With continued dining restrictions, we expect you’ll be on the lookout for good delivery options. Whether you’re a purist looking for the perfect crust to base ratio, or you’re seeking a great bite to go with that ‘work from home’ Netflix bingeathon, these are our favourite Hong Kong pizza parlours.
Pizza. Dough, cheese, tomato. It’s so simple and yet wars could be started over this simply Italian export. Thick crust, thin pan, deep dish, stuffed crust – with or without pineapple – there’s are as many ways to enjoy pizza as there are lads taking a bite. While the Romans enjoyed flatbread called panis focacius, probably to fuel up before their next orgy, it was the Napoletanos that gave birth to pizza as we know it, with the first mention of the word ‘pizza’ dating back to A.D. 997. After WWII returning GIs as well as thousands of migrating Italians took the pizza tradition to the US and from there, the rest of the world. Today, pizza remains one of the world’s most popular dishes, with 3 billion pizzas consumed in the US each year alone.
Here in Hong Kong, a new clutch of innovative pizza parlours joins some of the city’s more established outfits in supplying our endless cravings. Here are some of our favourites.
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Little Napoli
A popular new spot in Happy Valley, Little Napoli serves – you guessed it – Neapolitan-style pizza as well as Ripieno Fritto stuffed pizzas and satisfying Panuozzo sandwiches crafted from pizza dough. Chef Gavino Pilo, a Naples native, creates each pizza in a hand-built brick oven imported from the Old Country; look out for classic combinations like Margherita, made with D.O.P. San Marzano tomato sauce; firey Diavoli; and Rustica, an age-old Neapolitan medley of porchetta, bell pepper, baked potato, Agerola smoked mozzarella, and olive oil. Don’t miss out on Ripieno Frittos like Cicoli Ham & Ricotta, and the flavour-packed Roast Pork & Bell Pepper Panuozzo.
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Fiamma
For some of the city’s best pizza and views, head to Fiamma, which has opened at Peak Galleria. Showcasing the culinary musings of acclaimed Italian chef Enrico Bartolini in his second Hong Kong restaurant, Fiamma offers a great selection of home-style Italian dishes, but pizza lovers will climb the peak for its authentic pies, which include Patate Salsiccia, with wafer-thin potato, mozzarella, Italian sausage, and fresh rosemary; Burrata ‘Nduja with spicy pork, fresh burrata, and tomato sauce; and the Tartufo e Provola, with mozzarella, Provola cheese and shaved black truffle. Enjoy your pizza out on the terrace with an aperitivo after tackling the Peak Trail.
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Mother of Pizzas
With a store in Causeway Bay, Mother of Pizzas has made a real name for itself with its giant, Big Apple-meets-Neapolitan-inspired pies and friendly service. Their pizzas feature a thick, chewy crust that will beat even the most aggressive of appetites, while the special housemade sauce is made from San Marzano tomatoes, which the pizza house sourced straight from Naples. Favourites from the menu include Pepperoni l’Americano, with aged mozzarella, San Marzano tomato and pepperoni; the Beautiful Chick, with Granda Padano, rocket, grilled chicken, red onions, red peppers and fior di latte cheese; and our favourite, Meat de Cavemen, which comes packed with capocollo, Italian sausage and pepperoni.
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The Pizza Project
With outlets in Central’s Peel Street and now Wan Chai’s Star Street (which we’re already big fans of) Pirata Group’s The Pizza Project keeps things simple, with basic menus packed with great flavours. The pizzas range from the Salsiccia e Friarielli, with spicy sausage, turnip top, and tomino cheese; to the Carbonara, with pancetta, quail egg, and fior di latte; and the Tonno e Cipolle, with tuna chunks, red onions, and capers. There’s just enough tradition to keep the purists happy, and enough innovation to keep you coming back for more. The Central branch has also become a hugely popular spot for happy hour, with the masses spilling out onto Peel Street.
