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PIZZA

Naples’ most famous pizzeria opens second Rome location

Lovers of traditional Neapolitan pizza rejoice: one of Italy's most historic pizzerias, which reached global fame in the film Eat Pray Love, is opening a second location in Rome.

Published: 3 April 2018 10:59 CEST
Naples' most famous pizzeria opens second Rome location
A Neapolitan Margherita pizza is cooked to perfection. Photo: Tiziana Fabi/AFP

There's seating space for 100 to enjoy the food, and another draw of the eatery is the installation of a large window onto the kitchen, where passersby can watch the chefs at work from the street.

The restaurant opened on March 29th, close to the Trevi Fountain in the Italian capital. Though its Naples location serves only two varieties (marinara and margherita), the new Rome location will also offer antipasti, an anchovy topping, and baked and fried pizzas.

READ MORE: What makes Naples' pizza one of the world's top cultural treasures?

Da Michele, a historic pizza restaurant that has made it onto tourist itineraries after featuring in Julia Roberts film Eat Pray Love, is often named the best in Naples. On a typical weekend evening, hungry visitors will queue patiently for hours to get a seat.

Its first Roman branch opened in November 2016, close to the Piazza del Popolo. That was the first Italian branch outside Naples in the eatery's 140-year history, and was followed by the opening of a restaurant in London later the same month.

Further foreign branches can be found in Fukuoka, Japan and Barcelona, Spain.

Neapolitan pizza was recently declared part of the world's 'intangible heritage' by Unesco, and the city has an association tasked with testing pizzerias on their methods and ingredients. Only those that meet the stringent standards are allowed to call their pizza 'Neapolitan'.

Pizza romana, the variety found in the Italian capital, is a different beast. While the Naples chefs keep the crust doughy and light and the toppings simple, Roman pizza is more of a mish-mash, with no strict regulations.

The crust here is slightly thicker and baked at a cooler temperature, meaning none of the black spots which, in the right quantity, are a mark of quality in Naples. You'll also find more varied toppings in the capital city, with anchovies, meat, and all kinds of vegetables frequently making an appearance.

READ MORE: This map shows where to find the very best pizza in Italy

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FOOD AND DRINK

Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

As well as its most famous cocktails, Italy has a long tradition of making refreshing aperitivo drinks without the alcohol.

Published: 11 April 2024 12:01 CEST
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

Italy’s favourite aperitivo-hour cocktails are known far beyond the country’s borders, so their names will probably be familiar to you whether you drink them or not.

But if you’re in Italy and not drinking alcohol, you might find yourself stumped when it comes time to order your aperitivo at the bar.

The first time I found myself in this situation, there was no menu. The waiter instead rattled off a long list of all the soft drinks available, most of which I’d never heard of, and I just picked something I thought sounded nice.

Luckily it turns out that Italy has some great options for an aperitivo analcolico. As well as ‘virgin’ versions of well-known cocktails, there are bitters, sodas and other Italian-made soft drinks that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

They might not be quite as iconic as the Aperol Spritz, but they’re as thoroughly Italian – plus, effortlessly ordering one of these will make you look like a true local.

SanBittèr

San Pellegrino’s SanBittèr is one of the most famous non-alcoholic Italian drinks of all, with its highly-recognisable red packaging, often enjoyed in place of Campari cocktails because of its similar dark, ruby-red color.

This drink is carbonated with a slightly sweet, citrus flavor. The recipe is more complex than that of an orange or lemon soda, with notes of spice and herbs, making it ideal to pair with your aperitivo-hour snacks.

Crodino

Crodino looks a lot like an Aperol Spritz with its bright orange hue, and that’s not an accident: it’s said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative, and the zesty, slightly herbal taste is similar. It’s typically served the same way. in a round goblet glass over ice with a slice of orange: a Crodino Spritz.

The name comes from the town of Crodo in Piedmont, where it is still bottled today by the Campari group.

Chinotto

Citrusy Chinotto is an acquired taste for many, but it’s worth trying: it’s one of the classic Italian bitters and is said to have a long history, dating back to a recipe shared by Chinese sailors arriving on the Ligurian coast in the 1500s.

It may look a little like Coca Cola, but don’t let the appearance fool you.

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky /Getty Images via AFP)

Aranciata/Limonata

Aranciata is Italy’s version of an orange soda, but not as sugary, and it tastes like oranges. Its base is sparkling water with the addition of orange juice and sugar. There are various brands, but San Pellegrino’s is the most popular. It also sells a ‘bitter’ aranciata amaro, with even less sugar, more citrus tang and herbal notes, which might be more aperitivo-hour appropriate.

Limonata is, as you might guess, the Italian answer to lemonade. Again there are many versions out there but the fizzy San Pellegrino limonata is beloved for its strong, sweet-sour flavour and there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Cedrata

Cedrata is one of Italy’s oldest and best-known non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a refreshing, carbonated drink made from a large citrus fruit called a cedro, grown in southern Italy. It’s far less bitter than a Chinotto, but not as sweet as limonata.

The main producer of Cedrata today is Tassoni, and this is what you’re likely to get if you order it at a bar.

Gingerino

This is harder to find than the other aperitivi on the list and is seen as decidedly retro, but it’s worth trying if you can track it down.

It’s another orange-coloured, sparkling drink which became popular in Italy in the 1970s and is still sold today, though you’re more likely to find it in the north-east, close to Venice, where it’s produced.

You may be expecting it to taste a lot like ginger beer, and there are similarities, but it has stronger citrus notes and more bitterness.

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