Pepe in Grani, by Franco Pepe, is once again the best establishment for the second year in a row
Breaking with tradition is not something that is well-received in southern Italy, especially in Campania, where pizza has been made the same way almost since its invention. And if not, ask a real Neapolitan and he will tell you that for him there are only two “real” pizzas: the marinara and the margherita.
But if you ask Franco Pepe, the 'pizzaiolo' at Pepe's restaurant in Grani, the answer will change: “with pizza there are no limits, although you can't add extravagant ingredients,” he says.
Defying all the rules, Pepe in Grani has not only managed to put the small Neapolitan town of Caiazzo (Campania) on the map, but for the second year in a row it is also the best pizzeria in Italy. This was confirmed again by the 50 Top Pizza guide, which has just presented the list of 50 pizzerias for this 2018 in the country of pizza.
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The annual ranking includes places for all tastes and budgets (from 5 to 20 euros) and, although it is true that there are many pizzerias in Campania and the city of Naples – we cannot forget that pizza is native to this region -, the guide aims give visibility to the entire Italian geography.
Because, as Pepe explains, “since the 80s or 90s, Italian pizza has undergone a great evolution”. And, although it is still a “people's product” that can be found cheaply, for example, by the piece, “there are also more and more people who prefer to eat it in the restaurant because it is healthy”, says the owner of Pepe in Grani .
This is the main motivation for this 'pizzaiolo', who in his quest to make a more digestive, interesting and healthy pizza – innovating and experimenting – created bubbles in his home region. “They were angry, but I ask a question: tradition wants me to put the basil in the oven at 400º. Do you think an aromatic plant should go in the oven? Tradition is worth it, but we also have to criticize tradition”, says the chef of the best pizzerias in Italy (and possibly the world). Looks like raising bubbles helped him with something.
The 50 best pizzerias in Italy according to 50 Top Pizza
1. Pepe in Grani (Caserta)
2. I Masanielli di Francesco Martucci (Caserta)
3 Kalò di Ciro Salvo (Naples)
4. I Tigli (San Bonifacio)
5. Pizzería La Notizia 94 (Naples)
6. Gino Sorbillo Ai Tribunali (Naples)
7. La Gatta Mangiona (Rome)
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8. Pizzería La Notizia 53 (Naples)
9. Francesco y Salvatore Salvo (San Giorgio a Cremano)
10. Pizzería Starita a materdei (Naples)
11. Concettina Ai Tre Santi (Naples)
12. Lievito Madre al Duomo (Milan)
13. 'O Fiore Mio (Fraenza)
14. Casa Vitiello (Caserta)
15. Dry (Milan)
16. Pizzeria Da Attilio (Naples)
17. Guglielmo Vu
olo A Eccellenze Campane (Naples)
18. Patrick Picci Terra, Grani, Esplorazioni (San Mauro Torinese)
19. L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele (Naples)
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20. Saporè (San Martino Buon Albergo)
21. Berberè (Castel Maggiore)
22. Tonda (Rome)
23. La Masardona (Naples)
24. Santarpìa (Florence)
25. 10 Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria (Pozzuoli)
26. Grigoris (Master)
27. Le Follie di Romualdo (Florence)
28. Piccola Piedrigtotta (Reggio Emilia)
29. Your Pizza Illuminati (Rome)
30. In Fucina (Rome)
31. Carlo Sammarco Pizzeria 2.0 (Aversa)
32. La Sorgente (Guardiagrele)
33. Carmnella (Naples)
34. 'The Scugnizzo (Arezzo)
35. Pizzeria Apogeo (Pietrasanta)
36. Ristorante Pizzeria Le Parùle (Ercolano)
37. Fandango Racconti di Grani (Scalera)
38. Lievito 72 (Trani)
39. Da Zero (Milan)
40. Osteria Pizzeria Per Bacco (La Morra)
41. La Braciera (Palermo)
42. Percorsi Di Gusto (L'Aquila)
43. Mistral dal 1959 (Palermo)
44. Pizzeria Mamma Rosa (Ortezzano)
45. Masanielli Sasà Martucci (Caserta)
46. Enosteria Lipen (Triuggio)
47. Marghe (Milan)
48. Fresco Caracciolo (Naples)
49. Framento (Cagliari)
50. La Divina Pizza (Florence)
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