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The Most Famous Pizzeria in Naples Only Serves Two Types of Pizza

Naples Restaurants + Bars
by Matador Creators Jan 12, 2023

Who can forget that scene in Eat, Pray, Love when Julia Roberts sinks her teeth into a slice of authentic Neapolitan pizza, looks at her friend across the table, and says, “I’m in love. I’m having a relationship with my pizza.”

It’s no ordinary pizza she’s eating. The thin, saucy, not-too-cheesy slice her character falls in love with is from L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Naples, a renowned pizzeria that’s been around far longer than Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert published her memoir or Roberts signed on to play her in the film adaptation. Founded in 1870, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele is one of the oldest pizzerias operating in the city that invented pizza — and its pizzas are often bestowed with the title of Naples’ best.

@foodwtf When in #Naples #Italy be sure to try the legendary 📍l’Antica Pizzeria da Michele 🍕 It's a historic Italian #pizzeria serving up traditional pies 🎥 @Buji #foodtravel #italyfoodguide #naplesrestaurant #napolifoodguide ♬ Che La Luna – Louis Prima with Sam Butera & The Witnesses

L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele’s flagship pizzeria in Naples is a tiny restaurant that relies on a ticketing system to avoid crushing crowds. Surprisingly, it only serves two types of pizza: marinara with tomato sauce, oregano, and garlic, and margherita with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. The ingredients for both pizzas are sourced from Campania, a town in southern Italy, preserving not only the authenticity but also the taste of every slice that the pizzeria serves.

@foodwtf When in #Naples #Italy be sure to try the legendary 📍l’Antica Pizzeria da Michele 🍕 It's a historic Italian #pizzeria serving up traditional pies 🎥 IG: @jokuti #foodtravel #italyfoodguide #naplesrestaurant #napolifoodguide #bestpizza ♬ L'italiano – I Mandolini Italiani

There’s good news for those of us who don’t live in Naples but prefer traditional Neapolitan pizza to the pizza styles you’ll find elsewhere in Italy and around the world: L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele now has multiple locations in the US, too, in New York City, Hollywood, and Santa Barbara, California. All three pizzerias are committed to upholding the recipes and techniques of the original restaurant, and all of their ingredients are important straight from Italy.

Heck, if you eat at Pizzeria Da Michele Hollywood, you might even run into Julia Roberts herself.

Where to find every L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele restaurant

Naples: 1 Via Cesare Sersale, Naples, 80139
New York City: 81 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014
Los Angeles: 1534 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Santa Barbara: 1031 State Street Santa, Barbara, CA 93101

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