The Margherita pizza itself has a rich history tied to Naples and Italian culture. Legend says it was created in 1889 in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy, with the toppings of tomato, mozzarella, and basil chosen to represent the colors of the Italian flag. Naples is widely recognized as the birthplace of pizza, and traditions there have been carefully preserved for generations. What a special experience eating at one of the original pizzerias in Naples, dating back to 1780 and considered part of the birthplace of modern pizza. It was amazing to sit in a place with so much history and enjoy an authentic Margherita pizza where this tradition began. The pizza crust was incredible -- light, airy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked in the wood-fired oven. The atmosphere made the night even more memorable, with a guitarist and singer serenading the restaurant while we ate. A wonderful combination of history, music, and a slice of history. The service wasn't great, but not horrible. The taste was good but not amazing. Still a great pizza experience. read more

See all

I've learned that in Napoli, the food culture (other than dolce) is just not as vigorous as elsewhere in Italy. So temper one's expectations in the tourist area for sure. Pizza here was OK, truly nothing special for the supposed birthplace of the Margherita pizza, so named after Queen Margherita. Still better than all the other pizza we tried in the tourist zone. We also had croquettes with ham and cheese, which were fine, quite a big serving of potatoes. Service was friendly and prompt, no concerns there, and the washroom was clean. Nice ambience, a set of older fellas came in during our meal to play music (guitar & mandolin) and sing. I enjoyed this, it was pleasant rather than an intrusion. Also enjoyable was the TV picture gallery, showing of course famous guests, but more interstingly, historical pictures of Napoli. Not a bad stop, but once is enough. read more

Pizzeria Brandi - Pizza Capricciosa - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

See all

Since this is (allegedly) the birthplace of margherita, I had to get that one, but I chose the Funghi variation to add some variety I thought this pizza was pretty excellent. In classic Neapolitan style, the crust was super fluffy and airy, and an absolute joy to eat I also loved the mozzarella in here - there was a ton of it, and it was melted just about perfectly. the cheese to tomato sauce ratio was also really good. The mozzarella also just tasted super fresh and cheesy without being excessively fatty For one person, a full pizza was more than enough, and at a quite reasonable price as well I will say I wish the mushrooms were more present throughout the pizza - but the ones that were there was pretty excellent read more

Pizzeria Brandi - margherita pizza - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

Stopped at Pizzeria Brandi for lunch during a break in our tour of Naples. It was located in a cool, narrow alleyway off another small street. We arrived at 3:10 and all the outside tables and nearly all the interior tables were full of guests. We chose inside since we had to get back to our tour. My wife ordered Spaghetti and Mussels and I got a Pizza La Diabolo. We added a glass of wine and a coke for a total of $42.00 euros. Definitely well worth it for the price. The pasta was caressed with a flavorful tomato sauce, loaded with huge mussels. My pizza was exceptional. It had slices of spicy salami, shreds of basil and mozzarella and of course the same sexy tomato sauce. Pizzeria Brandi did things the right way, with an authentic pizza oven, winning recipes and a great location. read more

See all

Pizza was great, this is where they invented pizza or the first pizza was created supposedly, great family environment and live music. Aquí fue donde se creó la primer pizza del mundo, dense una vuelta, si estuvo rica, ambiente familiar y música en vivo. read more

See all

This place is amazing. Set in Napoli old town. We had the Margarita Pizza and seafood linguine. The linguine was the best I've ever had. The sauce was subtle and let the seafood flavors shine. Absolutely one of my favorite dining experiences ever. read more

See all

When you come to Naples you have to come here as this is the birthplace of the Margherita pizza. So, of course, we came. We were glad it was in February and not during a crowded season. Even so, we made a reservation. We were seated promptly upon our arrival for which we were grateful as it was raining. The restaurant has seating outside and several inside dining rooms. They are cozy and inviting. The staff is matter of fact - not so friendly. We ordered the Pizza Margherita to start; not knowing what to expect. It was nothing at all what we thought it would be. Certainly nothing like the pizza we have in the United States. It was like eating a round light piece of bread lightly coated with tomato sauce and dusted with cheese. Not sure why, but they do not cut the pizza anywhere in Italy, which makes it interesting to eat. We then decided to try what they call a "Montanara," which was 3 pieces of fried pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Quite frankly, it tasted like nothing. My husband had the opportunity to meet Paolo and Vincenzo (owner and son). They had a nice chat. We were glad that we came and had the experience. read more