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Paisanos
With branches in Central (don’t act like you haven’t ended up there after a big night out) and Tsim Sha Tsui, Paisanos brings the New York tradition of large-format, foldable pizza to our fair city. The pizza outfit started off in a hole-in-the-wall on Lyndhurst Terrace before quickly finding fame and moving on up to Hollywood Road, where it serves a great selection of classic Americana-style pizzas ranging from the Manhattan Special, with mild Italian sausage, bell peppers and onions; and the Paisano’s Pizza, with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, and black olives; to a white pizza with whole-milk ricotta; and homemade meatball and mozzarella calzones.
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208 Duecento Otto
One of the few new wave pizza restaurants to last the distance, this JIA Group concept flew in a pizza oven from Naples to ensure a pizza experience unlike any the city had seen before. A consistent winner, 208 Duecento Otto, which recently reopened with an exciting new menu by Chef Zeno Bevilacqua, does great authentic Napoletana pizzas, complete with semi-charred crusts, at both lunch and dinner, with top choices including the Quattro Formaggi, with mozzarella, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, and scarmoza; the Napoletana, with mozzarella, anchovies, garlic, and capers; and the Tuscan, with mozzarella, goat’s cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, crispy bacon, and garlic. There’s also a great range of meat and seafood dishes, salads, and traditional entrees if you’re pizzaed out.
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Amalfitana
If you’re looking to take a trip to the seaside, Repulse Bay’s Amalfitana brings authentic Italian pizza culture to The Pulse (although they also have digs on Wyndham Street now too). With Italian pizzaiolo Michael Degli Agosti helming the kitchen, and great South China Sea views, the restaurant is home to a great range of authentic antipasti and authentic pizzas. Try the Fiorentina, with tomato, spinach, mozzarella, poached egg, and parmesan; the Salsiccia e Porcini with sausage and mushrooms; or the house special, the Amalfitana, with buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, parma ham, and rocket. The restaurant also does Italian cocktails and boutique vino so expect to graze for a while.
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Motorino
With outlets in Soho and Wan Chai, Black Sheep Restaurants‘ pizza palaces serve Neapolitan style pies using great quality ingredients, many flown in from Naples. Taking inspiration from chef Mathieu Palombino’s original Brooklyn pizzeria, Motorino‘s menu features plenty of Italian antipasti classics, but you’re here for the pizza in all it’s melted cheese goodness. Opt for the Prosciutto di Parma, with fior di latte, fresh oregano, pecorino, and extra virgin olive oil; the Colatura di Alici with buffalo mozzarella, red onions, grape tomatoes, Gaeta olives, and white anchovies; or, for something a little left of centre, the Brussels Sprouts, with pancetta, garlic, and brussel sprout leaves.
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Little Mario’s
You’ll need to go looking for Little Mario’s – the pizzeria has two outlets, on Park Island and in Kwun Tong, but if you do you’ll be rewarded with crisp pizza bases with a great mouthfeel, and a wide selection of toppings. Pizzas come with three base sauce bases – tomato, white, and cheese – with sure winners including Joe’s Pizza, with Italian sausage, four types of mushrooms (count ’em), onions, and oregano; Chicken Tikka, with chicken, red and green peppers, onion, Indian homemade masala, and mozzarella; the All Day Breakfast Bomba, with bacon, egg, cherry tomato, mozzarella, and oregano; and the rather fancy new addition, Truffle Carbonara, with bacon, fresh onions, garlic, egg and mozzarella on a truffle sauce base. They also have what are arguably the best wings in the city – you have been warned.
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Dough Bros
Home to hand-rolled pizza dough that’s made with a top-secret sourdough starter, Dough Bros in Happy Valley (and with branches in Soho, Kennedy Town and North Point) make pizza for lads with true hunger (they also do some ridiculously good donuts). Pizzas ran the gamut from The Meatball, with pork, pickled chilis, and fresh basil; and The Sophisticated, with goat’s cheese, caramelised onion, and sweet peppers; to The Works, a man-sized feast of chorizo, pepperoni, pork meatballs, and jalapenos. Don’t forget to order from their selection of great local craft beers too.
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