Napoli on the Road, a London pizzeria owned by chef Michele Pascarella, has been named Europe's best pizzeria for the third year in a row by the 50 Top Pizza guide, the most prestigious award in the industry. The restaurant, which has locations in Soho, Chiswick, and Richmond, has also earned Pascarella the title of Best Pizza Maker in the World 2023, while its Ricordi d'Infanzia pizza was named Best Pizza in the World 2025.
London Beats Naples at Its Own Game
Despite Naples being the birthplace of pizza, a London restaurant has claimed the top spot for three years. Pascarella, who was born in Naples, brings authentic techniques and creative toppings to the UK capital. The Soho branch, the newest of three, offers a pared-back industrial interior with strip lighting, concrete walls, and wooden furniture, plus a downstairs seating area.
Second place went to Baldoria in Madrid (also Best Pizzeria in Spain 2026), third to IMperfetto in Puteaux, France, and fourth to another London spot, 50 Kalò by Ciro Salvo. England placed third among nations with 22 pizzerias in the guide, behind Spain (29) and France (24).
Tasting the Award-Winning Pies
To test the hype, a review ordered a classic Margherita (£13.90) and the famous Ricordi d'Infanzia (£19.50), a slow-cooked beef ragu pizza with Parmigiano fondue, grated Parmigiano, basil, and oil. The Cheesewick (£19) features buffalo ricotta, fior di latte, stracciatella, Parmigiano crisps, Blue Stilton, cherry tomato jam, and oil. Vegan and white base options range from £13.90 to £19.
The base is perfectly thin with thick, chewy crusts, though the toppings can be messy. The Ricordi d'Infanzia tastes like a lasagne-bolognese hybrid, with rich, meaty ragu and generous Parmigiano. The Margherita has stringy cheese and a good tomato-to-cheese ratio, but the thin base causes toppings to fall off—expected for Neapolitan style.
Childhood Inspiration Behind the Bestseller
The Ricordi d'Infanzia is inspired by Pascarella's childhood: every Sunday at 4am, his nonna and mother started Neapolitan ragù, simmering for 8–10 hours. The smell filled the house, and the children dipped bread into the pot, cooling it with Parmigiano—a family memory turned into a pizza.
While the reviewer noted that eating pizza in Italy with fresh ingredients remains unbeatable, Napoli on the Road comes very, very close. The restaurant also offers traditional Italian desserts like tiramisu and ricotta sponge cake, plus antipasti such as bruschetta, olives, and seasonal tomatoes with mozzarella.
