Pizzeria da Peppe NAPOLI STA' CA'

When it comes to pizza, people always rely on the opinion of their Italian friends. And they are right to trust them. So if you are also a devout follower of the Pizza God, trust me and go to the Pizzeria da Peppe NAPOLI STA’ CA’ in Azabudai, Minato-ku.

The name of this pizzeria means “Naples is here” and there could have not been a better name than this. The moment you enter the Pizzeria da Peppe, you don’t feel like you are in Tokyo anymore. The owner, Giuseppe “Peppe” Erricchiello, his brother Carlo, Tsuda-san and everyone working at Pizzeria da Peppe have managed to create not only a place where you can eat authentic Italian pizza but one where you can also feel the atmosphere of a real Italian pizzeria. The location is very nice, quite close to the Tokyo Tower and from the restaurant you can also see the Mori Tower (date alert: good place to bring your partner if you think that good food and a good first impression are the keys to one’s heart). The staff is so kind and warm that there are almost no words to describe them. You will be treated the Italian way which means that the staff will talk to you and make you feel comfortable and being cared of.

For us Tokyo Cheapos, it’s best to visit for lunch as you will be able to order salad or a soup, a pizza or a dish of pasta + drink for ¥1,200. As many of you may have already noticed, Japanese people just love and adore salad. The problem is that sometimes (read: ALWAYS) they use ready-made ingredients such as lettuce or cabbage. Instead, at the Pizzeria da Peppe you will be able to taste delicious fresh salad seasoned with tomatoes and real parmigiano cheese flakes imported directly from Italy.

Each pizza is quite large and the pizzaiolo is definitely not stingy on the mozzarella, which is also imported from Italy and it’s really superb. True to their name, the pizza is strictly made in the Neapolitan way and accordingly the dough is quite thin, and drizzled with olive oil and tomato sauce (you might guess by now that also these latter ingredients are also 100% made in Italy).

If this was not enough to make your mouth water already, they also serve an amazing home-made tiramisù and an excellent limoncello (liquor made out of lemons) which is also home-made. Unfortunately, they are not included in the lunch- set price, but hey, sometimes you need to trust your gut (pun intended) and indulge yourself in a little bit of comfort eating.

The pizzeria was number one in Japan until last year and I’ll bet it will win the competition this year as well. As the number of the Italian guests and of the good reviews on Tripadvisor will also suggest, you really don’t want to miss out this place. You’ll exit this restaurant happy and fully satisfied. The only thing you should check is whether to make a reservation or not. Since the place is really popular in the area and it’s not exactly spacious you might end up waiting a little bit before gorge yourself on your beloved pizza. Anyway, worry not as they are about to open a new branch soon. So stay tuned for more cheapo friendly pizza places!

by Sara Anna