Home Italian Eating Pizza in Naples with Daniel Young, Part One

Eating Pizza in Naples with Daniel Young, Part One

by Krista
View of Vesuvius from the Grand Hotel Parker

View of Vesuvius from the Grand Hotel Parker

I don’t know what I was expecting in Naples, but Naples wasn’t it. The city is vibrant and teeming with people. Everyone has a small dog, and day and night, you see families strolling the streets together, window shopping (or just plain ole shopping), eating, drinking, and having that all important coffee. There are hills in Naples — steep ones! And it’s a city on the sea! And looming in the distance, there’s a VOLCANO! But most importantly, there is pizza and lots and lots of it. Excellent, excellent pizza, created carefully and with love by pizzaiolos who are often not the first person in their generation to knead the dough and make the sauce. I sort of fell in love — with the pizza AND Naples. And uh, the handsome pizzaiolos.

How did I find myself in Naples? I knew that Daniel Young, the former food critic of the New York Daily News, runs an occasional pizza tour to Naples. I also vaguely knew that he had written a book about pizza called, simply, Where to Eat Pizza. (I know now that this book is the BIBLE of pizza and both Daniel and his book are revered in pizza circles everywhere.) During a brief respite from work, I saw that Daniel had a few spaces free on an upcoming tour and before you know it, I had booked a place and my flight and I was GOING. Done!

I met up with the Daniel and the rest of the group at the Grand Hotel Parker’s, a grande dame of a hotel, towering on a hill above Naples and with a lovely terrace overlooking the sea. The hotel is set to be renovated soon, but I hope they don’t change the marble floors in the public spaces or the crystal chandeliers in the hotel rooms because hotels like this don’t exist anymore.

Enzo Coccia, outside La Notizia, pretending to deliver pizza old school style

Enzo Coccia, outside La Notizia, pretending to deliver pizza old school style

We taxied over to our first stop, La Notizia, run by the intensely intense Enzo Coccia, who talked us through the history of pizza and Naples, fed us what felt like 20 pizzas, and then put us to work kneading dough. Kneading dough is not easy, trust me. It requires a tremendous amount of upper body strength and forearm power. Let’s just say I quickly decided that I enjoy eating pizza more than making it myself, but it gave me a new appreciation for pizzaiolos everywhere.

Pizza at La Notizia, Naples

Pizza at La Notizia, Naples

I liked the vibe at La Notizia. It felt like a neighborhood restaurant that would be happy to see you, whenever you walked through the door. This was confirmed by one of our taxi drivers, who explained that he often makes a special trip to La Notizia, just to eat the pizza.

Pizza at 50 Kalo in Naples

Pizza at 50 Kalo in Naples

Later that evening, once we had digested a bit, we headed over to 50 Kalo, a pizza joint with a more modern interior design scheme — it was almost as if they were trying to say “This is not a pizza joint.” Even though it is. Here we tried the standard Naples pizza configurations and then a few more creative options. (50 Kalo probably served us the most creative options of our tour, but this may have been more about how they treated our group than the menus at any of the places.)

Ciro Salvo at 50 Kalo

Ciro Salvo at 50 Kalo

The restaurant was empty when we entered at 7 pm but there was a queue out the door by the time we left — a queue of all generations, a testament to the popularity of pizza AND 50 Kalo. 50 Kalo’s owner and pizzaiolo, the movie star handsome Ciro Salvo is, well, movie star handsome and a third generation pizzaiolo. Let’s just say that he can make me pizza anytime.

I probably ate more pizza this day than I have in the past three year combined — always watching the carbs, my friends — but I didn’t feel that heavy fullness that I get from a New York pizza or (certainly) a Chicago pizza. Pizza in Naples is lighter and airier. The goal seems to be “How can we make this crust as thin as possible, but still hold all this cheese and sauce?” This is the type of goal that we all should have! I have since been applying this mentality to my personal and professional life…a la…”How can I make as much money as possible, but work as little as possible?” I’ll keep you posted on how that’s going.

I slipped into bed that evening completely sated and completely copacetic with Naples and pizza and life in general. There really is no better way to spend a day than by eating pizza ALL DAY. You should try it some time. It’s good for you.

Stay tuned for even more pizza on Day 2, along with some other tips on Naples restaurants and things to do and see.

Buy: Where to Eat Pizza by Daniel Young

Go: Daniel’s Pizza Tours of Naples

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17 comments

Laura Rivas 2017 -

Nice style photography, looks fresh!!!!

austevidmantas 2017 -

Love your writing style! It was so funny : )) Those pictures of pizzas though…

Janine 2017 -

Talk about living your best life! That pizza looks so delicious- I\’ll definitely stay tuned for Day 2!

Shannon 2017 -

Yum! I just ate lunch and was feeling full until I read this post and saw the pictures! I need to go to Naples!!!! Great post!

Cody Shah 2017 -

If you love pizza in Naples – I don\’t know what you would do in Sardinia. Now I have mouth watering in middle of night with all those pics

Manisha Singh 2017 -

I\’m really hungry after reading this and seeing all the delicious pictures.
Do let us know how your \”How can I make as much money as possible, but work as little as possible?\” thing is going.

Krista 2017 -

LOL…working on it!!

Cassidy\'s Adventures 2017 -

Oh my goodness! I live in Italy actually – but in Rome! The pizza in Rome is such thin crust. I\’ve been to Naples and had the pizza and it\’s amazing. I\’d honestly go back for an hour just to buy a pizza from this place

Krista 2017 -

Thanks, Cassidy! Naples is an easy journey from Rome! You’ve got to check it out!

Glory Aulik 2017 -

BRB going to Naples now! I loved your post! 🙂 Keep killin\’ it!

Kerry 2017 -

I\’m convinced that I need to go to Naples now!! Love this post!

Ken Schmitt 2017 -

You have the real-deal pizza there! Looks delicious!

Gretka 2017 -

wow, I am so hungry right now, Thank you for sharing, I will know where to eat awesome pizza once I am in Naples 😉

cj 2017 -

That pizza looks delicious. Loved your post – a great read.

Hasina > The Tropical Nomad 2017 -

What a great idea to go on a pizza tour, and of all destinations in Naples! Definitely made me want to book a flight ticket too, for the pizza… and the pizzaiolos!

Jaime 2017 -

YUM! This has made me to hungry now! and i only just ate. Craving some pizza – not great for my diet though!

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