At an event in Madrid last night (May 13), a London pizzeria walked away from the 50 Top Pizza Europe Awards with top honours. None other than the acclaimed Napoli On The Road was recognised as being the Best Pizzeria In Europe. Besides Italy… Because, y’know, they wanted to make it a bit fairer for everyone else…
Now look, we already know that we’ve got some of the best pizza around, right here in our capital. But it always feels great for it to be made official!
This isn’t the first award bestowed upon Napoli on the Road or its proprietor Michele Pascarella. In 2023, Pascarella was awarded the title of Global Pizza Maker of the Year. This came shortly after he was recognised as the best pizza chef in all of Europe. This year’s award comes in the wake of the pizzeria jumping from 9th place last year to the top of the heap.
Napoli on the Road
The pizzeria is known for its seasonal menu and and intriguing, ever-changing selection of toppings. Past pizzas have ranged from the ‘Cheesewick‘ (buffalo mozzarella DOP, ricotta cheese, stracciatella di bufala, blue stilton, parmesan chip, and piennolo cherry tomato jam) to a ‘Carbonara’ pizza (how scandalous!) topped with truffle. But fret not, they also do world-class versions of traditionally-topped pizzas like the ‘Margherita‘.
Said Michele Pascarella:
“We are thrilled to have been awarded Best Pizzeria in Europe at the 50 Top Pizza Awards 2024. This win is a testament to my amazing team, who have embraced my vision of bringing a slice of Naples to London, with a contemporary twist. We’re also proud to bring this prestigious award to London and contribute to its rich gastronomic tapestry.”
The Top Pizzerias in Europe
When you remove Italy from the picture, a fascinating insight into Europe’s pizza fanatics emerges. At the 50 Top Pizza Awards, pizzerias from such disparate areas as Barcelona, Vienna, Amsterdam, Ireland, and, yes, London, were recognised for their pursuit of pizza perfection. Spain, particularly, seems to be full to the brim of pizza purists making excellent pizza the traditional way.
The top 10 pizzerias in Europe are:
1. Napoli On The Road – London, England
2. Sartoria Panatieri – Barcelona, Spain
3. Via Toledo Enopizzeria – Vienna, Austria
4. 50 Kalò – London, England
5. Baldoria – Madrid, Spain
6. Pizza Zulu – Fürth, Germany
7. IMperfetto – Puteaux, France
8. NNea – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
9. La Balmesina – Barcelona, Spain
10. Fratelli Figurato – Madrid, Spain
Other notable mentions on the list include L’Antica Pizzeria (#26), ‘O Ver (#29), and 081 Pizzeria (#43). To see the full list of the Top 50 Pizzerias Europe 2024, head here.
The world’s best pizza
Following the 50 Top Pizza Europe event on May 13, there will be more awards ceremonies throughout the year. America will be recognised with the 50 Top Pizza USA ceremony on June 25 (held in New York – where else?), while Italy’s best pizzas will be highlighted in a July 10 ceremony in Milan. All of these awards will culminate in the 50 Top Pizza World event on September 10, recognising the very best pizzas from all around the world.
We’ll even get our own award ceremony later in the year. 50 Top Pizza will recognise the Top World Artisan Pizza Chains at the World Pizza Summit 2024 on November 26-27, right here in London.
Read about the very best pizzas from all around the world here.
📍 Napoli On The Road has two locations in London. You can find it in Chiswick at 9A Devonshire Road, Chiswick, W4 2EU, or in Richmond at 12 Red Lion Street, Richmond, TW9 1RW. The nearest stations are Turnham Green and Richmond, respectively.