In 2016, Michele Pascarella was selling pizzas from a Piaggio Ape he had converted into a mobile oven on the streets of London. Ten years later, “Napoli on the Road” ranks first on the 2026 50 Top Pizza World list, ahead of New York and Milan.
Michele Pascarella’s story begins with three wheels, a wood-fired oven, and a pizza sold on the street. In 2016, Napoli on the Road was still a mobile project: a Piaggio Ape modified to bring a small piece of Neapolitan culture to markets, events, and the streets of London. Ten years later, that same idea has become a pizzeria with three locations in the British capital and, above all, the name that tops the 50 Top Pizza World 2026, the prestigious international ranking that, on September 15 at the Mercadante Theater in Naples, crowned Napoli on the Road as the world’s best pizzeria according to the list. It’s a journey that has a cinematic quality to it, especially because its beginnings were a far cry from awards.From that food truck came first the brick-and-mortar locations in Chiswick and Richmond, then the third restaurant in the Soho neighborhood. A gradual growth, built over the course of a decade, which today reaches its peak in a ranking where Napoli on the Road has surpassed some of the most recognizable names on the international pizza scene.
Ten Years to Reach the Top Spot
The top spot in 2026 comes after a steady rise that had already taken Pascarella to the pinnacle of the European scene. Napoli on the Road was, in fact, named the best pizzeria in Europe in 2024, 2025, and 2026, a consistency that makes this global achievement less of a one-off feat and more the culmination of a journey built over the years. His personal accolades also reflect the pizzaiolo’s growth. In 2023, Pascarella received the Best Pizza Maker award, while in 2025 his “Ricordi d’Infanzia” was chosen as Pizza of the Year. The award-winning pizza is still on the menu today and features a slow-cooked beef ragù, Parmigiano-Reggiano fondue, grated Parmigiano, basil, and extra virgin olive oil on the pizza crust. A combination that starts with strongly recognizable flavors and concentrates them into a pizza built around the depth of the ragù and the creamy richness of the cheese. Pascarella’s philosophy, at least as reflected in the menu at Napoli on the Road, does not, however, stop at simply reinterpreting a codified Neapolitan repertoire. The pizzaiolo also focuses on seasonality and the use of ingredients sourced from both Italian and British producers. This choice aptly reflects the pizzeria’s journey: an Italian identity developed far from Italy, within an international city and through an increasingly close relationship with the local community where the project has taken root.
From London to New York, via Milan
The 2026 ranking places Napoli on the Road ahead of a number of establishments that represent some of the most important hubs of contemporary pizza. In second place is Anthony Mangieri’s Una Pizza Napoletana in New York, while third place goes to Confine, the Milanese venture by Francesco Capece and Mario Ventura. The ranking then continues with a unique feature: fourth place is shared by I Masanielli – Francesco Martucci in Caserta and Seu Pizza Illuminati in Rome. In fifth place are Pizzeria Sei in Los Angeles and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco. Next are Leggera Pizza Napoletana in São Paulo in sixth place, RistoPizza by Napoli sta ca in Tokyo in seventh, Baldoria in Madrid in eighth, The Pizza Bar on 38th in Tokyo in ninth, and Razza in Jersey City in tenth. This list reflects a decidedly international pizza landscape, in which the Neapolitan model travels, adapts, and takes on different forms depending on the city. In this context, the story of “Napoli on the Road” takes on special significance: the project was born outside Italy and found its true calling precisely outside Italy, eventually reaching the top of a global ranking.
The picture that emerges from the rankings is therefore one of pizza that is increasingly less confined to a single geographical area. London, New York, Milan, Caserta, Rome, Los Angeles, San Francisco, São Paulo, Tokyo, Madrid, and Jersey City make up a map in which Italian or Italian-inspired pizzerias have become key players in a global culinary scene. And at the top this year is a story that began on three wheels. A Piaggio Ape was cruising through London with a small oven and an idea yet to be tested; ten years later, that same brand took the stage in Naples to accept the award that propels it to the top of the world rankings. Napoli on the Road has grown while remaining true to the name under which it began its journey: a Neapolitan pizza that, even before finding a home, had chosen the road.
