Da Michele in Naples, Italy

Eating pizza in Naples, Italy, is a given. This is where pizza was invented and this is where pizza has been perfected. There are countless pizzerias in the city; there is literally one on almost every street corner. However, there is one that stands apart. Da Michele.

Yours truly awaiting the first bite of Da Michele perfection.

Since 1870, this pizzeria has stood in the middle of the busy city of Naples and is considered THE essential pizzeria. There are no reservations, rather you are given a number and then you wait. And wait. I've waited much longer than an hour so many times just to eat their amazing pizza. Once inside, you haven't escaped the chaos of Napoli. Tourists try to navigate the packed restaurant with cameras in hand. The waiters never stop moving, since the demand for pizza never stops. Pizzaioli are constantly making and baking. What do you expect, this is Naples!

Oh, one small detail I may have forgotten. They only make two different kinds of pizza. The first pizza is the margherita, the classic cheese pizza. Take it to the next level and ask for it with "doppio formaggio," or double cheese. The second choice is the marinara, which has red sauce, oregano, and garlic. Both are the best I've ever eaten. Served hot out of the wood-burning oven, this pizza is unlike any other. The crust is chewy with an incredible flavor and there is the perfect ratio of sauce to dough to cheese. And it's cheap! The huge pizzas cost less than 5 euro each, and I guarantee you will be satisfied after one.

Yes, I have been known to eat two pizzas in one sitting. Fatty.

Of course, I have a few different pizzerias that I love in Naples, each for their own reasons. But Da Michele is different. Da Michele is Da Michele. It's an institution, a classic, and in my opinion serves the best pizza in the world. Go and try it and let me know what you think!