See all

Pizzeria Brandi was the last stop on our self-guided "only pizza for dinner" tour of Naples. We thought it would be a more crowded destination since it's where the Margherita version of Neopolitan was invented and were prepared for a long wait, but when we arrived (on a Tuesday night in the middle of July) there was no line and we were seated immediately in the upstairs dining area which was comfortable and kind of air conditioned. The restaurant is located not far from the main square of Naples so perhaps most of the pizza-tourist crowd preferred to eat up in the historic center where most of the rest of the pizza spots are. No problem for us! My wife and I shared a Margherita pizza. (of course) which, when they learned we were sharing, brought it to us already split in half on two plates. That's pretty good service for a pizza spot. It felt a little bit more comfortable and upscale than the other places we went for pizza in Naples, but not stuffy or pretentious...just a bit nicer. The service was great. The pizza was pretty good and held up against the other Margheritas we had in town, and the atmosphere was good with families with kids sitting nearby. It felt like, despite the fact that this is where Margherita was invented, we'd stumbled across a local secret. We're glad we did and it was cool having our final pie in Naples where Margherita was invented. read more

See all

Napoli is the home of neopolitan pizza and Pizzeria Brandi is where the famous "margherita pizza" was invented. A simple concept - just tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil - but so amazingly delicious. So of course, when in Naples, it was time to get here. We lucked out with arrival times and had no wait. We were immediately seated at a table. Red wine was ordered and we decided to get two pies. The classic. And a proscuitto with mushrooms for comparison. Pizzas were freshly cooked in their wood oven and brought to the table. Absolute perfection. Great flavor, perfect "char" on the thin crust, easy to eat with knife and fork (Yes, Italians don't pick up their pizzas.) Friendly service, great little atmosphere and of course, delicious pizza. [Review 19106 overall - 281 in Italy - 76 of 2023.] read more

See all

Management refused to serve us because we didn't order at least 1 pizza per person in our party.

Portions are huge, and they refused to serve our party of 4 when we tried to share two pizzas for the four of us. Insisted they could not serve us unless each of us ordered a pizza, which none of us could have finished on our hungriest day. We left rather than be ripped off. read more

Amazing and spot where the margarita pizza was invented. We planned on trying a bunch of pizza places that day but many of the sought places were closed being a Sunday. Place gets packed quick, highly recommend reservations-2 hour window. We sat outside. Our waiter said he would take care of us and he did. We started melon with prosciutto, caprese salad and then eggplant parma. Next were sides of pasta with a heavier/thicker red sauce all were terrific. However, the two pizza Margarita and cheese pizzas we ordered were the highlight. Based on all the food we were full but not bloated, typical with European eating. Great service and recommendations. read more

Pizzeria Brandi - Eggplant parmigiana - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

Starting the service took longer than expected, however, I received the result I had anticipated. The pizza, for instance, was great. Fresh, lots of flavor, and the dough was the best I have ever had. The Margheritta was probably my personal favorite. The crust was properly cooked, both crisp and soft. It had just enough char to be delectable. The tomato sauce did not let me down either; It was rich, tangy, and complimented the mozzarella. read more

Pizzeria Brandi is a historic Neapolitan pizzeria that opened in Naples, Italy in 1780. It was founded by Pietro Colicchio. It was originally called 'Pizzeria Pietro' when it opened, and Colicchio was affectionately known around the neighborhood as "Il Pizzaiolo". When Colicchio was set to retire, he had no heirs so he bequeathed his pizzeria to Enrico Brandi and it was renamed 'Pizzeria Brandi'. Years later, the business was taken over by Enrico's daughter Maria Giovanna Brandi and her husband Raffaele Esposito. When King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy were at a ball at the Royal Palace of Capodimonte in 1889, the pizza makers were summoned to provide pizzas as a novelty. Raffaele and Maria transported their pizzas in a decorated donkey-drawn cart. One pie was especially made for Queen Margherita. It featured tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella pieces and basil leaves (the colors of the new Italian flag). The culinary creation won the applause of the Queen, who sent over an official royal document attesting to her delight. And thus, Pizzeria Brandi had invented the 'Pizza Margherita'. Today the pizzeria is owned by Eduardo Pagnani. My wife and I visited Pizzeria Brandi on our honeymoon in July 2018. We had done some sightseeing in the morning and stopped at the pizzeria for lunch. There is a plaque hanging outside commemorating the birth of the Pizza Margherita. Although Brandi has some great pizza combinations on their menu, you can't go to the birthplace of the Margherita and not order a Margherita. I decided to do as the Neapolitans do and ordered a Birra Moretti lager to go with my pizza. When the pizzas arrived, they smelled amazing. Pizzas in Naples are served uncut; you cut them yourself with a knife and fork. The sauce was perfect, the crust had a nice chew to it, and the mozzarella was so creamy! The fresh basil was just the icing on the cake. Excellent pizza: good enough for a Queen! read more

