In the 2010 romantic comedy Eat, Pray, Love, leading lady Julia Roberts famously quipped, “I am in love. I am having a relationship with my pizza”, while wolfing down an entire pizza margherita at ’s original Naples outlet. It would be an understatement to call this pizzeria a Neapolitan institution. Not only has it been around for 154 years, but British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has also called it a must-visit.
Now, we can enjoy pizzas from this storied pizzeria, thanks to one man: Marcello Mazzotta, the co-owner and director of the pizzeria’s first South-east Asian outpost at the new Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre hotel at Chinatown.
Being Italian, Mazzotta is passionate about pizza, especially the classic Neapolitan
a ruota di carro or wagon wheel pizza. To introduce Neapolitan pizza to Singaporeans, he knew he could only choose the oldest, most revered pizzeria in Italy.
“The brand’s commitment and dedication to preserving the heritage of Neapolitan-style pizza sets it apart. It uses the same meticulously guarded recipe passed down for generations and quality ingredients sourced directly from the south of Italy,” Mazzotta says. With our penchant for embracing international brands, he believes we can appreciate the traditional pizzas from L’antica Pizzeria da Michele.
Although the Naples flagship serves just two pizzas, the Marinara and Margherita, the local outpost has an extensive menu that goes beyond the classics. There are South Italian specialities like Burrata Alla Puttanesca, Neapolitan fried dishes such as Fritto Di Mare, and pasta creations like Orecchiette Alla Positanese. Homemade ear-shaped pasta paired with Italian sausage, sweet and tangy cherry tomatoes, creamy burrata, and Parmigiano Reggiano completes this deeply savoury and satisfying dish from Positano.
The Singapore space is decked in a homely palette of woody browns and earthy greens and features a semi-open kitchen for guests to watch the culinary action from their seats.
Its centrepiece is the Stefano Ferrara Napoli, a domed brick oven custom-made in Italy and the pride of all L’antica Pizzeria da Michele outlets. Its dome-shaped chamber, which makes for a great conversation starter, ensures even heat distribution, so every pizza is cooked consistently from crust to topping. “It eliminates hot and cold spots by reflecting heat evenly back onto the pizza. The crust is uniform and the toppings are perfectly cooked,” Mazzotta explains.
A remarkable sight, these wagon wheel pizzas are rustic. Their distinctive 38cm thin base and edges drape ever so lightly over the plate. In true Neapolitan style, they are made with Caputo flour for a light mouthfeel. The crust has a characteristic char, thanks to the brick oven’s ability to reach 500 deg C in less than 50 seconds.
“The wagon wheel pizza gets its name from the pizzaiolo stretching the dough to cover larger tables, which resembled a wagon wheel. As the dough is carefully stretched, one can expect a thin, light crust that’s neither chewy nor crispy but as light as a cloud,” Mazzotta says.
The Margherita is a simple yet outstanding pizza. Its tomato base is topped with two types of cheeses, including Agerola Fior di Latte, known for its distinctively mild flavour and semi-soft texture, and pecorino Romano DOP, an aged cheese with a characteristic aroma and pleasant sharpness. The result is a delicious combination of tangy and sweet flavours. Although some cheesy pizzas can be heavy, this still feels light.
Mazzotta also recommends the Friarielli and Salsiccia pizza, which blends salty pecorino Romano DOP, Italian sausage, and the bitterness of friarielli Napoletani, or broccoli rabe.
Currently, the pizzeria does not offer any Singapore-exclusive items on the menu because Mazzotta wants to respect da Michele’s values. However, he hints that it might partner with other chefs to create Singapore pizzas in the future.
