This Sunday, July 10th, Pizza Day is celebrated! Created six thousand years ago by the Egyptians, the first to mix flour with water, pizza is currently one of the most popular foods in the world. After all, who can resist a good round? Whether savory or sweet, the flavor combinations are endless. Therefore, to help you choose, in this post you will find out which are the favorite pizzas of chefs in Rio and São Paulo!
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Chefs’ favorite pizzas
Rio de Janeiro
Fabrício Lemos, owner and chef of the Origem and Ori restaurants and the Gem minibar, in Salvador
The chef chose Ella, chef Pedro Siqueira’s pizzeria in Jardim Botânico, as his favorite. “Ella’s pizza dough is prepared with high quality flour and well fermented. I love the combination of flavors and the way the house’s pizzas are presented”, comments the chef.
Franco Ravioli, chef at Foglia Forneria, em SP
The chef, who for many years was in charge of Pizza Bros, in São Paulo, says he loves the pizzas at Ferro e Farinha, in Rio! ”There are great round options there, and I also love the concept of the bar, very interesting, in my opinion. And my favorite pizza is the Domenico, with tomato sauce, grana padano, fior di latte and roasted basil”, says the chef.
Heaven Delhaye, chef do D’Heaven, Heaven Cucina e Nonna Per Heaven
Modesty aside, the chef’s favorite pizzas are from Heaven Cucina and Nonna Per Heaven. In the first, his choice is the Racchetta Alla Carbonara, which contains a mix of cheese, bacon, free-range egg yolk and thyme sprigs. In the second, his favorite flavor is Banane / Mou / Sorbetto, pizza topped with dulce de leche, caramelized bananas with spices, white chocolate ganache, sliced almonds and ice cream.
Pablo Ferreyra, chef at Hilton Copacabana
The executive chef at the Hilton Rio de Janeiro Copacabana recommends two different proposals to celebrate Pizza Day! Forneria Bertozzi and Ramiro Pizzas, which operate on a delivery system. “Ramiro Pizzas makes the best pizza in Rio de Janeiro and with incredible flour. Forneria Bertozzi is an Italian pizzeria, with pizza made following the Neapolitan tradition and fermentation for 48 hours,” says the chef.
Rafa Gomes, chef at Itacoa
The chef highlights the pizzas from Olivo Cucina, an Italian restaurant located in Barra da Tijuca. “My favorite flavor is Pugliese, made with tomato sauce, flor di latte mozzarella, fresh mushrooms and ham,” says Rafa.
Robinho Silva, chef at DuJour
“I always order pizza from Bráz at home. The Caprese, the pizzeria’s most awarded flavor, and the Primo, with persimmon tomato, mozzarella and slices of Parma ham, are the options I love. When I want to go out to eat, I opt for Ferro & Farinha as the rounds are made in a wood-fired oven and are therefore very crispy. I choose Fráz, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Calabrian sausage with fennel and oregano” – says the chef.
In Sao Paulo
Alexandre Vorpagel, chef at Bottega 21 and Casa Europa
“I’m addicted to Bocada’s pizza. I try to go at least once a week, or even more when I have time between the two houses. The atmosphere is very simple, no frills, but the guys know how to make top quality pizza. It’s really worth visiting!” says the chef.
Dalton Rangel, chef at O Fado, in Rio, and Miró, in SP
The chef’s favorite place to eat pizza is Sforno Pizzeria Napoletana, in São Paulo, and the taste is Neapolitan!
Diogo Porto, chef do Beef Bar
“On one of my trips to Monaco, for training at the Beefbar there, I met an Italian gentleman during my connection in Paris. After a few minutes, I could see his passion for gastronomy, and I soon discovered that he owned a hotel in Tuscany. As I was going to spend a few days on vacation in Rome, I asked him for some restaurant tips, but he told me: If you like pizza, go eat at Louie Louie here in Paris, you won’t find pizza like that in Italy! It was a pizza with: Fior di latte, Camembert, Nduja, Gorgonzola, Parmesan and honey. He was right, it was the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life! And here in São Paulo, “A Pizza da Mooca” reminds me a lot of the pizza I ate there, so without a doubt my favorite here is COPA, from A Pizza da Mooca”, explains the chef.
Enrique Paredes, chef of Peruvian Amazo
“My favorite pizza is from Bráz. No wonder they are known as one of the best pizzerias in São Paulo. The dough is very good and the fillings also come in a super balanced proportion. There’s nothing left and nothing missing”, says chef Enrique.
Erik Nako, partner at Tasca Miuda, in Leblon, Rio
“The Leggera, for sure! When I was taking a course at AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana), André Guidon had already made history there, winning a world pizza award. He returned to São Paulo, opened in Perdizes and now there is one in Jardins too. I think his pizza is the best in Brazil, without a doubt”, says Erik.
Fabio Pasquale, chef at Le Blé Casa de Pães
“I think Leggera makes pizza the way it should be, light dough, great ingredients, balance of flavors. I don’t think there’s a better pizza made in Brazil – and I also make pizzas at Le Blé. André, partner and pizzaiolo, is a master at doing what he loves and it shows in his pizzas. When you visit there, be sure to try the fried pizza and the margherita, which are perfect!” says Fabio Pasquale, partner at Le Blé Casa de Pães, which, incidentally, also produces great natural fermentation pizzas.
Gustavo Prado, chef of Me Vá restaurant
“I like Braz Elétrica’s pizzas. In addition to being delicious, they always come out quickly. The one I always order is Cajupiry. The vegan parmesan and cajuripy are incredible and show that vegan food can be really good”, says Gustavo.
Renato Carioni, chef at Cosi
“I have three pizzerias that are among my favorites in São Paulo: Evv.ita, Leggera and Veridiana. At Evv.ita I really like the Finocchona made with San Marzano tomatoes, taleggio cheese and Finocchiona salami. It’s delicious just right! At Leggera, what I like most is the fried gorgonzola and onion pizza. It is very good! At Veridiana, I love Alici’s, which comes with anchora fillets in tomato sauce. I recommend all three to celebrate pizza day and also to satisfy your craving any day of the year! They are delicious”, suggests Renato.
By Duda Vétere.
Photos: Leonardo Freire, Luiz Morales, Gabriela Rocha, Grupo Nebraska, Mario Rodrigues, Neuton Araujo, Raul da Mota, Renato Neyeska, Tomás Rangel, Vitor Faria
