RistoPizza by Napoli sta ca — Restaurant in Tokyo

Napoli Pizza experience is here at its maximum level like never seen before in Japan. I saw some negative comments but I believe they are due to the start-up process of first weeks or from people who didn't understand or didn't like the restaurant concept. This restaurant is not your typical Neapolitan restaurant-pizzeria in Japan. This is a true Neapolitan luxurious experience like the one you can find only in Napoli, not even in other part of Italy. Forget Japanese omotenashi service or international luxury, this is how the pizzaiolo-owner Peppe show to you, personally, its art and heart at its fullest. Talking about food, I am from Napoli and I went there with a group of food experts and food journalists from Napoli. We all agreed here you get one of best pizza of the world. No wonder that this place recently got the n.3 prize for top 50 pizza of Asia contest. Pizza dough was soft, slightly comfortably chewy but melty in the mouth. Ingredients are the best available in Japan, I had a "signora marinara" with San Marzano DOP (from "Solania" maker), dry tomatoes and black olives. All other food and drinks were of maximum quality: wines, olive oil, balsamico, vegetables they served as antipasto were cooked and seasoned perfectly. Staff is friendly, kind and available for a chat if you want, like in the best neapolitan tradition. So not the tipical image of the luxury you can find elsewhere but I would call it "neapolitan luxury-in-tradition". You may not like it but that is it. The atmosphere is that of a typical luxury restaurant, black predominate. The view from windows is magnificent and the right illumination in the whole restaurant is comfortable. Prices are obviously expensive but still totally in the range of affordable luxury. I could even say reasonable if compared to the quality of experience you get here. Finally I can say, come here without esitation, just come with the right expectation not trying to find here something different from the real neapolitan art of luxury food coming from the heart of a pure guy who is hard working in Japan since he was 18 in order to make people happy by eating...

I came to this restaurant because it was on the list of Top 50 Best Pizza of 2024. I had high hopes after trying another place that made the list. Overall, it was good, but not GREAT.

I came to this restaurant for dinner. The atmosphere was okay. The restaurant is located in a high end shopping facility which attracts both domestic and international tourists. Nothing really stood out in terms of the overall interior. It was dim lit, dark walls, dark furnitures. I was seated “outside” the actual interior part of the restaurant which is probably meant to be a “terrace” seating, but doesn’t work out quite well because it is still indoors. Maybe my experience would have been a bit different if I was seated closer to the kitchen and had a better feel of the ambiance of the entire restaurant. I also wanted to add that the clay plates were chipped, I guess this is okay to serve guests in Italy? But this would be a huge no in Japanese culture, especially if some of these chipped bits went into the food.

The servers were mostly non-Japanese, but spoke perfect Japanese and English. They were nice and friendly, but since I was seated in the far corner of the “terrace” area of the restaurant, I sometimes felt we were forgotten, due to the fact our drinks came out much later than expected and we were not served any water. We later found out that water is not free. (Thought this was odd knowing restaurants in Japan always give water for free).

The pizza itself was good, but I didn’t think it was “GREAT”. The toppings had a very balanced flavor. The dough was fluffy and nicely cooked (I like the nice balance of the crusty burnt bits). However there was just too much dough for my liking. By the end of the pizza meal, I felt I ate half a loaf of bread. If you love eating a lot of bread (dough/crust), this pizza is probably for you.

So as I said, overall it was good, but not GREAT. If you want to eat pizza in a bougie shopping facility, and you love to eat lots of the fluffy dough crust, then this...

Experience Review: Omakase Pizza Tasting at Chef Pepe's

The Omakase Pizza Tasting at Chef Pepe's is a coveted dining experience, limited to a few counter seats per night and often booked well in advance.

Ambiance and Arrival Upon arriving at 7:00 PM, my party of four—comprising two Tokyo locals and two visitors from the USA—were promptly greeted and seated. We were introduced to our server and the owner, Chef Pepe himself.

Food and Presentation We embarked on a culinary journey that included six carefully curated pizzas served in flights. By the third round, feeling pleasantly satiated, Chef Pepe graciously offered to reduce portion sizes to ensure we could enjoy all the unique flavors and creations. Each pizza was introduced with a story—Chef Pepe shared his inspirations behind the flavor combinations, the origins of the ingredients, and insights into the dough variations used.

Highlights Despite having sampled pizzas in Tokyo before, including Pizza Studio Tamaki (PST), Chef Pepe's creations stood out as the highlight of our trip. His passion for pizza-making was evident, enhanced by the expert translation provided by his assistant, who ensured we understood every detail in English.

Future Visits Chef Pepe mentioned that our tasting session marked the first iteration of his omakase menu. Excitedly, we look forward to returning to sample his future creations, promising even more culinary delights.

Conclusion In conclusion, our Omakase Pizza Tasting at Chef Pepe's was not just a meal but a memorable experience. From the warm hospitality to the exquisite pizzas, each moment at the counter was a testament to Chef Pepe's culinary mastery and dedication...