Manchester pizzeria Forbici, which opened just over a year ago, has been named one of the best in the world, earning a spot on the global Best Pizza Awards 2026 list. It is one of only two pizzerias in the UK—and the only one in the North—to receive this honour.
Global Recognition for Authentic Neapolitan Pizza
Forbici, located on Cross Street in Manchester city centre, opened in April last year with the aim of bringing authentic Neapolitan pizza to the city. The restaurant uses traditional techniques and Italian ingredients, including San Marzano tomatoes grown in volcanic soil near Mount Vesuvius, flour from Campania, and Fior di Latte mozzarella from Vico Equense delivered twice weekly.
Master baker Davide Argentino, a fifth-generation baker from Naples, was named one of the world's greatest pizza chefs. His family runs two bakeries in Naples, and he says his creations at Forbici aim to bring a taste of home to Manchester.
Celebrity Endorsements and Awards
Since opening, Forbici has earned praise from rapper Example, Aitch, and celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, who called it the 'very best in my life'. After the Best Pizza Awards announcement, White contacted Argentino again to congratulate him, saying: 'Congratulations. I predicted it… I could see it in the stars… it was obvious!'
Argentino expressed his gratitude: 'To have such great feedback from such a culinary legend is just unbelievable. And it meant so much that he reached out to us again to say well done. It is very special.'
Technique and Authenticity
Argentino attributes the restaurant's success to authenticity and craftsmanship. 'We work with very specific techniques when it comes to bread fermentation,' he explained. 'We work with Biga dough, which is the best, and we don’t use any free-agents so we push the fermentation to the maximum level. It’s like working on the edge—it’s a very difficult process and there is no room for error.'
He emphasised the importance of using authentic ingredients: 'It’s important to me that we use the most authentic of ingredients because it represents the very best on offer from where I am from. For me, it’s fantastic to show the products that I grew up on and I love.'
Expansion and Future Plans
Forbici recently opened a second location in Sheffield and plans to expand further with a new restaurant at the Trafford Centre later this summer. Argentino is determined to reach the top spot on the list next time: 'We will always continue to do our very best. We want to reach the number one spot on the list next time. I believe we can do it.'
Forbici is located at 86 Cross St, Manchester M2 4LA.
