurant. Crocca uses quality ingredients, like San Marzano tomatoes, and its pies are super thin and crispy. In some cases, the restaurant even cooks the dough before adding the sauce, which gives it an extra crispy consistency.

All the pizzas here are great, but I recommend you try the 'nduja and caciocavallo pizza, made with tomato, mozzarella, spicy sausage, and grated caciocavallo, which is similar in flavor to provolone. The creamy cheese makes a nice foil to the spicy 'nduja.

crocca.it

Multiple locations

If you're looking for an unusual pizza that still keeps the list of ingredients pretty simple, consider the Fairy Zucchini at Fra Diavolo, a chain with a handful of restaurants throughout Italy. This one comes with mozzarella, cream of zucchini, mint, fried zucchini, provolone cheese, pepper, basil, and extra virgin olive oil, which you can order with a black charcoal crust — which, according to staff at Fra Diavolo, is easier to digest than regular pizza dough.

Whether this is true or not, the charcoal powder addition does seem to lend the dough a smooth, mild taste that goes down easy. Meanwhile, the combination of the zucchini, cheeses, and mint provides the perfect balance of flavor and freshness.

fradiavolopizzeria.com

Multiple locations

This pizzeria on the mainland just outside of Venice creates wonderful pizzas with high-quality ingredients. It places a strong emphasis on the stone-ground flours used for its crusts, which are made in-house with the restaurant's own starter. Only the best ingredients are added on top of that; many are sourced from purveyors under Italy's Slow Food Movement, a campaign that started as a direct response to the rise of fast food. The movement supports traditional agricultural methods with an emphasis on quality and sustainability.

You will find a great carbonara pizza here. It's a take on the classic carbonara pasta dish that's made with egg and pancetta. In a similar vein, the pizza is topped with mozzarella, guanciale, organic eggs, and black pepper.

pizzeriagrigoris.it

(+39) 041 915501

Via Asseggiano, 147, 30174 Chirignago-Zelarino VE, Italy

Margherita gialla literally means "yellow Margherita." The "yellow" refers the use of yellow Datterini tomatoes for the sauce instead of the usual red fruits.

While this changes the flavor of the pizza slightly, by giving it a sweeter and milder bite, it mostly changes its appearance. Instead of your typical red, white, and green, you get a more subdued color palette with white on yellow and a pop of color thanks to the basil. If you're a cautious eater, this is a great way to branch out from your usual plain Margherita and try something new without going too far off the map.

napples.it

Multiple locations

A Capricciosa pizza, which is usually made with sliced cremini mushrooms, cooked prosciutto, and artichoke hearts in brine, is a staple of most Italian pizzerias across the country. It's a solid choice for anyone who likes to make a full meal, complete with protein and vegetables, out of their pizza. But if you like that, you might want to take it one step further and try the Capricciosa Evoluta at 50 Kalò.

Stepping it up in this case means the use of better mushrooms, better artichokes, and all-around better ingredients, starting with the organic tomato sauce. Follow that up with Cardoncelli mushrooms, Irpinia salami, and roasted artichokes, and you've got yourself a high-end Capricciosa.

xn--50kal-yta.it/le_pizze.php

(+39) 081 1920 4667

P.za Sannazaro, 201/c, 80121 Napoli NA, Italy

The names of the pizzas at Senese, located in the northern coastal town of San Remo, are highly connected to place, and the ingredients seem to emulate these connections. Pizzaiolo Giovanni Senese uses his pizzas to connect eaters to two places that are important to him, Liguria and Campania, which are both known for their fresh seafood.

Even so, the best pizza here might not have any seafood on it at all. The Ricordi Ischitani pizza won the 2024 Best Pizza of the Year award from Gambero Rosso, Italy's premier food review publication. It comes with cream of onions, smoked mozzarella, rabbit roasted porchetta-style, black olive powder, 'nduja cream, parsley coulis, and black olive wafers.

pizzeriasenese.it

(+39) 0184 189 7825

Via Scoglio, 14, 18038 Sanremo IM, Italy

Airport areas tend to be vast food deserts, which you might have noticed if you've ever tried to grab a meal outside JFK or Newark. But thanks to Clementina, a pizzeria right by the Fiumicino airport, this is not the case for travelers going to or from Rome.

Clementina offers a delicious Capricciosa di Mare, made with house-made cured tuna, house-made bottarga, stewed Datterini tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, black olives, and fried artichoke leaves. It was named one of the Top 50 Pizzerias in Italy by the 50 Top Pizza guide, and Pizza of the Year by Gambero Rosso. 

pizzeriaclementina.it

(+39) 328 818 1651

Via della Torre Clementina, 158, 00054 Fiumicino RM, Italy

For those of us who idolized the Italian "nonna," the Anna Daniele pizza at Daniele Gourmet in Avello won't disappoint. Named after the chef's grandmother, this pie won the Gambero Rosso award for Best Pizza in 2023.

