Pizza was invented in Naples. But it didn't stay there — it evolved into 4 distinct styles across Italy, each with its own dough, oven, shape, and RULES. Neapolitan: soft, charred, folded in quarters, eaten with hands. Roman (tonda): thin, crispy, flat, eaten with a knife and fork. Roman (al taglio): rectangular, sold by weight, the best fast food in human history. Sicilian (sfincione): thick, spongy, topped with onion-anchovy-breadcrumb. Each style has purists who believe their pizza is the ONLY pizza.
1. Neapolitan (pizza napoletana STG): Protected by EU law. Dough: flour+water+salt+yeast, risen 8-24h. Oven: wood-fired, 485°C, 60-90 seconds. Result: soft center (wet — folded to eat), charred leopard-spotted cornicione (edge), tomato+mozzarella+basil. Two canonical types: Margherita (San Marzano tomato, fior di latte, basil, oil) and Marinara (tomato, garlic, oregano, oil — NO cheese). Best: L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele (Naples, €4-5), Sorbillo (Naples, Via dei Tribunali), 50 Kalò (Naples, Piazza Sannazaro). In Rome: La Gatta Mangiona (Monteverde), Seu Pizza Illuminata.
2. Roman tonda (pizza romana): THIN. CRISPY. Almost cracker-like base. Baked at lower temperature (350°C), longer time (3-4 min). Less puffy than Neapolitan. More toppings. Eaten with knife and fork (it cracks when you fold it). Best: Pizzarium (Bonci, Rome — technically al taglio but also makes tonda), Emma (Rome, near Piazza Navona), Roscioli (Rome). 3. Pizza al taglio (by the cut/weight): Rectangular, baked in large trays, sold by weight (€3-6 for a generous slice). The BEST street food in Italy. Each tray has a different topping — potato+rosemary, zucchini flower+anchovy, mortadella+stracciatella. You point, they cut, they weigh, you eat standing. Best: Bonci/Pizzarium (Rome, Via della Meloria — the BEST al taglio on Earth), Antico Forno Roscioli (Rome, Campo de' Fiori area).
4. Sfincione (Sicilian): Thick, spongy, square. Topped with tomato, onion, anchovies, breadcrumbs, caciocavallo. Not like American "Sicilian pizza" (which is just thick dough + mozzarella). Real sfincione is a street food sold from carts in Palermo markets (€2-3/slice). Other regional pizzas: Focaccia di Recco (Liguria — paper-thin, cheese-filled, technically not pizza but close). Pinsa (Rome — oblong, lighter dough, mixed flours, ancient recipe revived). Panuozzo (Gragnano, Campania — pizza dough baked as a bread roll, split, filled with ingredients).
Naples: 1. Da Michele (the purist temple, €4). 2. Sorbillo (Via dei Tribunali, longer menu). 3. 50 Kalò (Piazza Sannazaro, modern Neapolitan). 4. Da Attilio (fried pizza — pizza fritta). 5. Starita (Materdei — where Sophia Loren ate in L'Oro di Napoli). Rome: 6. Pizzarium/Bonci (al taglio, best on Earth). 7. Antico Forno Roscioli (al taglio, Campo de' Fiori). 8. La Gatta Mangiona (tonda, Monteverde). 9. Seu Pizza Illuminata (modern, Trastevere area). 10. Trapizzino (pizza pocket with Roman stews, Testaccio). Florence: 11. Gusta Pizza (Santo Spirito, €5-7, wood-fired). Milan: 12. Sorbillo Milano (Neapolitan in Milan). 13. Dry (cocktails + pizza, Navigli). Bologna: 14. Forno Brisa (artisan). Palermo: 15. Sfincione at Ballarò market carts. Verona: 16. Pizzeria da Renato. Turin: 17. Fratelli La Bufala. Catania: 18. FUD (modern Sicilian). Bari: 19. Panificio Fiore (focaccia barese, technically). Venice: 20. Antico Forno (Cannaregio — acceptable pizza in a city where pizza is generally mediocre).