May 28th is International Burger Day, and culinary expert Danny Salas presents his "10 Best Smash Burgers in Madrid," a ranking born as a compass of good taste in the culinary jungle of the capital.
The ultimate guide for pizza lovers
Discover the best pizzerias in Madrid: Italian, creative, and traditional. From Neapolitan ovens to signature creations, Madrid is experiencing a golden age of pizza. This guide highlights the pizzas you won’t want to miss.
Pizza, perhaps the most famous Italian dish in the world, has changed a lot in recent years. It has gone from being “fast food” to becoming a true delicacy straight from a wood-fired oven. It’s no longer just a go-to takeout option on days when you don’t feel like cooking dinner or on game night; now, many Italian restaurants are even striving to create the perfect pizza. Here’s a look at some of the best restaurants to enjoy this universal icon.
FRATELLI FIGURATO
Behind it all are brothers Riccardo and Vittorio Figurato, two Neapolitans who left their former lives behind to devote themselves entirely to dough, tomatoes, and the oven. They did so by opening a cozy, down-to-earth pizzeria without any unnecessary frills, where everything revolves around a very clear idea: to champion Neapolitan pizza as an artisanal, light, and deeply enjoyable dish.
They’ve already won over half the neighborhood with their rhythmic Italian soundtrack, their light and innovative doughs (long-fermented, whole-wheat, 5-grain, and seed-based), and their refractory stone oven that retains all the dynamics and virtues of a wood-fired one.
A must-visit for anyone in Madrid looking for a Neapolitan pizza with personality, craftsmanship, and plenty of flavor. A solid and delicious present, a promising future.
TOTÒ E PEPINO
When it comes to standout pizzas in Madrid, Totò e Peppino deserves a prominent spot on the list. With locations in Salesas and Retiro, this trattoria and pizzeria draws directly from Naples to create an authentic, flavorful, and instantly recognizable menu, where the dough, tomato sauce, and mozzarella set the tone for the experience.
Their menu ranges from classic pizzas—always made with San Marzano tomatoes—to biancas, prepared without tomato but featuring that same fiore di latte mozzarella that lends creaminess and balance to many of their offerings. These are complemented by a small selection of house-specialty pizzas, each with its own name, designed for those looking to venture off the traditional path without losing touch with the Neapolitan recipe. All of these coexist on the menu with other homemade dishes and desserts, many of them from the same Neapolitan region of Campania, but also classics from other parts of Italy.
Totò e Peppino thus serves as a cozy, warm, and very inviting spot for those who want to enjoy a Neapolitan pizza true to that Italian spirit that turns a simple meal into a little pleasure.
PARKING PIZZA
Parking Pizza arrives in Madrid with the confidence of a brand that has already proven its formula works. Founded in Barcelona in 2015, where it has established several strategic locations, the brand is now expanding its presence in the capital with two new locations.
Its concept is based on a long-fermented dough, a wood-fired oven, and a fine selection of ingredients. Tasty pizzas designed for sharing.
At Parking Pizza, everything seems designed to make things easy: an appealing menu, convenient hours, locations with personality, and that urban vibe that fits right in with Madrid. A promising addition to Madrid’s pizza scene and, it seems, just the beginning of its arrival in the capital.
NOT FROM ITALY
The name “Not from Italy” makes its uniqueness clear right from the start: this place doesn’t pretend to be a Neapolitan pizzeria or a typical Italian trattoria. Behind the project is a group of Spanish friends who spotted a niche in Madrid: pizza by the slice, not as fast food to grab on the go, but as a gourmet product—carefully crafted and with its own distinct identity. Thus was born this “slice club” in Ponzano, conceived as a destination spot, though it also offers delivery service.
Its concept draws more from major American cities than from Naples or Rome. Their pizzas are Italian-American inspired, similar to those served by the slice in places like New York or Miami.
Not from Italy doesn’t want to resemble traditional pizzerias, and that is precisely what makes it so appealing.
GROSSO NAPOLETANO
Grosso Napoletano is one of the restaurants that has done the most to popularize Neapolitan pizza in Madrid. Its formula is straightforward, distinctive, and highly effective: a wood-fired oven at extremely high temperatures, dough with puffed-up crusts, and a menu designed so you won’t get lost among too many options. Here, everything revolves around that burst of heat that transforms the dough in a matter of minutes, leaving a pizza that’s chewy, fragrant, and perfectly toasted.
The oven, operating at around 500 degrees, sets the pace of the restaurant. Pizzas come and go nonstop, with that almost hypnotic energy found in pizzerias where fire reigns supreme.
Grosso Napoletano is a sure bet for those seeking an affordable, flavorful, and perfectly crafted Neapolitan pizza—the kind that arrives quickly at the table and disappears even faster.