Ever heard of Roman pinsas? Yes, pinsas, not pizzas, and they're the highlight at Pinsetti, the latest Italian restaurant in Cascais, which the Rome-born Mazzetti family opened in São João do Estoril this June.
The family has traditionally been linked to this field. Luigi, the father, managed several pizzerias in Rome and later in Portugal—where he has been a regular visitor over the last 25 years and has been permanently settled since 2007. Over time, he moved away from the restaurant business and ventured into other areas, such as real estate and financial investments. But he was drawn back to the world of Italian kitchens and flavours when one of his sons, Niccolo, a biomedical engineering graduate, decided not to pursue his field of study and instead open a business focused on pinsas.
Together, they reconnected with a Roman flour supplier, the renowned Di Marco, whose head invented and registered the pinsa in 1981. It was at the company's academy in Rome that Niccolo Mazzetti trained to return to Portugal with the knowledge necessary to open his own restaurant, with help from his father and siblings—Filippo, specializing in digital marketing, assists with the restaurant's communication; Mariasole, from the design field, handled the decoration of the space they found in Galiza, in the São João do Estoril area, close to the family's home.
"Pinsas were created as a different version to innovate in the pizza market," explains Niccolo Mazzetti. "Unlike traditional pizza, which is made with wheat flour, the pinsa is made with a mix of flours: rice, soy, and dried sourdough. It's lighter, less calorific and crunchy on the outside, and has a different shape."
And at Pinsetti, there's no shortage of options with familiar names like the Margherita pinsa (€11.50), Diavola (€14.50), 4 Formaggi (€14.50), Parma (€15.95), Cotto e Funghi (€14.50), Carbonara (€14.95), and Amatriciana (€14.95), among others. One of them, as suggested by the father, was named Luigi (€12.50) and includes fior di latte mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and basil. You can also opt for the Vegan version (€14.50), with pumpkin cream, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and pistachio cream; or the Tuga (€14.95), which includes scrambled eggs with farinheira and coriander.
If you prefer something more compact, you can always try the sorrisi (€9.95), a kind of pizza sandwich. They currently serve the Ironico (€9.95), with 18-month DOP Parma ham, DOP buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and basil; or the Soddisfatto (€9.95), with Bologna mortadella, stracciatella, cream, and pistachio grains.
For dessert, they offer the Nutellina (€5.50), a small pinsa with Nutella; Sicilian cannolo (€3.95), with sweet ricotta and pistachios; and a genuinely homemade tiramisu, made by the Mazzetti family matriarch. They also serve Italian beers, such as Moretti (€4.50), Ichnusa (€4.90), and Peroni (€4.50).
The vast majority of the ingredients come directly from Rome—like the tomato sauce, specially prepared for pizzas, or the dehydrated mozzarella. The dough is made right there in Estoril with flours from Di Marco. It undergoes a slow and natural fermentation for 24 hours in the fridge, from one day to the next.
"Our mission is to make people feel like they're in Rome. We are Romans, and so are the products." It's so natural that Pinsetti easily has this authentic appeal, being a family restaurant and so close to its origins. The space is also decorated with multiple references to the Italian capital, from the postcards on the wall to the videos being broadcasted.
With an informal atmosphere, Pinsetti focuses on take-away and does not offer table service. The goal is to be increasingly a practical place where you can pick up a pinsa—or just a slice—for a quick lunch or dinner. They are available through Uber Eats, but they plan to soon have their own delivery service.
Rua Galiza, 240, Estoril. Tue-Sun 12.30-15.30; 19.00-22.30. 21 800 4241
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