Antica Pizzeria Chiaia recently opened near Piazza Amadeo in Naples' Chiaia district. The pizzeria offers four types of pizza: baked, fried, pan and stuffed. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
With upward of a thousand pizzerias, it’s hard to imagine that Naples, the city that is the birthplace of pizza, needs another one.
Purveyors such as Sorbillo, 50 Kalo and Starita enjoy cult status, but that formidable competition didn’t keep pizzaiolo Aniello Falanga from recently opening Antica Pizzeria Chiaia on a hidden passeggiata, or passageway, just steps from Piazza Amadeo.
Tucked away down a flight of stairs, Passeggiata Colonna is a respite from the noisy, crowded sidewalks of Naples’ fashionable Chiaia district. The walkway is where artisans sell handcrafted jewelry, leather goods and art.
Antica Pizzeria Chiaia's location on the Passeggiata Colonna in Naples, Italy, makes it a welcome retreat from the noisy, crowded sidewalks of Chiaia. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Falanga’s pizzeria, one of the passeggiata’s newest additions, plays up that inviting atmosphere with its emphasis on Neapolitan culture and hospitality.
Stepping inside, you quickly learn this won’t be a typical pizza experience. You’re not eating in a restaurant but rather in a Neapolitan home.
Wine, glasses and other items are in hutches like those in which grandmother used to store her best dishes. There’s a matching dining table for larger parties, with smaller tables for two or four situated among three dining rooms.
Family photographs, paintings and other art along with religious icons and even a bar cart round out the homey décor.
The pizza kitchen at Antica Pizzeria Chiaia is the heart of the restaurant, which is decorated to resemble a Neapolitan apartment. The pizzeria places an emphasis on Naples' culture and hospitality. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Despite the charm, I was skeptical on a recent visit. Standing on the threshold of the pizzeria at 7 p.m., I worried that we were too early. Neapolitans know it’s ill-advised to eat pizza before 7:30 p.m. because the oven won’t be hot enough.
I also was concerned because few, if any, of the diners already at the restaurant appeared to be Italian. That probably was due to the early evening hour, as Americans and other tourists typically eat dinner long before Italians do.
Still, a pizzeria’s credibility can be found in its standing with local patrons. My dining companion and I were warmly greeted and quickly seated. The menu is limited mostly to pizza, but interestingly varied.
For example, Falanga offers the traditional baked pie for which Naples is known with standard versions such as marinara, Margherita, buffalo mozzarella and provolone cheese. There also are pizzas with sausage, Parma ham and friarielli, a bitter green.
But the restaurant also has other choices, such as pizza in a pan, a sort of deep-dish style, and ripieno, or stuffed pizza, not found on every pizzeria menu. There also are imaginative toppings and fillings, such as sauteed escarole with olives, capers and anchovies or pork cracklings.
You also can get a fried pizza, and a tasting menu allows diners to try at least three or all pizza types — baked, fried, in a pan and stuffed — along with options for wine and dessert.
We opted for a traditional Margherita with San Marzano tomatoes, reasoning that Falanga’s talent as a pizza chef would be best measured in his interpretation of this hallmark Neapolitan dish.
We weren’t disappointed. The pizza arrived hot, studded with plump wedges of the tomatoes complemented but not overwhelmed by puddles of melted mozzarella.
Importantly, the crust was thin and crispy on the bottom and skillfully charred with a slight saltiness. The pizza packed a flavor punch but wasn’t heavy. I easily would rate it as one of the best Margheritas I’ve had in Naples.
Next, we tried a ripieno stuffed with cheese and escarole cooked in the traditional Neapolitan style.
One ripieno, or stuffed pizza, at Antica Pizzeria Chiaia in Naples, Italy, features escarole, olives, capers, anchovies and cheese baked in the restaurant’s signature pizza dough. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
A ripieno, or stuffed pizza, at Antica Pizzeria Chiaia, features escarole, olives, capers, anchovies and cheese baked in the restaurant's signature pizza dough. A version of Naples' famed Margherita pizza, top, includes San Marzano tomatoes. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
The large, half-moon-shaped pizza, which could easily feed two, was topped with a light coating of tomato sauce baked into the dough. The crust was thin and just a little less crispy than the Margherita’s, likely due to the moist filling.
Ripieno usually is not my favorite because pizzerias often skimp on the filling. This was not the case with Falanga’s version, which featured well-balanced portions of tasty escarole, olives, capers, anchovies and cheese that didn’t overpower the star of the show: the crust.
My dining companion rated it her favorite thanks to the unusual ingredients and fresh taste.
The restaurant also offers a selection of fritti, or fried appetizers, and sweets.
We didn’t try the fritti but did indulge in torta Caprese, a chocolate almond meal-based cake, and the restaurant’s lemon variation of the same traditional southern Italian dessert.
Antica Pizzeria Chiaia in Naples, Italy, is just steps from the busy Piazza Amadeo. It's located on a quiet, out-of-the-way passageway that also is home to several shops and businesses. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
The cakes were moist and flavorful but not overly sweet or filling. While the chocolate was very good, the lemon stood out for its light, citrusy flavor.
I can’t say that Antica Pizzeria Chiaia has the best pizza in Naples, a distinction that seems silly in a town where it’s difficult to get a bad pie.
But Falanga is a skilled pizza chef whose dedication to his craft is evident in every bite.
Antica Pizzeria Chiaia
Address: Piazza Amadeo 16/A (Passeggiata Colonna)
Hours: 7 p.m.-midnight, Wednesday through Monday. Closed on Tuesday.
Prices: appetizers, 4 euros; traditional pizza, 6-10.50 euros; pizza in the pan, 8.50-16.50 euros; fried pizza, 9.50 euros; and ripieno, 8.50-10.50 euros. Pizza tastings, 24-67 euros; beer and wine from 3 euros. Menu translated to English and servers speak English.
Information: Phone: +39 081 2353775; Online: anticapizzeriachiaia.it/en
