The Best Pizza Near Elephant, by the Record
-
Rank 1. Piccerè
Neapolitan Pizza
A Neapolitan pizza spot a short walk from the Bolzano train station, decorated in blues that have clearly committed to a maritime theme despite being about as far from the sea as Italy allows. The high-crusted pies are made with quality ingredients, and the fried Neapolitan sides have their own following. There's a garden out back for anyone who prefers to eat al fresco, dogs included.
-
A Neapolitan pizza spot tucked under the arcades of Piazza Vittoria, where the high-rimmed crust gets a long, slow rise before it ever sees a flame. The room is tidier than you'd expect from a place this warm, and the family running it treats regulars and first-timers with the same unhurried attention. Dogs are welcome, and the outdoor tables under the arcade are a fine reason to linger over a seasonal pie longer than you planned.
-
A pizzeria in the South Tyrolean Alps where the dough gets a long, slow ferment that leaves it almost impossibly light once it comes out of the oven. Toppings lean on local ingredients from the surrounding region, kept fresh and uncluttered. The room is comfortable without being stiff, the staff knows the menu cold, and the craft beer selection is chosen to work with the pizza rather than compete with it.
-
Rank 4. Saluti
Modern Pizza
The menu moves from wood-fired pizza to pigeon royale without blinking, which tells you something about the kitchen's ambitions. This is a relaxed restaurant in Matrei that earns a Michelin Bib Gourmand running a menu that spans Italian classics and more involved Alpine plates. The terrace is small but lovely, the wine list is well chosen, and the whole thing sits, delightfully, next to a tennis centre. Book ahead.
-
A pizza restaurant in the Trentino hills where the dough gets a long, slow ferment and comes out of the oven with that blistered, airy crust that people tend to argue about. Toppings lean on local sourcing, and the craft beer list tilts toward nearby microbreweries, which is the right call in this part of Italy. The room manages to feel both contemporary and mountain-lodge without sliding into kitsch. 50 Top Pizza lists it among Italy's excellent pizzerias.