Naples. Naples is undoubtedly the most famous location for pizza not just in Italy, but the world. In Naples not only can you visit the oldest pizzeria in the world, the gorgeous Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba, but you can also visit the so-called “best-rated pizzeria in the world”, L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele.
If we are talking about the places in the world to have the best Pizza, then the best way to begin is with the land of Pizza. Naples, a city in southern Italy, is famous all around the globe for its pizzas, pizzas, and some more pizzas.
While many contest the origin story—some tracing pizza to Ancient Greece and even 20th century America—no one disputes that Naples is the pizza capital of the world.
Margherita: This classic pizza originates from Naples, Italy and is made with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and olive oil. It is the most popular pizza in Italy and is considered the national dish of the country.
Bologna. Known by many as the 'culinary capital of Italy', the city of Bologna is arguably the best food city in Italy, but then again, it's a city that's become a favorite over the years. Food here leans heavy toward meat, and combines with fresh local ingredients to make a good number of stick-to-your-ribs dishes.
So it's not surprising that it was voted the world's food capital. Plus, Bologna is worth a visit for much more than just its food. From its medieval old town and near-millennium-old university to its piazzas and iconic arcades, there are plenty of reasons the city gets over 1.5 million visitors every year.
Number one on our list of the best traditional foods in Italy has to be pizza. Everyone knows what pizza is, it needs no introduction, but what you probably know as pizza isn't quite the same as in Italy.
Naples, Italy, is often referred to as the 'home of pizza' because it is where modern pizza was invented. The city is also home to many famous pizzerias, including L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele, featured in the book and movie, Eat Pray Love.
The popularity of pepperoni pizza had only started to rise in the 1950s. Nowadays, beef pepperoni pizza is the most popular pizza variety, but there are also versions such as fish pepperoni pizza and port pepperoni pizza.
Whether in its simple version with mozzarella fiordilatte or mozzarella de bufala (in which case it would technically be called a Bufalina pizza), the Margherita pizza is undoubtedly the favourite pizza of Italian people.
But modern pizza, the flatbreads with tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings, was born along the western coast of Italy, in the city of Naples.
But, while one town in Pennsylvania may not brag about its pizza, many consider it to be the true pizza capital of the world. Old Forge, a small town located in the Northeastern part of the state, dishes out its own unique style of pizza named after itself.
But the modern birthplace of pizza is southwestern Italy's Campania region, home to the city of Naples. Founded around 600 B.C. as a Greek settlement, Naples in the 1700s and early 1800s was a thriving waterfront city.
Each day, approximately 1 million pizzas are consumed in Italy. Pizza here is popular both among locals and tourists who want to try a taste of authentic Italian cuisine. There are around 63,000 pizzerias in Italy, employing about 100,000 pizza makers.
Italy. As well as inventing the original recipe of pizza, Italians can be proud to have made it into the top five countries that eat the most of it. Around 1.6 billion pizzas are eaten in Italy every year!
1. Margherita Pizza. Margherita is the mother of all pizzas. This Neopaltian-style pizza has thin crust, fresh tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, and just a few leaves of basil.
Primarily regarded as the first pizza ever created, the tried-and-tested margherita pizza was created in 1899 and continues to dominate as Australia's most popular pizza takeaway choice.
The nation's least favorite pizza topping is anchovies: 29% say it's their least favorite. You could say anchovies are polarizing but people lean hard to one pole: Only 1% name them as their favorite topping. Jalapeños (8%), pineapple (6%), eggplant (6%), broccoli (5%), and mushrooms (5%) follow — far behind.
Naples is the universal capital of pizza
The traditional art of the Neapolitan pizza maker has since become an intangible UNESCO heritage. Today Naples is in fact considered the world capital of pizza.
The Italians use a variety of terms to describe their pizza. Crostata and torta are both used to describe savory and sweet pies, and pizza is a singular word that represents only one dish. There are other names for pizza, but these are the most common.
The combination of tomatoes, spices, and cheese on the dough gives it a unique flavour that sets it apart from other types of pizzas around the world. Italian Pizza can be eaten as an appetizer, main dish, and even dessert! And, has many variations to suit different tastes.
Italians eat predominantly sweet things for breakfast. This can be quite a shock if you are used to having toast, eggs, and bacon first thing in the morning. Instead, the traditional breakfast in Italy relies almost exclusively on baked goods like biscuits, cookies, pastries, rusks, and cakes.
A typical Italian lunch consists of a primo (pasta, soup or risotto dish), a secondo (meat or fish-based dish) and a contorno (side dish). Italians love their carbs and enjoy adding freshly grated Parmesan cheese to their dishes. Italians also exhibit a truly incredible talent for reinventing leftovers.