Al Bacio

On the menu, they prepare a traditional Apulian pizza dough, baking each pizza in a large wood-fired oven

The first thing that strikes you at Al Bacio is the music. It’s hard not to notice when the bass of “Mambo No. 5” echoes through the entire street. Inside, the waiters and the pizzaiolo are swaying to the music in the nearly empty dining area – all the tables have been moved outside to the terrace – and you feel like joining in. The disco string lights in all colors, an unmistakable feature of the restaurant, are waiting in a corner for their moment of glory later in the evening.

We watch the pizzaiolo work the dough for a few moments before taking a seat outside with a glass of Nebbiolo (€8). Giovanni and Claudio, the two partners, both hail from Apulia. Their selection of wines by the glass – Primitivo from Apulia as well as Montepulciano and Nebbiolo from Piedmont – offers an unbeatable quality/price ratio. On the menu, they prepare a traditional Apulian pizza dough, baking each pizza in a large wood-fired oven. Unlike the Neapolitan dough, which is soft and puffy on the edges, the Apulian pizza dough is thin and crispy, more similar to Roman pizza. The menu features around twenty pizzas, with three regularly changing specials – except for the mortadella, burrata, and pistachio pizza, which has become a house classic. It’s a must-try. We also order a delicious bresaola pizza (€16) with arugula and grana cheese, as well as a mixed charcuterie board. All products are imported from Apulia, except for the mozzarella on the pizza, which comes from Naples. Just a few streets away, Al Bacetto has joined the family and now accommodates customers who couldn’t find a table at Al Bacio. A must-visit.