“At Flama, we never compromise on quality: our traditional oven was imported from Naples, and every ingredient travels across the ocean to reach our customers’ tables.” That’s the philosophy behind this Peruvian restaurant, which stays true to the taste of Italian pizza: the menu features Margherita Verace and Capricciosa.
In the heart of Miraflores, Lima, there is an outpost of Neapolitan tradition that defies the contemporary trend of fusion at all costs. Here, the “zero-kilometer” philosophy is sacrificed on the altar of authenticity: to make true pizza, distance is not a limitation, but a guarantee of quality.
The orthodoxy of taste: Naples in the heart of the Andes
While the restaurant world often chases exoticism and bold combinations, Flama’s strategy—Peru’s sole representative in the prestigious Latin America’s 50 Top Pizzas guide—is a celebration of precision. The secret behind its sixth-place ranking in 2026 lies in a clear commitment: no compromises on ingredients. San Marzano tomatoes that retain the warmth of the Campania sun, select flours, velvety olive oils, and even the wood-fired oven: everything is shipped all the way to South America. A choice that Juan Carlos Romero, the restaurant’s co-founder, proudly stands by. As reported by InfoBae, the entrepreneur is adamant about the purity of his concept: “At Flama, we don’t compromise on quality: our traditional oven was imported from Naples, and every ingredient crosses the ocean to reach our customers’ tables”
Although the temptation to incorporate Peru’s rich biodiversity is strong, Romero prefers, for now, to keep the DNA of the Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) intact. For Flama, innovation does not lie in radically altering the recipe, but in perfecting the technique, reserving local influences (such as the use of charrapita chili peppers) for brief celebratory touches. Flama’s success is no accident, but the result of structured growth that allowed the restaurant to break even just three months after opening three years ago. Today, with a team of 26 professionals and a menu that has successfully expanded to include homemade pasta—already recognized as the best offering in the circuit—the pizzeria is preparing to double its presence in Lima.
Daniel Vergara, a founding partner, reflects on the weight of responsibility that comes with being constantly in the spotlight of international critics. The pressure of being among the top ten pizzerias on the continent is not seen as a burden, but as a driving force for continuous improvement. “We have managed to consolidate this position. It is a race that never ends and that always offers new opportunities for improvement.”
The Accolade: The Verdict from 50 Top Pizza
This year’s recognition marks the third consecutive year the restaurant has remained among Latin America’s gastronomic elite. The ranking, known for the rigor of its inspectors who visit establishments in complete anonymity, has recognized not only the balance of flavors and the dough-making technique, but above all the consistency of a culinary concept that never wavers. In an industry where many try to reinvent the wheel, Flama demonstrates that the true revolution, at times, lies in knowing how to remain faithful to one’s roots. For these masters of Miraflores, pizza is not a blank canvas on which to improvise, but a sacred ritual that demands respect for its fundamental elements. Because, after all, pizza shouldn’t be revolutionized; it simply needs to be executed to perfection.
