“In recent years, the term gourmet has become a buzzword, but at Demaio, the search for ingredients is not a passing fad. It is the second pillar of our philosophy (after research) and we devote a lot of energy to it: we never stop testing and comparing products and producers.”
The story
“What is done well can always be done better. If you stand still, someone behind you will come and do better,” write the three Demaio brothers about their pizzeria in Bilbao. This mantra has guided them since the beginning of their career and has led them to become some of the most loved and appreciated pizza makers in Spain and beyond. Constant study and experimentation drive them every single day to improve their pizzas, despite the extreme excellence they have already achieved and the recognition they have received over the years. "Techniques are constantly evolving, especially in the field of contemporary Neapolitan pizza. Applying theoretical knowledge of biochemistry to the artisanal process is the daily challenge that separates a perfect dough from a mediocre one or, worse, a poorly made one. The workshop of a modern pizza maker is a laboratory where grams, milliliters, temperature, humidity, pH, and time are meticulously measured. It is a constant search for perfection that leads us every year to pursue training at the highest levels in Italy," they continue.
Three brothers from Calabria who carry pizza in their hearts and shape it with their skilled hands; talent and passion instilled from an early age: “De Maio is a Neapolitan surname, our great-grandfather Giuseppe was from there: our passion for Neapolitan pizza is also a tribute to our origins.” Mattias, Gioel, and Jader—these are the names of the three Demaio brothers—now celebrate their origins in Bilbao, even though it all began in Italy. It was 2012 when Mattias and Gioel, the two eldest, opened a gourmet pizzeria in northern Italy, but 2013 was the turning point. That year, Mattias visited the Basque Country and was soon convinced that this would be the right place to make their idea flourish. He therefore moved to northern Spain, while Gioel trained in various pizzerias in southern Italy, between Calabria and Campania, and took advanced courses in Naples and then in Caserta.
In 2018, their dream came true and they opened “Demaio” in Bilbao, where they were joined the following year by Jader, their younger brother. From that moment on, the Demaio story has been a real escalation between enormous success with diners and critical acclaim. They therefore expanded the restaurant to be able to offer the two most traditional types of Italian pizza in the same place: Neapolitan and Roman. In 2022, they received their first international recognition thanks to the prestigious Guida 50 TOP Pizza, which included Demaio among the 50 best pizzerias in Europe. The following year, it appeared in the TOP 20 and in the ranking of the 100 best pizzerias in the world (including Italy). Such was the demand and enthusiasm that in 2023, the three brothers opened a second pizzeria, also in Bilbao. Their secret? In addition to talent, research, and dedication, the ingredients are definitely key.
"In recent years, the term gourmet has become a buzzword, but at Demaio, the search for ingredients is not a passing fad. It is the second pillar of our philosophy (after research) and we devote a lot of energy to it: we never stop testing and comparing products and producers. We use local Basque delicacies such as Bonito del Norte produced in Bermeo, anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea, and Idiazábal cheese. We choose locally sourced or very fresh vegetables from Merca Bilbao, which are always prepared on the same day. We only use Fior di Latte from Agerola, which arrives from Naples twice a week in half-kilo balls that we cut strictly by hand. Over half of our Italian ingredients carry the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label and come from some of the most renowned producers. Others are niche products, such as Sicilian sun-dried tomatoes or Calabrian 'Nduja. Over 50% of Demaio's ingredients are sourced from small Italian producers, without intermediaries," they say. Prices? From €10.90 for the marinara with Neapolitan dough to €16.90 for the Idiazábal, with mushroom cream, sautéed zucchini, porcini mushrooms, and Idiazábal DOP, to €15.90 for the Roman-style pizza with topping alla Norma.
Once again this year, the restaurant run by the three brothers has been included in the 50 Top Pizza list, which selects the best independent artisan pizzerias in Spain, and has been selected to participate in the second Spanish edition of Pizza Week, where they will compete with 30 other colleagues before the 50 Top Pizza Europe ranking is announced on June 4 in Madrid.