See all

This was the #1 pizza we had in Naples, the staff was so nice they gave us the only top floor patio table that overlooks the Brandi sign and street, so nice of them! As the inventors of the margarita pizza this place oozes with passion to the pizza. The Yelp reviews are totally off on this place, this should be a 5* on yelp especially when considering all the other places yelp took us to that tasted bad with bad service. The pizziaolo and staff even offered to take pictures with us since they saw how much we love what they do. read more

See all

ne in | €100+ It's hard to find a bad meal in Italy... but we found one. Six friends spending 2 weeks in Italy and wanted to try the famous pizzeria that invented pizza margarita. From appetizers to main course, 100% miss. To begin with the appetizers were just ok. But the main courses were not good. Edible but not good. Eg the parmigiana was in a packet. What Italian restaurant doesn't have fresh parmigiana? Ordered a pizza with sausage and spicy broccoli... tasteless sausage and spinach. Sea food was terrible. Avoid this place unless you want to eat only the margarita to say you did. read more

We went with a tour group. The fried appetizers were too greasy. The pizza was fine, but nothing special.

The food was amazing and the service was incredible. I was there once before 7 years ago and it still doesn't let you down.

We arrived just before opening. Once they opened we were seated right away. We sat upstairs since we didn't have a reservation. Even from upstairs we could hear the live music coming in through the open windows from the street below. The service was a little slow but I suspect that they were much busier downstairs. Even though we didn't get to sit outside it was still a nice ambiance. There was only one other occupied table in the room with us. I, of course, had to order the Margherita pizza since Pizzeria Brandi's claim to fame is that they are the birthplace of the famous pizza. My husband had the Diavola. Both were very tasty. Napolitano pizza is so simple with only a handful of ingredients going into it. This was no exception. Simple with seemingly good quality ingredients. Everything was cooked perfectly and was flavorful. It definitely wasn't the best food we had in Napoli but it was worth it going to the birthplace of Margherita pizza. read more

The perfect way to end a week in Italy was with Margherita pizza at the very place it was invented. We were recommended this place by a local. Down one of the many sides streets off a side street, it's a quaint and delightful place and the food was amazing. We of course had the pizza, and also some bread/cheese inventions and marinated octopus. Could not stop eating the pizza, perfect savory dough with lovely bite to the crust, simple tangy sauce. A beautiful thing. Bonus was being serenaded by a duo that must go from restaurant to restaurant (be sure to tip them!) if you're going to be in Naples you must stop here. read more

See all

We came here for lunch today, concerned on some of the reviews we saw but wanting to experience the "birthplace of Margherita pizza," and hoping for a good experience. We got one, a nice table just inside from the street, offering a nice atmosphere. We enjoyed good service, but even more so a simple but delicious Margherita pizza along with a melon and prosciutto plate. Food was delicious and glad we came! read more

omg the best margarita i've had in my life. (and im not even a big fan of pizza) a MUST if you are in napoli and want to try what an authentic, OG margarita tastes like. so simple and light and chewy. wont be able to eat pizza again in the US.... read more

Pizzeria Brandi - outside - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

See all

I came here during my 2008 study abroad program with some of the other exchange students in the college of business. We toured the Amalfi Coast, exploring Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri. We had heard this was the birthplace of margharita pizza and highly recommended from other travelers in our hostel, so decided to stop in for a taste. The pizza was delicious for something so simple. The staff was very friendly and ensured a positive dining experience for our group. Can't wait to return for another go-around Euro-trip adventure - Best, Charlie read more

Pizzeria Brandi - Study abroad 2008 - Eurotrip - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

Okay I just had the best pizza ever and now I'm spoiled for life. All others will now pale in comparison. Brick oven is the only way to cook it correctly. I had the prosciutto pizza, which was lightly blackened. Crust was the right size, not overly thin The location was perfectly nestled in an alleyway, perfect ambiance setter. read more

