L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Via Cesare Sersale, 1,
80139 Naples
We had a great time at I Decamuni, but our pizza quest could not stop there. We pushed forward to what we heard was the best (and busiest) pizzeria in Naples, Da Michele. It is also one of the most famous owing to a certain recent Hollywood movie appearance (we won’t mention which one) and simple word of mouth over the years since its opening in 1870. We heard that there would be lines snaking in front of Da Michele long before the 11 AM opening times, and that we should be prepared for hordes and hours of waiting. Steeled for a potentially harrowing experience, we arrived at Da Michele at 11 AM on a Monday, surprised to find only ONE other table filled. By the time we left, there were still a few tables open, and no line. So take the warnings with a grain of salt (at least in low tourist season, on a Monday).
We beat the crowds.
Da Michele is a simple place – the tables are spartan and the menus are taped to the wall. The menu at Da Michele is extremely limited – only 2 pizzas on offer: Margherita and a Marinara. The marinara is simply marinara sauce and garlic. How’s that for simplicity? We ordered a Margherita with doppia (double) mozzarella (5€), which we figured was a good bet as well as a “normal sized” marinara pizza (4€). Each pizza came in either “normal” or “medium” sizes, and the Marinara also came in “maxi.” The doppia mozzarella Margherita did not have a size assigned – but we assume it is a normal size. Even at their smallest, the Da Michele pizzas are large enough to cover an entire dinner plate.
Da Michele pizza master at work.
So we placed our orders and sat in anticipation for the pizzas. One thing that is constantly impressive is the speed at which the pizzas fly out. Da Michele was a well-oiled machine, with an old gentleman at the pizza dough helm, quietly and meticulously forming and topping the pizzas. You could tell he had been doing this for decades. Our pizzas went into the roaring ovens and a few minutes later they were done. And what pizza! The crust was light and fluffy, but with some bite, and some nice char. Moreover, the crust held up well to all of the toppings. The cheese on the doppia pizza was generously applied and fresh as can be. We also heartily enjoyed the marinara pizza, which seemed to be more than the sum of its parts. The sauce on each pizza was fresh and tomato-y and not overly sweet Warning: there are many cloves of garlic on the Marinara pizza, so this is one for garlic lovers only.
The main event.
It seemed only minutes had passed between when we ordered and when we finished, although we did our best to savor each pizza. Could you eat a better meal for 9€? L enjoyed the doppia mozzarella pizza the best out of all of the pizzas in Naples, especially owing to the heavenly crust quality, and while M enjoyed the pizzas at Da Michele, his heart went with the more exotic toppings at Decumani. We are already nostalgic for all of the great pizza we enjoyed in Naples. For the pizza purist, we highly recommend Da Michele, but if you want a little more topping variety (and less chance of a line) Decumani is a formidable choice.
Eating The World 