Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria - Santa Lucia — Restaurant in Naples

FOOD: We got the "Giropizza", which is a tasting menu with wine pairing. For 60 euro a person, they really fill you up. You need to go there very hungry. The appetizer was a type of garlic pasta fried with assorted nuts and corn flakes on top. I like the contrast in texture and the taste was great. On the pizza we tried ecclectic takes on pizza with different influences. Some were also more traditional-style pizzas. The dough for all pizzas was exceptional, and they really emphasize this in their pizzas. I would say that while there are sauces and toppings on the pizza, the focus is really on the dough. If you are from America and you're used to pizzas that have a bunch of sauce and cheese, this will be a different but very positive experience if you change your expectations. I only wish the classic Margherita pizza was on the tasting menu at that time, but I will get it later.

For dessert we got two desserts. The first was a chocolate "bufala." The person delivering that one didn't really explain anything and just dropped it off, which is fine I guess but I don't know what it is. I can only infer they were cheesecake balls made from buffalo's milk with chocolate sauce on top. It was good. This one was more of a "light and refreshing" kind of dessert and not extremely rich. For the second desert, I don't know the name but it was an oblong shaped toffee cheesecake type dessert with caramel. To me that dessert was the perfect way to end a multi-course meal, and it was a wonderful experience eating that. I must find out what this is called if it's a known dessert in Italy.

The wines were great, which were a healthy mix of sparkling/nonsparkling, bianco, and rosso. The final dessert wine had a notable cherry influence and was honestly the best wine I ever tasted in my life. It was also mentioned as a "digestive" that helps after the meal. I wish I knew the name so I could buy a bottle.

SERVICE: The staff were cordial and polite, and despite language barrier were willing to answer some questions I had. Not much else to say.

ATMOSPHERE: Not much to say about this it was a typical, appealing setting. Except the table next to ours had a dog that kept barking every time someone got up. I don't know if it's an italian thing for non-service animals to be in restaurants because I just got here. But that was mildly irritating.

OVERALL: Great experience in tasting and worth making a reservation on the website. Learned a lot about pizza and wine during the process compared to what I'm familiar with in the USA. But remember that the vertically sliding metal "garage door" is how you enter. Just wait around there and a few minutes after 7pm someone will let people in and ask if you have...

I love Neapolitan pizza. I couldn't resist visiting the place that was ranked first in the ranking for the best pizza in the world in 2023. In general, I approach such competitions with reservation, it is known that not all pizzerias around the world take part in them, and although they undoubtedly influence the popularity of such places, they are often associated with high expectations and slightly greater criticism than other good places that have not been recognized in any competitions - maybe this is the price you have to pay. The restaurant is located a short walk from the waterfront, has a pleasant atmosphere and modern decor. I chose a pizza from the Special section. The choice fell on Diavola (Tomato San Marzano, Neapolitan Fiordilatte 'nduja from Spilinga, flakes of Grana Padano, Neapolitan curly basil, extra virgin olive oil). I love the spicy flavors and 'Nduja sausage. The composition may not have been very original, but it had everything I like. How was the taste test? Overall very good, although without the WOW effect, it was certainly not the best pizza I have eaten in Naples, Italy or outside of Italy. The taste and consistency of the dough was similar to that of other quality Neapolitan pizzerias (personally, I prefer the dough in the modern Neapolitan style, which is more delicate and less resistant than the traditional approach, but this is a matter of my personal preferences), the tomatoes were also tasty, and the pizza was wet enough. I think there was some interesting finishing missing here. The taste was very familiar and not surprising. All in all, it was a good afternoon and it was a very good pizza, but not exceptional. I may come back on my next visit to Naples and try a different, less traditional...

If you're yearning for a dining experience that perfectly captures both mediocre food and antiquated social attitudes, you've found your destination. While the starters showed promise, they merely set the stage for an evening of disappointment.

The pizzas arrived in a fascinating state where time itself seemed to stand still – specifically, at the moment just past lukewarm. The cheese had already completed its journey from melted to monolithic, achieving the texture of a rubber doorstop before our first bite.

When I dared to voice concerns about the cold pizza, the service transformed from merely dismissive to a masterclass in passive-aggressive minimalism. One-word responses became the house specialty, served with a generous side of thinly-veiled contempt. (Admittedly a hot replacement did reappear, after everyone else at the table had finished what they could, of their meal)

But the real specialty here isn't the food – it's the complementary time machine service that transports you straight back to the 1950s. Despite my wife being the wine connoisseur and the one who ordered the bottle, the staff steadfastly insisted on directing all wine-related matters to me, the lager-drinking husband. It seems they've perfected the art of making female customers feel like invisible guests at their own dinner.

To their credit, they've found their niche: if you're looking for a date night spot with an Andrew Tate vibe - you've hit the jackpot.

The only thing missing was a mandatory dress code requiring women to wear pearls while vacuuming.

Positive note: The starters were genuinely good. It's just a shame about everything...