Pizzeria Brandi - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

WOW. Good Pizza here. Tucked away in an alley in downtown naples, this pizza spot is worth the visit. There is a great variety of pizzas to choose from as well as appetizers including fried mozzarella cheese. I had the ham and cheese pizza, mixed salad, fried mozzarella, and coke. I'm more of a thick crust pizza eater but I can't take away from the rating based on that. The service was great and the price of everything was very reasonable. Most of the comments rate this as being a tourist trap but we went around 8:30pm at night so there were very few people in the restaurant read more

Yes, it is expensive. Yes, it's worth it. This is the place where the Pizza Margherita was invented in 1889 for Queen Margherita. Honoring the unification of Italy, it was composed of the colors of the Italian flag: red (tomato), white (mozzarella), green (basil). To come straight to the point: the Pizza is really good. But don't ignore the rest: we also had spaghetti with tomatoes and the sauce was very delicious. As starters, the insalata Caprese is a strong recommendation, so simple, yet so good! Bruschetta was good as well (not as good as the Caprese, though). The wine fitted very well, so, overall, a strong recommendation. (You might want to consider to reserve a table.) read more

Pizzeria Brandi - Insalata Caprese - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

See all

Pizzeria Brandi is without a doubt the most well known pizzeria for tourists in the heart of Naples, Italy. Certainly, if one is taking a vacation, then this place is a must see as the pizza here is completely different than almost anything you will see in the US or Canada. Having said that, I'm a bit conflicted in how to rate the restaurant as I've been to Naples on many different occasions over the last two years. The pizza is certainly delicious and I quite enjoy it. However, having said that, I find the prices (I believe its 12€ for the margherita) to be a bit high whereas I have found the same quality pizza both on the lungomare and more in the nitty gritty part of the city for substantially less (7€ margherita is more normal). Therefore, while I don't find anything wrong with the pizza itself, I can only give it 3 stars. As a sidenote to all tourists, I do recommend going to this place and staying close to the Piazza Plebescito unless you A) speak Italian or B) have a guide with you. Mi piace molto questa pizzeria, ma non è la qualità migliore della citta di Napoli! Allora, solo 3 stelle. read more

See all

If you're looking for good pizza at a place that's less crowded then a lot of the more popular spot in Naples, this is your place. We had the Margherita pizza which was great. The service is also wonderful and quick. read more

Pizzeria Brandi - Margherita - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

Pizza absolute best pizza I've had. Anywhere. Staff is nice but consistently seems overwhelmed and unorganized. The seating is a bit tight. Make a reservation because they fill up fast read more

Excellent pizza, comfortable outdoor seating, and music to be serenaded to while you eat your lunch. What more could one ask for?

THE BEST PIZZA I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE! I have to say this place is by far the best pizza ever. I got the margerita pizza and spaghetti and it was so amazing. This place is a must have for anyone passing through!! Had the chocolate cheesecake for dessert and it was amazing. If you have time to go, you must! Staff is amazingly friendly and we got seated right away! Our waiter was always around to get something for us or help us out. read more

This is supposedly the pizza place that invented the Margherita pizza to honor Queen Margherita of Italy. Not totally sure if this is true but even if it's not this is the best pizza place in Naples and it's been since 1780 so they are doing something right. Don't do anything fancy here- just order the marg. Beautifully created. The bubbling is a work of art, the mozzarella tastes as the fresh as the breeze over the sea on a cool Neapolitan morning and the sauce had the perfect taste of understated spice. People hate on Naples but if you venture past the waterfront the interior of the city of full of delightful treasures of which Pizzeria Brandi is surely one. 97/100 pizza points. read more

The food is pretty good. Had to try the margherita pizza of course, since it was "invented" at this restaurant. We also ordered a pasta dish. All was good. While waiting for a table, we observed that customers are paying with cards but when it was or turn to pay, the server asked for cash only, then hung around for a sec hoping for a tip. This is so bothersome. I get we are tourists but this also made us feel like we can be conned or we are stupid. When the change arrived, we pocketed all of it quickly and left. Be warned- just insist to pay by card. Rule of thumb, if it's over 30€, it's okay to swipe the card and ours was well over that amount. If we go back, we would order for "take away" and not be subjected to tourist discrimination. read more

