Pepe in Grani: Best Pizza Place in The World
In the center of Caiazzo, village 50km from Napoli lays Pepe in Grani. It is not your ordinary pizza place; it is officially and unofficially the place with the best pizza in the world!
Pepe in Grani is sort of a family business, as you will learn once you step into the restaurant. The owner Franco Pepe learned everything from his grandfather, who owned a famous bakery. His father also was part of the family business, who taught the now internationally renowned chief the value of choosing the right ingredients. Every pizza topping is made exclusively from the local suppliers. But the secret is in the dough, and there is no official recipe to follow; just like his family, Franco follows his unique skill to create the perfect pizza.
Just how popular Pepe in Grani is? People visiting Pompeii or Naples or even further cities in Italy, are more than willing to travel for hours to get to this place. The lines are long and what used to be a forgotten village now is a tourist attraction. While Napoli is considered to be the place for pizza lovers, Pepe wanted to stay close to his roots. But if you think about it, while it was a risky move, there are over 800 pizza places in Napoli, so this was a great way to stand out and boost the local economy.
Minimalist and modern space spreads on three floors, but not even a whole village would be enough to feed all the tourists. This is not a fancy or pricey place; the entire success is based on taste and attention to details. While many of the famous Napoli pizzerias only serve several types of pizza, here you get any flavor you can imagine, but it is Margherita Sbagliata that will take you to the pizza heaven.
For someone who won the actual Best Pizza in the World competition, Franco Pepe is more than happy to talk to customers, of course, if he has the time. Also, he is very open to trying out new shapes, dough thickness, but even though the pizza is not traditional Neapolitan style, the master chief is very proud of his heritage, and he is still relying on his senses to get that perfect medium crust as well as the best toppings imaginable.
When you get to Italy, make sure to plan a short trip for a large and tasty meal. Don’t forget to make a reservation on time and get ready for once in a lifetime experience. Pizzas are under 10 euros and you can enjoy other foods as well as great wines and beers.
