The specifics of Neapolitan pizzas are “subject to much Talmudic debate,” writes Michael Idov in New York Magazine this week. But there are a few rules that all aspiring Neapolitan pizzas must follow: A twelve-inch round pie, often unsliced; a thin, soft, and chewy crust; bubbles on the rim; simple but quality sauces; a modest amount of mozzarella di bufala; and a few stingy drops of olive oil. Though New York is currently in the midst of a Neapolitan revolution, it’s not the only city turning away from the familiar gloppy sauce and slithering cheese. Here in San Francisco we have scads of great pizzerias, including a few that are doing the Neapolitan thing with aplomb. Click through to check them out.
• One of the city’s classic Italian joints makes this classic pie. Tommaso’s has been around since 1935 and fires their pizza in an oak-burning oven. They don’t take reservations and have a line just about every night, so get there early and only a little hungry.
• The new kid on the block, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana just opened last month. But the pedigree is there. Tony Gemignani is a champion dough-tosser and certified pizzaiolo who also runs the International School of Pizza in North Beach.
• Sometimes you just can’t do North Beach, which is when Gaspare’s comes in handy. Stationed way out in the Richmond, you can get your classic Neapolitan pie and then step out into the quiet, fog-filled avenues to digest.
