What is 50TopPizza?
It is an online guide, updated every year, to the best pizzerias in Italy and around the world, without any preference to style.
What is the philosophy of 50TopPizza?
The guide does not have ideological principles, it is inspired by the concept of excellence in the broad sense, but favors those who use products from the local territory or seasonal ingredients. We appreciate the use of European quality brands (PDO, PGI, TSG) and of course the PATs according to the annual list from the minister. With an appreciation for sustainability, it also favors establishments who, regardless of style, have a precise pizza design project that is realized, with consistency and without following the trends of the moment. The inspectors, just like the curators, are free and autonomous. They work, therefore, in an unbiased way, committed to the values that we have just listed.
What does 50TopPizza recognize?
The inspectors of the guide are invited to consider the pizzeria as a whole, and to judge it on the basis of its capacity to guarantee the well-being of the patron based on his or her ability to make an informed choice. This begins with the service and is followed by the opportunity to choose wines and beers. It also includes cleanliness, and considers the aesthetics of the space and its décor. The condition of the restrooms is also considered. Furthermore, the physical well-being of the patron is also important, so the evaluation of the pizza based both on the flavor and on food hygiene.
What are the assessment criteria for 50TopPizza?
1-the pizza.
It must be, above all, good and digestible regardless of the style adopted by the pizzeria. There is a further evaluation which takes into consideration how the different elements have been combined. The quality of the products used is important and decisive.
2-the service.
This is a basic feature that makes as much difference as the pizza in the evaluation. The preparedness of the dining room staff, their capacity to explain the pizza, illustrate the wine and beer lists, a smile and genuine kindness are all factors that we retain to be fundamental in the final evaluation.
3-the space, ambiance and décor
It is not important whether the pizzeria is big or small, however it is necessary that it is kept clean for the entire duration of the service. This includes the restrooms. 50TopPizza appreciates well-designed establishments where attention to has also been given to the decor.
4-the wait
The inspectors for 50TopPizza wait in line like all of the regular patrons. One element for assessment is also how the flow of customers is managed. Inspectors watch to see if there are unwarranted preferences, if a precise and unchangeable order is truly followed, and if once in a while extra attention is given to whomever is waiting (an offered bite, cover from the rain, heaters if it is cold, etc).
5-the wine
50TopPizza particularly appreciates the pizzerias who have introduced a wine list. It favors local and regional lists even if it does not penalize lists that include bottles from other regions or even other countries. 50TopPizza detests and rejects impersonal lists, wine lists that are basically a photocopy given by the distributors, and those which do not include local productions.
6-the beer
The same goes for the craft beers. 50TopPizza, however, does not penalize establishments who offer only industrial beers, but rewards those who offer a varied and multi-faceted proposal.
7-Beverages
We are currently witnessing the rise of a mixed-drink trend. 50TopPizza recognizes those pizzerias that are ready for these new trends as long as they do not overpower the primary role of the wine and beer.
Relationship with the media
50TopPizza does not participate officially in any inaugurations or meals offered to the press because it retains that they do not reflect the reality that a normal patron experiences on any given day. We record openings and closings, new menus and so on, but these elements are not a part of the criteria for assessment. Our eventual presence at these types of initiatives is to be interpreted as personal and individual, and has no bearing whatsoever on evaluation, which is always entrusted to an anonymous inspection.
Relationshop with social media
50TopPizza does not participate in any of the controversy present on social media platforms because it does not believe them to be an appropriate medium for discussion and debate. We talk with the judges. Everyone is free to say what they think and judge us in turn. But for us it ends there. We have, however activated a team of legal experts who will safeguard each case should an evaluation become blatantly defamatory or slanderous, violate the Law, or not correspond to reality (for example, if a sponsor falsely influences the rankings and the awards).
The survey
The work of 50TopPizza begins with an initial grand survey that is open to about 150 inspectors in Italy, chosen based on their written declaration that they have no direct or indirect business relationships with the pizzerias. An algorithm was designed that keeps track of the weight of each region based on the resident population, on the flow of tourists and on the number of pizzerias. Each inspector can vote on a certain number of pizzerias in their own region and a certain number in other Italian regions provided that they have visited them.
The anonymous visits
After the survey an initial classification is created based on the sum of the votes indicated. Regional coordinators are given a list of establishments who then assign them to the inspectors who complete the evaluation worksheets. Every visit is anonymous and must be justified by a receipt.
If anyone professes to be part of 50TopPizza or is boasting credit thereof, or is doing his or her job badly, we kindly ask you to report the episode so that actions can be taken.
About 20 to 30% of the inspectors change every year in order to ensure anonymity.
Second Survey
In the second phase, a second survey is carried out which takes into account the experience that the inspectors had during their visits, of new openings and new closures or transfers of pizza chefs.
What the classification indicates
It is important to consider that 50TopPizza does not indicate the best pizza or the best pizza chef. It indicates the best pizzeria thanks to the various factors that we have previously set forth.
Guide Structure
The 50 TOP PIZZA guide is a communication tool for readers and for this reason, we have developed a method to evaluate differently those who serve pizza in different locations. In fact, pizzerias with up to 4 outlets that can be traced back to the same master pizza chef or brand in terms of presentation are evaluated in the classification of artisans. With more than 4 outlets, the method we have developed leads us to consider them as artisan chains. They are considered artisan chains because a master pizza chef or brand that dedicates their design and skill to several activities does a different and more complex value-based job in terms of entrepreneurship, training and maintaining standards.
50 Top Pizza, since 2020 has decided to create an exclusive ranking dedicated to artisanal chains. The work done by these companies demonstrates that the future of authentic pizza is not industrial in nature but artisanal.
The artisan pizza chains are certainly successful cases and they are able to please the masses while satisfying the critics at the same time.
Italian Guide Structure
the Italian guide is divided:
50 Top Pizza Italia:
• Pizzerie Top: the best Italian pizzerias, from position 50 to 1;
• Grandi Pizzerie: the best Italian pizzerias, from position 100 to 51;
• Pizzerie Eccellenti: 350 Italian pizzerias (about), considered excellent and recommended by the guide;
• Le 50 Migliori Pizze in Viaggio in Italia: The 50 best take away pizzerias in Italy – including pizza by-the-slice, from position 50 to 1.
International Guide Structure
the international section is divided:
• 50 Top Pizza Europa:
– Pizzerie Top: the best European pizzerias, from position 50 to 1;
– Pizzerie Eccellenti: 100 European pizzerias (about), considered excellent and recommended by the guide;
• 50 Top Pizza USA:
– Pizzerie Top: the best pizzerias in the United States of America, from position 50 to 1;
– Pizzerie Eccellenti: 100 pizzerias in the United States of America (about), considered excellent and recommended by the guide;
• 50 Top Pizza Asia – Pacific: the best pizzerias in Asia-Pacific, from position 50 to 1;
• 50 Top Pizza World: the ranking for the best pizzerias in the world, from position 100 to 1. It is extrapolated from the individual rankings, that are divided into geographical areas;
• 50 Top World Artisan Pizza Chains: the best artisan pizza chains in the world, from position 50 to 1. The ranking includes pizzerias with more than 4 venues and considers all pizza styles offered worldwide.
