Everyone has their favourite kind of pie; will it be thin base, fire-cracked crusts with fresh Mediterranean vegetables, tomatoes and only dash of fromage, or doughy deep-dish oozing with cheese and laden with meaty toppings… the options are endless. What we can all agree on, however, is that pizza should have its own food group, considering how much we love it.
So, imagine our joy on finding out that today is National Pizza Day in the good ol’ U.S of A. Because this put pies in our thoughts, we asked some Hong Kong pizza experts (we’ve decided, it’s a thing) to let us know where in the world they’d head for a slice of heaven.
Christopher Mark, co-founder and culinary director of Black Sheep Restaurants, is going to Pizzeria La Notizia, Naples
Mark explained to us that pizza as we know it originated with the simple Neapolitan pie. “Neapolitan pizza is the purest expression of the dish, and it has been made the same way for generations,” he says. Having worked with master pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia at this world-renowned pizza joint, Mark says of the spot, “there is a true reverence for tradition and you feel like you’re part of history.”
Michael Bolam, executive chef at 208 Duecento Otto, is going to Gradi, Melbourne and Australia & Julius, Brisbane.
Bolam prizes the real deal, opting for traditional, honest pizza places over hyped-up new spots. He tells it as it is: “You can never go wrong with a good, authentic Napoletana pizza!”
Anthony Burd, head chef at Mercato by Jean-Georges, is going to Di Fara’s Brooklyn
“After growing up in the New York and New Jersey area,” Burd tells us, “I always want a pizza slice that brings me back home. While visiting after living abroad for so long, my sister brought me to a small, but well-known pizza place in Brooklyn called Di Fara’s. I loved their style: fresh basil, chunky San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella from the Caserta province. Can’t beat it.”
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Vinny Lauria, chef at Linguini Fini, is going to Best Pizza, Brooklyn
Chef Vinny Lauria is adamant: “Best Pizza in Williamsburg is among the most supreme pizzas on earth. The Grandma Pie there is the best piece of pie that I have ever encountered; its hand-crushed tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella has changed the pizza-making game. The crust is thicker than most, but the dough is just so perfect that you want to keep eating more of it – have it with a side of spicy pickled vegetables so you can savour every bite.”
SEE ALSO: Hong Kong’s Best New York Cuisine Classics
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