On 24 June, Milan once again became the centre of the global pizza scene as it hosted the most ambitious edition yet of The Best Pizza Awards, powered by Molini Pizzuti. More than 500 guests attended, including 300 pizza chefs, 200 international journalists and leading figures from the global hospitality industry, for an evening devoted to the heritage, evolution and future of the round icon in question, which on this occasion was not a football. The standing of the event was already evident in the Pizza Talks held before the awards ceremony. Leading chefs including Mauro Colagreco and Rasmus Munk took part in discussions that approached pizza as culture, technique, creative expression and an international gastronomic language.
Against this international backdrop, Francesco Granata’s double success feels like the culmination of years of hard work. The self-taught pizzaiolo behind Napul’e in Vari, whose career has risen rapidly in recent years, now stands among the world’s leading names and returns to Greece with two major distinctions: The Best Pizza Margherita Award 2026 and 16th place in the global ranking of pizzaioli. His progress had already been recognised in Greece at the FNL Best Restaurant Awards, where Napul’e in Vari was awarded two stars for the first time in 2026. The accolade acknowledged the restaurant’s remarkable development and now sits naturally alongside its international recognition at The Best Pizza Awards.
At the top of The Best Pizza Awards 2026 ranking was Francesco Martucci of I Masanielli in Caserta, who was named The Best Pizza Chef 2026. Roberto Davanzo of Bob Alchimia a Spicchi in Montepaone took second place, while Francesco Capece of Confine in Milan completed the top three. The Best Pizza NextGen Award went to Luca Fabozzi of Licoli in Antwerp. The Best Fried Pizza Award was presented to Enzo, Salvatore and Cristiano Piccirillo of the historic La Masardona in Naples, while Francesco Pompetti of Impastatori Pompetti in Roseto degli Abruzzi received The Best Pastry Pizza Award, powered by Esposito Forni. Among the awards celebrating pizza’s identity, heritage and wider influence, The Best Pizza Identity Award went to Yuki Motokura of Pizza Marumo in Tokyo. The Best Pizza Icon Award, powered by NOLANO, honoured Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana in New York, while The Best Pizza Legend Award was presented to the truly legendary Franco Pepe of Pepe in Grani in Caiazzo, a figure whose name has become closely associated with the international revival of pizza d’autore.