Review: Pizzeria da Michele

Naples is a center of the culture, art and music. The city is extremely beautiful and it offers you always great views in each different corner. The Mount Vesuvius dazzles with its gorgeous view. The cuisine of Naples is excellent as well! There are lots of typical dishes of Naples and all of them are quite particular. It’s clear that one of the most important elements of Naples cuisine is pizza.

Pizza is one of the most popular foods in the world and first pizza was originally invented in Naples. Therefore, the Italian pizza has a great fame and especially Naples pizza is so yummy. If you are going to visit Naples, eating pizza is a must.

 Pizzeria da Michele - Pizza Margherita

There are lots of pizzerias (pizza restaurants) located in the city center and almost all of them are fine and you can have delicious pizzas with reasonable prices.

On this entry, I’ll introduce you one of the most famous pizzerias of Naples: Pizzeria da Michele. It’s my favorite one and for that reason, for me it deserves 5 stars out of 5. This is the restaurant where Julia Roberts eats a pizza in the movie: “Eat, Pray and Love”. 

In my opinion, the reason of the big fame of the pizzeria is not only due to this movie but also because of the most delicious pizza. The dough is light and tasty.

Locals claim that the reason of the great taste of the pizza of Naples is because of the typical ingredients. According to the rules proposed by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana, the genuine Neapolitan pizza dough consists of wheat flour (type 0 or 00, or a mixture of both), natural Neapolitan yeast or brewer's yeast, salt and water. The crust is thin as in a typical hand-tossed pizza.

Pizzeria da Michele does not offer numerous types of different pizzas. They only serve the pizza “Margherita” and “Marinara”. 

The prices are very low. You can have “doppia mozerella” type paying only 5 €. Considering the pizza in Istanbul costs at least 10 € in some luxurious resutarants, going to Pizzeria da Michele will be worth it.

Authentic Neapolitan pizzas, The Margherita pizzas, are typically made with tomatoes and Mozzarella cheese. They can be made with ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, which grow on the volcanic plains to the south of Mount Vesuvius, and mozzarella di bufala Campana. 

The Margherita pizza is a typical Neapolitan pizza topped with tomato, mozzarella, fresh basil, salt and oil. According to the story, in 1889, to honor the Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, the chef Raffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi created the pizza Margherita, where the condiments, tomato, mozzarella and basil, representing the Italian flag. Instead, the pizza marinara is a typical Neapolitan pizza topped with tomato, garlic, oregano and olive oil. This, together with the pizza Margherita, is among the most popular Neapolitan pizzas. It is, together with the pizza marinara, the most popular Neapolitan pizza.

My preference in Michele has been always The Margherita pizza. In my opinion, they offer the best pizza that I’ve ever eaten. The pizzeria is authentic and not a luxurious one. They cook the pizza with the wood fire in the wood oven. 

I strongly recommend you to come to Naples and see the city, visit the museums, have the coffee when you feel tired and eat pizza when you are hungry.

While you read the entry, listen my favorite Neapolitan song and enjoy! See you on the next entry.