Best Pizzeria 2012

GOLD: NICLI ANTICA PIZZERIA

Silver: Pizzeria Farina |  Bronze: Campagnolo Roma |  Honourable Mentions: The Bibo & Verace Pizzeria

With the introduction of this category, the pizza wars have officially begun. The craze for Neapolitan pies that has swept this city—bubbled, charred crust made with Caputo flour; crushed San Marzano tomatoes; buffalo mozzarella and bright, tangy basil—lifted Nicli Antica to Gold. Right place, right niche—small wonder a table wait goes well past an hour on weekends. Humbler but equally drool-worthy is J.C. Poirier’s unlicensed Main Street hole-in-the-wall Pizzeria Farina (Silver). There are only a half-dozen pies; judges loved the mushroom with mozzarella, garlic, onions, and redemptive arugula; and the unusual combo of pistachio and mortadella. Not surprisingly more Roman than Neapolitan, Campagnolo Roma (Bronze) takes sister Campagnolo’s dough and adds irresistible toppings—especially the Bianca, with roasted cauliflower, leek, and taleggio. For Honourable Mentions, back to la vita neapolitana: Lorenzo Bottazzi and Andrea Bini’s ambitious The Bibo and the well-wined Verace.

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