Neapolitan pizza has worldwide fame.

When in Italy, eating pizza is great—but when you eat pizza in Naples, it’s a whole different world. The national dish, in its familiar form today, was born here in the southern capital, Naples. Earlier versions in the region featured a round dough topped with cheese and olive oil.

When the Spaniards came to Europe, they brought tomatoes—Pomi D’oro, considered “golden apples,” which transformed Neapolitan cuisine. Tomato puree, which we now call “sauce,” was added to the round dough, and the rest is history—or rather, present day.

Anyone visiting Naples must try this simple yet perhaps most ubiquitous dish in the world: pizza. The dough is made from 00 flour, fresh yeast, water, and salt, allowed to rise for at least 36 hours, prepared on site, shaped into a 30 cm diameter, and baked for a few minutes in a brick oven.

The Margherita pizza was born in the city when, in honor of Queen Margherita’s visit, a local pizzaiolo (professional pizza maker) combined the three colors of the Italian flag: red from San Marzano tomatoes, white from mozzarella (buffalo), and green from basil (from Genoa). The variety of pizzerias in the city is limitless. Eating pizza is considered a social outing in Italy, with friends or family. Our recommendations for the perfect pizza experience are two:

Da Michele
– The most famous pizzeria in the city, partly thanks to Julia Roberts filming here in Eat Pray Love. The queue at the entrance alone is worth visiting and photographing. Best to go between 11:00–12:00 or 15:30–17:30.

Sorbillo
– Da Michele’s main competitor, located in the heart of the Spaccanapoli neighborhood. Offers an amazing variety of pizzas. Truly incredible!