Napoli on the Road, a pizzeria in west London's Chiswick, has been named the World's Best Pizzeria at the 50 Top Pizza World Awards 2026. The award was announced at a ceremony at Teatro Mercadante in Naples, the city widely credited with inventing pizza.
Founded by chef Michele Pascarella, the restaurant's victory marks a significant achievement for London's pizza scene. The award is based on rigorous judging by nearly 1,000 anonymous inspectors worldwide who have no ties to the restaurants they evaluate. Each contender is visited twice, with judges scoring everything from dough structure and ingredient sourcing to service and hospitality.
A climb from fifth to first
Last year, Napoli on the Road placed fifth at the same World Awards, behind the reigning champion, New York's Una Pizza Napoletana, which had held the top spot for two consecutive years. This year, Pascarella not only climbed the rankings but also displaced the champion entirely.
The win adds to a series of accolades for Pascarella. He was named the world's best pizza chef in 2023, and his restaurant has topped the separate 50 Top Pizza Europa awards for three consecutive years from 2024 to 2026. His signature pizza, Ricordi d'Infanzia, won Pizza of the Year at the 2025 edition of those same Europa awards.
From a three-wheeled van to brick-and-mortar restaurants
Pascarella moved to the UK from Maddaloni, near Naples, at the age of 19. He started Napoli on the Road in 2016 as a three-wheeled Piaggio Ape van fitted with a wood-fired oven, selling pizzas at farmers' markets and outdoor events across London before the business had any permanent seating.
The operation has since grown into full restaurants in Chiswick and Richmond, with a third site opening in Soho in February. The Soho location features Pascarella's pizza tasting menu, which draws on his childhood and Italian heritage.
This recognition places a London pizzeria at the top of the global pizza rankings, a notable shift from the traditional dominance of Italian and American establishments. The award also highlights the growing reputation of London's food scene on an international stage.
