Day 64- L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele

Before I jump into Naples, I need to dedicate an entry to the life changing pizza I had at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele.  

It's funny how a random thought you once had can suddenly be happening.  How something that crossed your mind only for a fleeting second, materializes. I read about the pizza in Eat, Pray, Love and it was almost the defining moment where I realized how much I wished I could go there and be in Italy and eat that food. And then, I did, and I was. It's pretty amazing.

After arriving and finding our hostel, the first thing on our minds was lunch. So we quickly made our way to the famous place where author of Eat, Pray, Love, sat down and made love to her pizza, as well as where the lovely Julia Roberts ate for her scene in the movie.

The description I previously posted from the novel proved true in every sense.  Elizabeth Gilbert does not exagerate in any way, if anything she falls short, only because words of course can never amount to actually having a bite of this pizza in your mouth.

L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele is the definition of a typical hole in the wall restaurant, and very easy to miss. We were there around 1, so people were already crowded outside and we had to take a number and anxiously wait to be called.  As we waited, I peeked in to glimpse at people seated side by side at long tables; the rugged men making the pizza, with their shirt sleeves rolled up, wearing little hats stamped with the name of the pizzeria; the old men scattered around the place, one taking orders, another giving out tickets, a third seemingly supervising from a corner. Basically, they are the creators of this 140-year-old pizzeria; the original masterminds behind the perfection.

Then, suddenly, we finally heard it - "sessanta quatro!!" - and quickly filed inside and found our seats. Three margherita pizzas, doppia (double) mozzarella, per favore. No more than 10 minutes later, they were in front of us, cheesy, bubbling, and seductive. No need to beg, I started cutting and never looked back. 

The pizza literally rendered me speechless; talking would have meant having to stop eating. Only once during our lunch did I speak, to ask how to say beauty in Italian, since that was all I was thinking while losing myself in the pizza in front of me. Each bite was better than the last, and the whole while it was just like can this really be that good?

The pizza does in fact defy all laws of physics; the dough is the fluffiest doughiest dough ever, but so thin you could never eat a piece with your hands. Everything slides right off it, which was the only frustrating thing about it because it meant having to think about how exactly you would get the next piece on your fork. I'm a little worried because I don't know if pizza will ever be the same. I was almost ready to be at least a little let down.  Most of the time, when your expectations are that high, it's easy to find something wrong, even a detail. But with this pizza, no such case.  Michele knew what he was doing. It might always be my favorite pizza. A little hard to get, but my favorite nonetheless.

I am happy to say though, that the pizza at Pizza Post where I grew up in Greenwich, CT....is not far behind. I'd be proud to settle for it, if I have to. :)

...So in an entry, although only in reference to pizza, I'm not embarrassed to say I've told you about the most important part of my visit in Napoli. Still, there were other wonderful sites to see, not to mention nearby Pompei...so, more soon. In the meantime, go indulge in the best slice of pizza you can find.