Italian Pizza Styles: A Journey Through the Regions
Italy’s pizza tradition is as diverse as its landscapes, shaped by centuries of regional pride, local produce, and family recipes passed down through generations. Every city has its own way with dough, a reflection of its people, climate, and history, yet all share a devotion to craft and flavour.
Rome: Crisp, Clever, and Streetwise
Roman pizza is a tale of two textures, and both are worth the trip.
First, there’s pizza al taglio (“by the slice”). Baked in long rectangular trays and cut with scissors, it’s street food at its smartest. The dough is airy and light but holds a gentle crunch on the bottom — perfect for toppings like paper-thin potato slices, fragrant rosemary, or zucchini blossoms fresh from the market. Sold by weight, it suits the Roman pace: quick, vibrant, no fuss.
Then there’s pizza tonda, the round, razor-thin classic served in Roman pizzerie. Cooked until the crust shatters like glass, it’s best eaten with a knife and fork, usually late into the night, at a lively table with friends and a bottle of something good.
Liguria: Coastal Simplicity, Anchored in the Sea
Up north in Liguria, the pizza leans into its maritime roots. Sardenaira isn’t pizza as you might know it; it’s closer to focaccia, thick and sturdy, topped with anchovies, black olives, capers, and wild oregano.
It’s humble, rich, and brimming with the scent of the Mediterranean. One bite and you can picture the fishing boats bobbing along the coast, herbs drying in seaside kitchens, and nonnas pressing dough with practiced hands.
Sicily: Bold, Generous, and Unapologetic
Sicilian pizza brings drama in the best way. Thick, sponge-like dough forms the base of sfincione, a rustic-style layered dish generously topped with tangy tomato sauce, sweet onions, breadcrumbs, and salty pecorino cheese.
It’s less a slice, more a celebration — hearty, satisfying, and proudly layered. Sicilian pizza doesn’t whisper. It feeds a crowd and tells a story with every bite.
Puglia: On the Go, Full of Soul
In Puglia, pizza often blurs the line with focaccia. Baked thick and airy, with a golden crust that’s crisp on the outside and tender within, it’s often cooked in a pan, giving it that irresistible edge of caramelised dough.
Topped simply with sun-sweet tomatoes, briny olives, or local cheeses, Pugliese pizza carries the warmth of the south in every bite. It’s unfussy, flavourful, and built for sharing — humble in its approach, but rich with soul.
Naples: The Origin, the Standard, the Soul of Pizza
While every region adds something beautiful to Italy’s pizza landscape, there is only one birthplace. Naples. The beginning and the benchmark.
In the tight alleyways of 18th-century Naples, pizza was street food. Simple, fast, and deeply satisfying. Vendors would roam with portable ovens, offering flatbreads topped with seasonal ingredients. It was for the people: nourishing, affordable, and always made with love.
Then came the moment that changed everything. In 1889, a local pizzaiolo named Raffaele Esposito created a special pizza for Queen Margherita of Savoy, using red tomatoes, white mozzarella, and green basil — the colours of the Italian flag. The Pizza Margherita was born, and Neapolitan pizza earned its crown.
Today, that legacy is fiercely protected.
True Neapolitan pizza must adhere to time-honored rules. The dough includes only four ingredients: “00” flour, water, sea salt, and yeast. It rests, slowly, for up to 24 hours doing what shortcuts never can. Then it’s shaped by hand, never rolled, and cooked in a wood-fired oven at 450°C for no more than 90 seconds.
What emerges is pure balance:
A crust that’s soft yet structured, kissed with leopard spots.
A centre that folds without falling apart.
Toppings that honour simplicity — crushed San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella (Fior di Latte or buffalo), a few basil leaves, and a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
It’s not a canvas — it’s a craft. And it’s been recognised by UNESCO as a piece of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.
From Naples to Your Table
At Marino & The Dough, we don’t just replicate this legacy, we bring it to life in your kitchen.
Luke Marino, Australian-born with deep Italian roots, shares not only recipes but rituals. In our hands-on masterclasses, you’ll feel the difference: the dough warming under your fingers, the scent of slow-fermented flour meeting fire, the joy of pulling a pizza from the oven that’s hot, blistered, and unmistakably your own.
This is more than a meal. It’s a shared story, perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or a night with friends that deserves a little magic.
We believe that while every region offers something beautiful, true pizza mastery begins in Naples — and now, so can you.