Neapolitan pizza is considered by many to be the world’s best pizza style. Invented in the late 1800s in Naples, Neapolitan-style pizza offers a delicious morsel of history with every bite.

Neapolitan pizza is defined by its crust, which is slightly crispy on the outside and wonderfully chewy within after a 90-second turn in the oven. Margherita pizza – topped with tomatoes, basil, and creamy fresh mozzarella – is the most popular Neapolitan pizza, but there are tons of variations!

With the creation of the Neapolitan pizza, the modern pizza as we know it today was born. Grab a slice of history and a slice of delicious Neapolitan pizza.

So, what is the Neapolitan pizza?

A thin and soft crust, simple toppings like raw tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, and some olive oil, right?

Well, it is not as simple as it may seem.

The authentic Neapolitan pizza is made by strict standards, using certified, high-quality ingredients, and following a meticulous procedure of preparing and baking the dough.

The modern Neapolitan pizza was invented more than 130 years ago. You can find a Neapolitan pizza near you and enjoy a slice full of gastronomic history.

The Best Neapolitan Pizza Near You

Craving a delicious Margherita or Marinara pizza right now? Find the best Neapolitan pizza near you with the Slice app for pickup or delivery. In New York? Order the best Neapolitan pizza near you from Song’ E Napule Pizzeria for pickup or get it delivered to your door.

When in Chicago, get a handcrafted Neapolitan pizza from Forno Rosso Pizzeria. Both certified by AVPN (The True Neapolitan Pizza Association), and available in the Slice app.

Neapolitan Pizza delivery

The best part? You can get amazing Neapolitan pizza for a convenient curbside pickup, without leaving your car.

Furthermore, you can order a piping hot Neapolitan pizza with delivery, brought to your door. Search for local mom and pop pizzerias near you.

The Neapolitan Style Pizza: Origin Story

So, how does it all start? Even though pizza in some form was eaten since ancient times, it was never topped with tomatoes.

The tomatoes were brought to Europe in the 16th century and were considered poisonous at the time. However, that changed when the poor Neapolitan peasants at the end of the 18th century started topping their flatbreads with tomatoes.

Afterward, the first Marinara pizza was born, traditionally made by “la marinara” (the seaman’s wife) for her husband when he returned from fishing trips. It was made with tomato, garlic, oregano, basil, and olive oil.

The story goes that the pizza we know (and love) today was invented in the late 19th century. The Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito is believed to have created the first Margherita pizza.

Esposito was a chef in a Neapolitan pizzeria called “Pietro…e basta così”. (Still operating as “Pizzeria di Brandi”.) So, when in 1889, King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy visited the city, he served them three pizzas. One of them was made with the resemblance of the Italian flag and consisted of tomatoes (red), mozzarella (white), and basil (green).

Moreover, this special pizza caught Queen Margherita’s attention the most, and thus was named after her.

That is how the Neapolitan pizza was born, although many historic stories and facts claim that pizzas with the same ingredients as the Margherita were made prior to 1889.

Only a few years later, the Neapolitan pizza would become popular worldwide. Once the Italian immigrants took their first steps on US soil in the early 19th century, it became an American staple.

It was the Neapolitan-style pizza who set the scene for the nation’s favorite NY-style pizza.

The True Neapolitan pizza

The Neapolitan pizza type is replicated by many pizzerias worldwide. However, there is a Neapolitan organization called Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) that certifies pizzerias for using proper artisan traditions of authentic Neapolitan pizza.

So far, there are almost 100 certificated US pizzerias, in 32 states. According to the official, authentic requirements by the VPN, the flour for the Neapolitan pizza must be soft (type 0 or 00, or both). Only fresh yeast can be used, and the dough should be kneaded and formed by hand.

The dough must be 0.12 inches thin and should be baked for 60 to 90 seconds in a wood-fired oven at 900 degrees. The high temperature creates slightly charred bubbles on top of the crust.

Moreover, the cheese on top should not be abundant, to bring out the savory flavors from the tomatoes and the basil.

Neapolitan Pizza Varieties

The toppings create different Neapolitan pizzas. Therefore, we have 3 official variations of the Neapolitan pizza: Pizza Margherita – made with tomatoes, fresh sliced mozzarella, fresh basil, and extra-virgin olive oil.

• Pizza Margherita – made with tomatoes, fresh sliced mozzarella, fresh basil, and extra-virgin olive oil.
• Pizza Margherita extra – topped with tomatoes, sliced mozzarella di Bufala, fresh basil, and extra-virgin olive oil.
• Pizza Marinara – with tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and extra-virgin olive oil.

The tomatoes used for the Neapolitan pizza can be either San Marzano or Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio. Regarding the cheese, it can be fior di latte, made from cow’s milk, or mozzarella di Bufala, made from water buffalo milk.

Neapolitan pizza nutrition value

Since all three types of Neapolitan pizza have simple ingredients, it is lower in calories. A single slice of Margherita or Marinara pizza can have from 250 to 300 calories