We ate here twice. This is one of the oldest pizzerias in Naples, the most famous and supposedly where the Margherita pizza was invented. The walls are covered in photos and a digital screen with more photos of all the famous who have eaten here. You arrive and put your name on the list and wait outside, with everyone else, for anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending. It is always worth it! We shared a reasonably-sized and fresh Caprese salad which was very good. I had the sausage and broccoli pizza my first time and one of the Royalty pizzas the second time. They were both excellent. The only better pizza I had tasted was at Umberto's also in Naples. Highly recommended and a must-eat experience in Naples. read more

We went here on a recommendation from our host in Rome. But honestly the pizza was disappointing at best. Pizza was soggy and dough was gooey. But hands down one of the very best Salumi plates in all of Naples (picture posted). We had a tuna salad which was experimental for us, tuna, lettuce, onion and corn. Sounds bad, but was excellent combination. But very sad about the pizza :( read more

Pizzeria Brandi - Wonderful Salumi plate!! - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

I think this was the worst service my family received throughout our entire trip! The wait staff did not pay us any attention after they finally seated us. The restaurant was not crowded; therefore I don't know what the hold up was. We were seated in the back even though there were not many diners taking up the other tables. There were nine of us, and everyone except me ordered pizza. I ordered the special pasta with prawns for $18.00 euros. I was disappointed with my meal, because I received a huge plate of pasta with TWO prawns! Although it was tasty, I can honestly say I expected more than two shrimp that were mostly head and shell. I told the waitress that only getting two shrimp was not okay for the amount of money I paid. She just shrugged and walked away. I ended up eating some of the pizza that the others had ordered. It was just okay. I expected much more flavor from pizza in Napoli! Everyone else in my party felt the same about the service and food. I said something to the manager on the way out about the lack of prawns in my meal. She told me to look at the menu and see the number that I was supposed to get. I told her that I did not see a specific number on the description, but I imagined more than what was served for approximately $23.00 American dollars. The manager then told me that was just the way it is and walked away. I don't know if they didn't like us because we were Black, or Americans. Either way, I wish we had chosen another restaurant to have a better experience. read more

Pizzeria Brandi - Two prawns and a whole lot of pasta for $18.00 Euros! Tasty, but not worth the money. - Pizza Near Me - Naples, NA

This pizzeria lays claim to inventing the pizza Margherita for Queen Margherita in 1889. My husband and I sat outside on the wooden deck being serenaded by a live singer and guitarist. They even played "That's Amore!" as we were eating our pizzas. Just imagine biting into an authentic Neopolitan pizza to the lyrics... ...When the moon hits your eye like a big-a pizza pie That's amore When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine That's amore Bells'll ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling And you'll sing "Vita bella" Hearts'll play tippi-tippi-tay, tippi-tippi-tay Like a gay tarantella When the stars make you drool joost-a like pasta fazool That's amore When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet, you're in love When you walk in a dream but you know you're not dreamin', signore 'scusa me, but you see, back in old Napoli, that's amore... MELTED! Loved every minute of that dinner. We ordered, of course, the Margherita with tomato, fiordilatte, and basil for €7.50 and the Quattrocento Stagioni (each quarter slice of this pizza had a single different topping-tomato, fiordialatte cheese, proscutto, and baby clams) for €10. The Quattrocento was a but to rich and the sauce on the Margherita not too impressive but loved the flavor from the grilled basil. Overall definitely come here for the atmosphere but not necessarily to the best Neopolitan pizzas. read more

If you love the thicker dough and crust of a margherita, this is the place. The pizza is delicious! It was a little awkward having to cut it myself, but that only briefly slowed me down. The caprese salad was fresh and delicious. The meat and cheese plate was also incredibly tasty. I would have given this place five stars, but the service is incredibly slow. We saw that it opened at 1230, but when we got there, were told they open at 1:00. About ten minutes later, tables were being sat, so we went back and were seated (still not sure what time they open.) This is supposedly the place where margherita pizzas were invented, so I had high hopes. I was not disappointed. Had the service been better and the hours made clearer, this place would have gotten its fifth star. read more

The food was okay - just standard Italian food. I can't say I was amazing by everything I ate but the staff was very friendly. We waited over an hour for our main dish, which was really just pizza... read more

Our friend who was stationed in Italy at the time took us to this restaurant because he heard it claimed to have invented the pizza! The pizza was amazing, we ordered three kinds and they were all equally delicious. The service was great and we even got free lemon wine after dinner. read more