The top-notch pizza for 2024 globally isn't situated in Naples, not even in Italy. Instead, you'll find it here.
This week, the Italy-based 50 Best Pizza Honors released its 2024 global ranking, and a Lower East Side eatery emerged victorious.
Una Pepperoni Paradise, launched by pizza virtuoso Anthony Mangieri in March 2022, not only outperformed its American competitors but also international ones. This includes Italian pizzerias in Naples, the sacred land for pizza enthusiasts and food lovers in general.
“It’s empowering to receive recognition for this three decades into my career, especially in Naples where pizza was born,” Mangieri expressed in an email to CNN Travel on Thursday.
New Yorkers celebrated as three additional pizzerias made the 2024 list, totaling 101 restaurants (despite the “50” in the award's name). The New York pizzas' positions on the list were Paper Thin Pizza Palace at No. 19, Classic Slice Co. at No. 30, and Mangieri’s Masterpiece at No. 80.
Italy continued to lead the overall list with 41 establishments, while the United States earned 15 recognitions. Naples even surpassed New York with five entries on the list, including a tie for the No. 2 spot with Margherita Mama Pizzeria.
The awards’ global reach was highlighted as countries, like South Korea, Bolivia, and India, not traditionally known for their pizza, made the list.
Why Una Pepperoni Paradise?
The 50 Best Pizza Honors explained Una's top win on their website.
“In a country that loves to add toppings to everything, Anthony brings back the purest tradition with simple toppings and extraordinary quality ingredients. Marinara, Margherita, Cosacca, and a daily-changing pizza, based on the freshest market ingredients,” the Honors site stated.
Mangieri, born and raised in New Jersey, developed a passion for pizza at a young age. A media representative for the restaurant said in an email to CNN Travel that his mother drove him to famous pizza spots in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut to find the “perfect pizza.”
Mangieri focuses on naturally leavened, wood-fired pizzas made with premium San Marzano tomatoes, Amalfi wild oregano, buffalo mozzarella DOP, and Sicilian sea salt. He has only one location to provide an unyielding focus on every detail.
Dough concentration
Mangieri focuses on the fundamentals to achieve success.
“The key to a great pizza begins with the dough. It’s not about a specific recipe, but it’s about mastering the dough and understanding how to adapt to all the variables involved,” he told CNN Travel.
“At Una, what makes us unique is our naturally leavened, highly hydrated dough, never refrigerated, made with a blend of various Italian flours, and I prepare the dough every day we’re in operation,” he explained.
Una Pepperoni Paradise should appeal to the “slow food” community. It bakes only three pizzas at a time in its wood-fired ovens. The current location at 175 Orchard Street, near Houston Street, marks the sixth iteration of the eatery and has been operational since March 2022.
For those more interested in frozen desserts than hot pizza, the 50 Best Pizza Honors also commended Una’s homemade ice cream and seasonal sorbets.
As for the acclaim, Mangieri said, “The recognition is appreciated, but at the end of the day, it’s not why I started and not why I continue to shape every ball of dough we serve at Una after all these years. It drives us to work every day and offer more love and attention, without taking anything for granted.”
And when it comes to his personal dining preferences, Mangieri enjoys “pasta, and I eat it for almost every meal, or my fiancé's Mexican cuisine.”
If you’re hoping to savor a slice at Una, you’ll have to wait until October 4. Mangieri and his team have closed the restaurant while they travel in Italy.
The leaderboard
For 2024, here are the top pizza establishments worldwide, according to the 50 Best Pizza Honors:
1. Una Pepperoni Paradise (New York, USA)2. (tie) Vito's Pizzeria (Naples, Italy)2. (tie) Stellar Pizza (Toronto, Canada)3. Pizza 400 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)4. La Pizzeria (Milan, Italy)5. Tony's Wood-Fired Pizza (San Francisco, USA)6. Pizzeria San Francesco (Lucca, Italy)7. La Bottega del Pane (Barcelona, Spain)8. Napoli Pizza Kitchen (London, England)9. Pizzaria Plebejo (Oaxaca, Mexico)10. La Pizzeria da Euge (Rome, Italy)
Despite Una Pepperoni Paradise's victory in the 50 Best Pizza Honors, it's not just about the awards for pizza virtuoso Anthony Mangieri. During their Italy trip, Mangieri and his team are also exploring the country's rich food and drink scene, likely gaining inspiration for their own menu at Una Pepperoni Paradise when they return.
After their Italian journey, diners visiting Una Pepperoni Paradise can anticipate not only delicious pizzas but also exceptional homemade ice creams and seasonal sorbets, further elevating the foodanddrink experience.
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