Pizza, glorious pizza. The simplest of all culinary creations has well and truly taken over the world. Does that make it the Elvis of the food world? Yes, it does. For the record, The King’s favourite pizza was a barbecue pork creation that sounds delicious. We aren’t here to talk about Elvis, but we are here to talk about pizza and old things, specifically old pizzerias. We all know that pizza comes from Italy, but when did it reach the rest of Europe? These are the oldest pizzerias still working in a variety of European countries, states chosen for no rhyme and reason other than that they came into our head when researching. We were thinking about pizza, to be honest.
Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba – Naples, Italy
Yes, we said we were going to focus on the rest of Europe, but this place deserves mention. Widely considered to be the oldest pizzeria on the planet. Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba has been busting out pies in some form since 1738, starting life as a street cart until moving into more formal surroundings in 1830. Mass tourist attention sullies the experience somewhat today, but the world’s oldest pizzeria is still run by the same family and makes excellent pizzas. What’s not to like?
Cap de la Vila – Sitges, Spain
Italian judges recently decided that Spanish pizza was the best on the planet (there is more to that, but we’re on a word-count limit here). You might expect Spain’s first pizzeria to be found in Madrid or Barcelona, but you’d be wrong. Travel a short 21km from the latter and find Cap de la Vila in the small town of Sitges. Opened in 1967, this was the first restaurant in Spain to serve pizza, and boy, did it hit the ground running. Sitges was already a popular destination for foreigners, so maybe the crowd wasn’t so tough. However, it would be best if you still made a decent pie. All the classics can be found on the menu.
Chez Bartolo – Paris, France
Chez Bartolo opened its doors in 1950, becoming the first pizzeria in Paris. It still does good business today, retaining much of its old glamour (despite a 2019 renovation) while serving wood-fired pizzas equal to anything found across the country. The renovated decor is delightful, whisking diners away to southern Italy through paintings of lemon trees and hanging hocks of cured meat.
Chez Mario – Lausanne, Switzerland
Opened in 1958, Chez Mario lays claim to the honour of being the oldest pizzeria in Switzerland. The walls are covered in messages left over the decades by satisfied diners of all origins, but we aren’t here to scribble; we’re here to eat. The pizza is excellent, they certainly don’t skimp on the toppings, and Chez Mario also runs a pizza academy for little Pizzaiolos.
Ristorante Italiano – Copenhagen, Denmark
What it lacks in a creative name, Copenhagen’s Ristorante Italiano more than makes up in history, heritage and damn good pizza. Denmark’s oldest pizzeria has been functioning fabulously since 1952. The menu covers most of the Italian classics we know and love, and the decor is jarring in the best possible way, somehow managing to feel like fine dining in a quirky old dude’s house. Also, wine. Wine, wine, wine.
Hornið – Reykjavik, Iceland
Hornið (‘The Corner’, if you were wondering) has been in the hands of the same family since opening in 1979, serving pizza that positively drips with experience and quality. Okay, the pizza mainly drips of cheese, and toppings are expertly distributed upon thin crispy bases that might as well sing their way into your mouth. This is getting a bit poetic, but this is Iceland; get used to it. Hornið is widely considered the first made-to-order pizzeria in the country, and we’re happy enough to accept that.
Olivelli – London, England
London’s first Italian restaurant was thought to be the imaginatively-monikered Italian Eating House, but, this being London, it closed. The city’s oldest pizzeria that remains open today? Step forward, Olivelli. Now part of a chain with four locations, Olivelli started serving pizza in the 1930s, although this is based more on a rumoured letter than anything else. We’re not too bothered; we are only interested in stuffing our faces with pizza, so two thumbs up.
Peppes Pizza – Oslo, Norway
When Louis and Anne Jordan opened the first Peppes Pizza in Oslo in 1970, did they foresee more than 80 locations across the country? Norway’s first pizzeria has grown into a national powerhouse, bringing American-style pizza to millions of eager mouths annually. Peppes displays many of the usual pitfalls we associate with franchise pizzerias (the quality of service depends on how enthusiastic the staff are on any given day, for one), but you can’t beat history.
Parma – Ljubljana, Slovenia
Eastern Europe’s first pizzeria is still going strong today (okay, Slovenia isn’t exactly Eastern Europe, but you get the point), even using the same pizza oven it did when it opened in 1974. Most dining at Pizzeria Parma is done at the large bar where the food is cooked and served, and the walls are adorned with photos showcasing its long and storied history. Find an empty stool, place your order, and away you go. FYI, tradition dictates that you order a glass of blueberry juice to accompany your pie.
Kmotra – Prague, Czech Republic
The Godmother gathers extensive broods around her ankles as she hands down the old family recipe for making great pizzas from a wood-burning oven. Expect to jostle for a place with the other waifs and strays in need of the loving care that is meted out here. We’re talking about a pizzeria, don’t worry, in this case, the oldest pizzeria in Prague. Kmotra has been doing its things since 1993, and yes; the beer is also excellent.
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