A quaint pizzeria located in Manhattan has been recognized as the new home to the finest pizza in the world.
Una Pizza Napoletana, situated at 175 Orchard St., is a classic, family-owned establishment that has consistently adhered to its time-tested formula for success, vowing to avoid expansion or franchising.
50 Top Pizza, the esteemed Italian ranking guide that named Una Pizza Napoletana as the top contender, employs anonymous inspectors globally to discover outstanding pizzas deserving of accolades. The journey to the top has been a gradual one for the Manhattan eatery, which achieved second place in 2023, just missing the mark to Naples’ Diego Vitagliano and Caserta’s I Masanielli—both of whom tied for first.
This year signifies a significant milestone for Una Pizza Napoletana, as it became the first restaurant in the U.S. to surpass an Italian competitor in the top 50 rankings.
With rich Italian roots, New York’s pizza scene merges tradition with modernity, establishing it as a premier culinary haven. Una Pizza Napoletana has long exemplified pizza excellence in the city, cultivated through owner Anthony Mangieri’s unwavering commitment to quality and his culinary prowess.
The heart and mission behind Una Pizza Napoletana
This recent honor is the pinnacle of Mangieri’s endeavors, whose lifelong ambition has been to create a pizza cherished by people worldwide. In 1996, at the age of 25, Mangieri launched the Una Pizza Napoletana brand in New Jersey before relocating to Manhattan’s East Village.
By 2004, Mangieri was not just attracting large crowds to his pizzeria; he was also leading the resurgence of Neapolitan-style pizza in New York. This movement inspired pizzerias throughout the city to embrace a more straightforward, traditional approach to pizza-making, prioritizing quality and flavor over cost or convenience. As the new millennium began, New York was ready to adopt a pizza culture that could rival the best from Italy, as local artisanal pizza shops uncovered significant potential in serving uncomplicated, high-quality pizza.
There’s no question that Mangieri played a significant role in shifting consumers away from the appealing and budget-friendly commuter pizza options of yesteryear. Since launching Una Pizza Napoletana, he has advocated for a transparent, sit-down pizza dining experience that allows natural flavors to take center stage.
After starting a bakery in 1993 due to a lack of funds for a full restaurant, Mangieri learned the essentials of baking. Just three years later, in 1996, he opened his first pizzeria, serving only two classic styles: the iconic Margherita and the Marinara. Each pizza was priced at an affordable $6. In those formative years, Mangieri adopted a groundbreaking philosophy: offering pizza that was neither innovative nor visually intricate—its sole requirement was to taste extraordinary.
Recently, this core principle of simplicity has emerged as a transformative element that fosters the success of both local bistros and prominent brands alike. By embracing a minimalistic culinary philosophy that emphasizes quality over quantity—fewer ingredients, limited staffing, and minimal hassle—restaurants employing this strategy are achieving operational effectiveness while still providing a dining experience that feels reminiscent of home cooking.
Mangieri is detail obsessed
Mangieri’s commitment to his customers has yielded fruitful results, as he consistently manages his pizzeria with rigorous quality assurance and an open pizza preparation process visible to patrons. His fixation on excellence is not only the foundation of his success but also a critical reason for his dedication to maintaining his small-scale operations.
At Una Pizza Napoletana, success is derived from a locally-oriented dining experience that is self-explanatory. Each component is carefully sourced and prepared to meet the highest standards. The renowned dough, in particular, has earned praise as the cornerstone of what distinguishes Mangieri’s creations.
“At Una, our unique aspect is that our dough is naturally leavened, highly hydrated, never refrigerated, produced from a blend of assorted Italian flours, and I handcrafted the dough every day we’re operational,” Mangieri shared with CNN Travel this month.
Small restaurants and businesses face worrisome ‘make-or-break’ year
Smaller, independent eateries that lack the global acclaim of Una Pizza Napoletana have been driven to contemplate expansion, franchising, or forming external collaborations, as 2024 has proven to be a “make-or-break” year for millions of small enterprises.
A survey conducted by Slack in January revealed that nearly one-third of small businesses were concerned about their ability to survive through 2024. Recent data from early September highlights a concerning trend for small restaurants, as Chapter 11 bankruptcies are soaring nationwide. Jonathan Carson of the bankruptcy services firm Stretto remarked, “Several factors, including a difficult economic landscape, post-pandemic recovery challenges, rising labor expenses, evolving consumer preferences, and inflation, are contributing to the struggles faced by restaurants in 2024,” while speaking to Fox Business earlier this month.
In a conversation with Eater in May, Mangieri noted that many newcomers in the current restaurant landscape are struggling to thrive within the traditional one-location, small-staff model that his establishment utilizes.
“People used to open a restaurant and plan to stick with it for the remainder of their lives; they would support their family, strive to produce an outstanding product, and upon their passing, it would close unless passed down to their children,” he recounted to the publication.
The demise of the “old way”
Mangieri elaborates, “That was the traditional approach. Realistically, that model has had to adapt due to the rising costs associated with running businesses in metropolitan areas. With expenses related to rent, staffing, and various other factors, it has become evident that operators often require the backing of restaurant groups or investors to alleviate some of that burden.”
Nonetheless, Mangieri remains steadfast in his vision and methodology for small businesses, and this recent recognition as the holder of the best pizza in the world showcases that his approach is undeniably effective.
Despite the apprehensions many restaurants have over the need to evolve or face extinction, consumer preferences continuously shift, and there is promising data indicating that higher-priced independent and local restaurants could soon outshine national chains across the country.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have expressed an unprecedented preference for independent restaurant options. A 2022 NEXT survey involving over 1,000 dining customers found that 64% of diners had purposefully selected local establishments over chains. Particularly, independent pizzerias have consistently excelled in meeting consumer demands. With minimal price differences between local and chain pizzas, patrons typically prefer the more authentic experience that local restaurants provide.
Eager to sample a pizza from Una Pizza Napoletana? The restaurant will be closed until October 3 as the team makes a trip to Italy… but be sure to stop by to experience the world’s best pizza after that date.