This type of pizza, which is made in a small baking tin called a ruoto, resembles a Chicago deep dish pizza in that it is thick throughout. Although this pizza is only made with tomatoes as the main topping, as if it were a cheese-less marinara pizza, it certainly does not lack in color. In fact, it uses four different types of local tomatoes, plus basil and olive oil, to give the pie a nice palette of reds, yellows, and greens. 

leggimenu.it

(+39) 0825 33451

Viale Italia, 233, 83100 Avellino AV, Italy

Meunier Champagne e Pizza, in Corciano, is the perfect spot for an elevated pizza. To try as many pizzas as possible, opt for the tasting menu, where you'll find a small selection of pizza slices with different toppings. Or, go for one of the winners of the Gambero Rosso Best Pizza awards for 2024: the Orto.

A mainstay at Meunier, this pie is made with Piennolo tomatoes from Vesuvius, which are preserved using a traditional method with yellow volcanic tephra, Apulian burrata, fried artichokes, olive powder, vegetable chips, sweet and sour red onions, and parsley pearls. With ingredients like that, you can't not complete the picture with a glass of bubbly.

(+39) 075 517 9460

Via Aldo Capitini SNC, 06073 Corciano PG, Italy

Onion lovers should take a visit to I Masanielli, located in the southern city of Caserta. There, you will find a pizza called Le Cinque Consistenze della Cipolla, which means "the five consistencies of the onion." 

In practice, that means a pizza with onion cream, fermented onion, crispy onion, burnt onion, and onion mayonnaise, all accompanied by mozzarella and laid out on a rich dough made with a combination of wheat, spelt, rye, rice, buckwheat, cornmeal, linseed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and millet. In short, you will not find a pizza like this anywhere else.

pizzeriaimasanielli.it

(+39) 0823 741284

Viale Giulio Douhet, 11, 81100 Caserta CE, Italy

Although the two locations of this restaurant are smack in the middle of Milan, Italy's second largest city, it sees itself as a "rural" restaurant. The ingredients it uses are sourced from small farms in rural Cilento, which is located in southern Italy. The methods used to make these ingredients also have a rural feel, as they tend to be made with traditional processes, like in the case of its stone-ground flours. 

The Primavera Cilentana pizza embodies this spirit. Made with yellow tomatoes, mozzarella, anchovies caught using the ancient menaica method of casting nets, and zucchini blossoms, this pizza makes a great option for spring. The salty anchovies and delicate zucchini blossoms balance each other out.

landing.modusmilano.it

Multiple locations

This pizzeria on the island of Sardinia focuses on providing a carefully-curated pizza tasting menu, where pizzas are served as individual slices rather than as pies. This is a great way to sample many different varieties, as sharing is highly encouraged.

Be sure to order the Cotto San Giovanni e Bufala Campana as one or more of your pizza slices. It's made with DOP buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, and San Giovanni prosciutto. A simple list of ingredients, sure, but since they are all of such high quality and so painstakingly sourced, it is best to give the flavors plenty of opportunity to stand out.

remi17.it

(+39) 333 137 8998

Via Salvatore Coradduzza, 17, 07100 Sassari SS, Italy

At this Sicilian pizzeria, you can choose from three types of dough (including whole wheat Russello flour) and many different pizza toppings. One favorite is the Anciovi's pizza, which showcases anchovy filets sourced from the waters off nearby Lampedusa, combined with tomato, artisanal mozzarella, basil, olives, lemon, and oregano.

Anything on the menu marked with a snail icon indicates an ingredient sourced from the Slow Food Movement. There are many snails on the menu at Frumento, though none of them are actually for eating. 

frumentoacireale.it

Multiple locations

The pizza here is thin, crispy, and made with a dough that has undergone a long rise before being rolled out by hand. This makes a perfect base for the various tasty pizza toppings offered at 180 Grammi, including the Stracciatella and Alici pizza, which is made with tomatoes, torn burrata, anchovies, and white oregano. The strong flavor of the anchovies is easily balanced by the more delicate taste of the burrata.

Pizzas here are quintessential examples of the Roman-style pizza, which is defined by its thin base. It's experienced a renaissance in recent years, after it was overshadowed by the more widespread Neapolitan pizza, which comes with a fluffier crust.

