Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria in Naples
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Discover what it’s like to eat pizza at Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria in Naples. The acclaimed pizzeria wins our vote for serving the best pizza in Naples and maybe all of Italy too.
We have mixed feelings about the 50 Top Pizza lists that get published each year for Italy, Europe, Asia, USA and the world. First of all, the global list, as one would expect, is a little Italy-heavy in style. While pizza was invented in the boot, countries like the US and even Argentina have made major contributions to the phenomenal popularity of Italy’s humble sauced and cheesed flatbread. What Italians find ideal in a pizza, like airiness and suppleness, differs greatly from the lift and crunch that North Americans covet.
In case you’re new to our website, we’ve eaten a lot of pizza in pizza-focused American cities like Chicago, New York and New Haven plus countless more cities around the world. We’ve even eaten great pizza in Vietnam and at several of the restaurants on the top 50 list including Sartoria Panatieri in Barcelona, 180 Grammi in Rome and Pizzeria Bianco in the USA.
Don’t get us wrong. We adore the pizza served in Naples, and, while we don’t love every spot on the aforementioned prestigious list (don’t ask us about the disappointing pizza we ate at Pizza Una Napoletana in NYC), there are some special pizzerias that justify a trip across an ocean. Diego Vitagliano is one of them. To us, its pizza ranks as the best we’ve eaten in Naples and perhaps anywhere.
Planning a Naples Trip?
Book these early. Naples is a popular destination.
- Food Tours: Culinary Secrets of Backstreet Naples with Culinary Backstreets or the Pizza & Drinks Tour with Eating Europe
- Local Experiences: Naples food experiences and a Neapolitan pizza lesson on Airbnb
- Day Trip: Full-day Amalfi Coast tour from Sorrento, a short train or ferry ride from Naples
- Places to Stay: Hotels at all price points or an Airbnb apartment with a kitchen
- Rental Car: Rent a car for regional day trips. Don’t drive in Naples!
Diego Vitagliano grew up in Naples so it’s fair to say that pizza is in his blood. He learned the basics while working at local pizzerias and honed his skills through years of experimentaiton and practice.
Today, he’s on the vanguard of contemporary Neapolitan pizza with his high-hydration dough that’s simultaneously supple and airy yet slightly crunchy on the edges. He and his team create that dough using organic flour during a 36-hour leavening process. But it’s not just the dough that’s special. Toppings are sourced from the finest local ingredients and every pie is crafted with precision.
We get that Diego Vitagliano isn’t a household name in America but things are different in eNaples where pizzaioli are revered just a level below football legend Diego Maradona. It doesn’t hurt that Vitagliano’s three local pizzerias (plus one in Qatar) are self-named. It also doesn’t hurt that his award-winning pizza is extraordinary.
Discover our picks for the best Naples pizzerias.
Our Lunch at Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria
Planning for our meal at Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria involved a bit of effort, namely, making advance reservations and purchasing tickets for our short train journey from Naples’ Piazza Cavour to the city’s slightly gritty Bagnoli district. We understand that Vitagliano has a pizzeria in the center of town in Santa Lucia, but we wanted the thrill of eating pizza at his flagship pizzeria among the locals.
We’re glad we took those simple steps. Despite Bagnoli’s seeming sleepiness, we didn’t just eat great pizza. We also experienced an immersive Sunday afternoon family pizza-fest surrounded by Neapolitans who were munching on their pizzas while their kids sprinted around the dining room like gusts of wind wafting from the nearby Bay of Naples.
Validating that reservations are a must, we arrived to a vestibule filled with pizza-seeking locals edging their way in to obtain whatever walk-in tables might be available. Having kids afforded no special treatment as we observed when families were refused entry until their full parties had arrived.
Pizzeria operators in Naples have yet to receive the memo that customers don’t like QR code menus and this pizzeria was no exception. Somehow, despite our myopia, we narrowed down the numerous options to one starter and two pizzas. We then added a third pizza for ‘research’ purposes.
As is typical at Neapolitan pizzerias, the electronic menu included a range of fried starters (frittatini and croquettes) plus a trio of montanare – little bundles of fried dough with unique toppings. We liked the montanare topped with pumpkin and mushroom but we loved the seemingly simple classic margherita montanare and the not-so-simple montanare topped with ricotta, anchovies and lemon.
The Pistadella pizza topped with local fior di latte, ‘fairytale’ mortadella and Sicilian pistachio pesto was our favorite of the three. The combination of mortadella and pesto is trendy in Campania and this pizza was the best version we’ve encountered. Its top-quality mortadella, delicate and as thin as tissue paper, was neatly folded against buttery, nutty pesto that had just enough crunchy texture.
Essentially a Margherita pizza with both DOP buffalo mozzarella and Grana Padano, the Bufalina pizza was textbook. The same can’t be said about the 4 Casi Campani pizza, a uniquely crunchy pie topped with four cheeses (Caciocavallo Podolico, Blu di Bufala, Pecorino Carmasciano and locally sourced Fior di Latte), semi-dried tomatoes, curly basil and celery oil.
We couldn’t help but notice the little details in our pizzas. The cheese was spread like an artful claw over our Margherita, the mortadella was placed on our Pistadella pizza like delicate rose petals and all three crusts had a pillowy texture that didn’t feel chewy.
Full to our brims, we somehow found space for a slice of Pastiera – a seasonal Easter cake made of ricotta and cooked wheat berries that’s one of the most beloved desserts in Naples and the only dessert baked in-house at the time of our meal. It was a good choice. The super moist cake arrived topped with powdered sugar and surrounded by chocolate candies. We could taste the cheesecake’s history in every earthy yet creamy bite.
Pro Tips for Eating at Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria
Don’t be misled by Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria’s global reputation and contemporary decor. This is a family-friendly Neapolitan pizzeria that’s as popular with locals as it is with food travelers. Accordingly, you must MAKE ADVANCE RESERVATIONS if you want to eat Vitagliano’s pizza.
Be sure to budget time to read the menu’s many sections including ten dedicated to pizza. The menu has a lot of pizzas and you may want to order them all. If that’s the case, consider splurging on the ‘giropizza’ – a 7-course tasting menu that includes a wine pairing.
Gluten-free? No worries. Not only does Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria have a dedicated gluten-free pizza oven, but its gluten-free options transcend pizza to include starters, beers and desserts.
Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria has multiple locations. We ate pizza at the flagship Bagnoli pizzeria located at Via Nuova Agnano, 1, 80125 Napoli NA, Italy.
🇮🇹 Naples Travel Checklist
Check out our guide to eating in Italy as well as our picks for the best Italian foods and the best Italian desserts before your trip so that you don’t miss a delicious bite.
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