'Napoli on the Road': London pizzeria crowned world’s best at global awards
London has officially got the world's best pizza. Napoli on the Road, the Chiswick pizzeria founded by chef Michele Pascarella, has taken the top spot at the 50 Top Pizza World Awards 2026, beating out...
London has officially got the world's best pizza. Napoli on the Road, the Chiswick pizzeria founded by chef Michele Pascarella, has taken the top spot at the 50 Top Pizza World Awards 2026, beating out hundreds of contenders from around the globe.
The win was announced in Naples – the original birthplace of pizza – where Pascarella celebrated a remarkable journey. He launched Napoli on the Road in 2016 from a three-wheeled Piaggio Ape fitted with a wood-fired oven, serving pizzas at London’s streets and farmers’ markets.
A decade later, the business has grown into restaurants in Chiswick, Richmond and Soho, with the latter branch offering a pizza tasting menu inspired by Pascarella’s childhood in Caserta in the south of Italy.
"I’m in shock. I probably need to have a few drinks and a sit down to process this. I can’t explain how big this is. It’s like the Oscars but for pizza," Pascarella said at the ceremony in Naples.
After two consecutive years at number one, Anthony Mangieri’s Una Pizza Napoletana in New York has dropped to second place. In third is Milan's Confine, ran by Francesco Capece and Mario Ventura.
The results of the competition, now in its tenth year, are based on almost 1,000 anonymous inspectors, with each restaurant visited twice and judged on its pizza, ingredients, service and hospitality.
Here is the complete 50 Top Pizza World 2026 ranking:
1 Napoli on the Road – London, England
2 Una Pizza Napoletana – New York, USA
3 Confine – Milan, Italy
4 I Masanielli – Francesco Martucci – Caserta, Italy
4 Seu Pizza Illuminati – Rome, Italy
5 Pizzeria Sei– Los Angeles, USA
5 Tony’s Pizza Napoletana – San Francisco, USA
6 Leggera Pizza Napoletana – São Paulo, Brazil
7 RistoPizza by Napoli sta ca – Tokyo, Japan
8 Baldoria – Madrid, Spain
9 The Pizza Bar on 38th – Tokyo, Japan
10 Razza – Jersey City, USA
11 Allería – Providencia, Chile
12 Palazzo Petrucci Pizzeria– Naples, Italy
13 I Tigli – San Bonifacio, Italy
14 50 Kalò – Naples, Italy
15 Avenida Calò – Rome, Italy
16 Fiata – Hong Kong, China
16 gigi’s – Sydney, Australia
17 Pizzardi Artigianale – Bogotá, Colombia
17 QT Pizza Bar – São Paulo, Brazil
18 Dry Milano – Milan, Italy
19 Cambia-Menti – Caserta, Italy
20 Sasà Martucci – Caserta, Italy
21 BOB Alchimia a Spicchi – Montepaone Lido, Italy
22 IMperfetto – Puteaux, France
23 50 Kalò – London, England
24 Ti Amo – Adrogué, Argentina
25 La Clásica – San Salvador, El Salvador
26 Truly Pizza – Dana Point, USA
27 Francesco Martucci– Miami, USA
28 Spacca Napoli – Seoul, South Korea
29 Sartoria Panatieri – Barcelona, Spain
30 Don Antonio – New York, USA
31 Crosta – Makati, Philippines
32 Jay’s – Kenmore, USA
33 Pizza Zulu– Fürth, Germany
34 Massilia – Bangkok, Thailand
35 Ribalta– New York, USA
35 Robert’s – Chicago, USA
36 nNea– Amsterdam, The Netherlands
37 Flama – Miraflores, Peru
38 Leña – Cleveland, USA
39 Sapori Italiani U Taliana – Bratislava, Slovakia
40 La Cascina dei Sapori – Rezzato, Italy
41 A Pizza da Mooca – São Paulo, Brazil
42 SHOP225 – Melbourne, Australia
43 La Notizia – Naples, Italy
44 Ken’s Artisan Pizza – Portland, USA
45 Pizzeria Braceria CESARI!! – Nagoya, Japan
46 Unica Pizzeria – São Paulo, Brazil
47 La Leggenda – Miami, USA
47 ‘O Munaciello – Miami, USA
48 a mano – Makati, Philippines
49 Forno d’Oro – Lisbon, Portugal
50 Bottega – Beijing, China