180gpizzeriaromana.com

Multiple locations

Vitello tonnato, a starter comprised of slices of veal accompanied by a mayo-like sauce made with tuna and eggs, is a popular dish in Turin and surrounding regions. So it comes as no surprise that someone has found a way to successfully turn it into a pizza topping. Sestogusto is that someone, and it's done it by topping a barley flour-based dough with the aforementioned tuna sauce, local beef, marinated turnips, capers, a parsley emulsion, and herbs.

Alternatively, take advantage of Sestogutsto's pizza tasting menu. You can choose which combination of dishes looks most enticing, between the Italian Pride, Chef Table, and Chef Table Gold menus, and let your chef take it from there. 

massimilianoprete.it

Multiple locations

The la Maio may sound like a mayonnaise-based pizza, but its name is actually based on the chef's last name, Maiorano. The pie happens to have placed among the top pizzas at the 2019 Pizza World Championship in Parma. Made with yellow tomato sauce, yellow Datterini, anchovies, olives, burrata, and olive oil, it is an ode to some of Italy's best ingredients.

This is also one of the few places where you can get a veritable sushi pizza. The restaurant calls it the Uramaki Fusion; it combines a focaccia base with the flavor and aesthetics of a typical Japanese uramaki sushi bite. For example, don't be surprised to see tuna tartare marinated in soy sauce.

lafenicepizzeria.it

(+39) 0573 21167

Via Dalmazia, 73, 51100 Pistoia PT, Italy

Many pizzerias on this list prize innovation, because stagnation often leads to a good pizza turning boring over time. Giangi, in Abruzzo's Arielli, is no different. This spot offers many pizza classics done well, but above all, it prioritizes new takes on those classic pizzas, according to pizzaiolo and owner Gianluigi Di Vincenzo.

One standout example of this practice is the Capricciosa Che Non C'era, or the "Capricciosa that never was." This version is made with no tomato and adds olives and stracchino cheese, but it also differs from a classic version because of its use of Finferli mushrooms (instead of a more garden variety type), and culatta, a specific type of cured ham.

giangipizza.it

(+39) 320 644 1223

27 Via Valle Arielli, 66030 Arielli CH, Italy

In a land where spicy dishes are not the norm, there seems to be a wide range of spicy toppings for pizza. One example is the Piccantuzza, available at Giovanni Santarpia in Florence. The spice comes from the 'nduja, which it sources from Spilinga, one of the most widely-renowned producers of this spreadable spicy sausage.

Other ingredients on the pie include provola cheese, yellow cherry tomatoes, burrata, and basil. Together, these items make up a tasty, balanced, and fresh pizza. If you happen to be just outside of Florence, or if you're willing to take a detour out of the center for good pizza, this place is worth the trip.

giovannisantarpia.com

(+39) 055 933 8245

Via Senese, 155r, 50124 Firenze Fl, Italy

This spot, located just south of the popular tourist area of Cinque Terre, is an ideal pit stop on the way to the crystal blue waters of Monterosso al Mare. It offers fine Neapolitan-style pizzas, thin-crust crispy pizzas, and many different types of dough, including a house-made pizza dough that stands head and shoulders above anything you could ever buy in a supermarket or from a specialty gluten-free shop. You may think you're biting into a real wheat crust when you're eating it. 

As for the most amazing pizza here, try the Montanara All'Aringa, made with burrata, yellow tomatoes, smoked herring ("aringa" in Italian), onion, local Prescinsêua cheese, and basil.

officinedelcibosarzana.it

(+39) 393 958 4694

Via Brigata Partigiana Ugo Muccini, 181, 19038 Sarzana SP, Italy

Finding the best pizza in Italy is a near-impossible task. While it is possible to find bad pizza in the country, as hard as that may be to believe, there are innumerable pizzas that could fit the definition of amazing. That said, if you want to go around eating the best pizzas in Italy, you have to start somewhere.

To that end, I ate at as many pizzerias as I possibly could, but alas, I could not sample them all, so I then scoured professional review sites like Gambero Rosso for suggestions. These reviewers not only examine the flavors of the pizzas, but also on the quality and sustainability of ingredients used for those pies. Moreover, these sites focus on reviewing pizzerias and restaurants that are committed to using consistently good-quality ingredients, such as veritable San Marzano tomatoes or anything deemed DOP (meaning of protected origin), and who, more often than not, purchase ingredients from sustainable sources. 

After that, to find the individual pizzas in this list, I delved into the winding and sometimes twisted world of amateur reviews on sites like Google or TripAdvisor to find out which pizzas people liked best. Finally, I compiled the above list based on these combination of factors, while also considering restaurants that stretched across as wide of a geographical area as possible.