The chef behind the best pizza in the world reveals his pie-making secrets

New Yorkers take their pizza seriously, so when local pizzeria Una Pizza Napoletana claimed the number one spot in the coveted 50 Top Pizza global ranking earlier this year, everyone paid attention.

The downtown Manhattan destination at 175 Orchard Street first earned the title in 2022, sharing the accolade with fellow number one pizzeria I Masanielli di Francesco Martucci, a restaurant in Caserta, Italy.

This time around topping the ranking on its own, Una Pizza Napoletana has officially landed in the global canon of must-try pizza parlors—and for good reason.

In addition to creating delectable wood-fired pies using carefully chosen ingredients sourced from different countries, the restaurant has made attention to detail and precision a part of its success story: at Una Pizza Napoletana, for example, only three pies are put into the wood fired oven at once, each one made with dough prepared by Mangieri himself. Believe it or not, the pizzeria actually does not open for service unless the owner and dough maker is able to be there himself.

In-between preparing stellar dough and crafting delicious ingredient combinations to present to New Yorkers, Mangieri took the time to reveal some of his pizza-making secrets to Time Out New York. Plus: what he thinks about the controversial American pineapple pizza trend.

Una Pizza Napoletana won the best pizza in the world award a couple of times already. What are your secrets to the pizza making process?
Anthony Mangieri: "There isn't a secret per se, but we do have a few techniques that I think help make pizza really special. We don't use commercial yeast as I am a big believer that naturally leavened products taste better and are better for you. We also use a lot of water: the more water you put in the ough, the more interesting and wild structure you create. Number three: everyone should approach pizza-making with the mentality that you can always get better at it and learn." 

Is there a pizza trend that is specific to American audiences that you just can't stand?
Mangieri: "Overtopping." 

Does that include pineapple pizza?
Mangieri: "Pineapple can be beautiful if done right. Imagine pineapple with buffalo mozzarella, ricotta and prosciutto cotto."

What can American pie makers learn from Italian ones?
Mangieri: "That not all of the best-tasting food looks beautiful or Instagrammable."

Slice or pie?
Mangieri: "I don't think either is better. It depends on the pizza. For our style pizza at Una Pizza Napoletana, it's a whole pie. It's like eating a steak: it's a full meal. You don't want just a slice of steak, you want the whole thing. For New York style pizza, slices are great. I've never reheated slices. It either needs to be right out of the oven or at room temperature."