Il Pizzaiuolo

The best place in all Italy! We've been in Florence 2 days, and we ate there twice. We got the recommendation from a nice local girl, she is eating there with her friends. It opens in 19:00, and it's full at 19:05... Everything is hand made. You have to order the gnocchi! Wow

Delicious!! We are visiting from the USA and spent so much time researching where the best pizza is aka where the locals eat. The pizza is out of this world. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat pizza back home again after this experience! We were considering going to pizza gusto but after locals told us about this place we are glad we came here.

Most authentic and delicious Italian pizza I have had in Italy. Staff is very kind. Service is quick, clean and menus are well structured. Bathrooms are clean as well. Definitely an easy recommend. 🤩

The Neapolitan pizza at this restaurant is a true feast for the taste buds! The dough was perfectly thin, with delicate bubbles and beautifully baked edges that added a unique character. The tomato sauce was full of flavor, the fresh ingredients were top-notch, and the mozzarella melted in your mouth. Everything was prepared with great care and passion. This is definitely one of the best Neapolitan pizza experiences I've had. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an authentic taste of Italy!

Wonderful! We had a wonderful first dinner in Firenze at this terrific restaurant, and we liked it so much that we came back here again with our friends when they arrived a couple of days later. The food is excellent - we loved the burrata, pizza, salad and pasta. The prices are very reasonable and the service is friendly and efficient. We weren't too excited by the wine though - the EUR25 wine tasted like average house wine.

Authentic and Delicious – A Return to Il Pizzaiuolo We were looking for a local spot with great pizza and pasta, and Il Pizzaiuolo delivered just that. Our son visited years ago when studying in Florence and were thrilled to find it’s still going strong—and still serving excellent food. We started with prosciutto and cantaloupe—sweet and flavorful—followed by two delicious pasta dishes: the rigatoni Bolognese and the linguine alle vongole, both full of rich, authentic flavor. Then came the pizzas: eggplant parmesan and classic Margherita—both outstanding. We paired it all with a nice bottle of Barolo to complete the meal. The staff was warm and welcoming, and the lively atmosphere in the area added to the charm. Highly recommend for anyone seeking a local dining experience in Florence.

We tried the truffle pizza and carbonara pasta both were tasty and satisfying. The average spend was around €15 per person, which is very reasonable. We did have a small hygiene-related incident during dinner, but unfortunately, this seems to be a common issue in many restaurants these days, especially in Florence. I'm willing to give them another chance, and if the issue happens again, I’ll update this review accordingly.

Long queue to get in, we hadn´t reserved We feasted on burrata dishes, both the caprece and the fried version, I have never seen them so big before! Good pasta and pizza after

This was definitely one of the best, if not the best pizzas I have ever eaten. Absolutely amazing! I had the Bomba, which my wife and I thought was the best. My son had the Diavola which he loved. My wife also had the Pacchero nguacchiato, which was thick, al dente, and delicious. Service was great, and it seemed to be full of locals. You can watch a reflection of the cook making your pizzas in a mirror if you wish. The restaurant was a little bit of a walk for us, but it was so worth it. If you're in Florence it's well worth the trip.

Unfortunately not our favorite pizza. It was very busy which affected the quality. The center was still doughy and the toppings made it runny. House wine was one of our favorites though and service was good.

Wonderful! We had a wonderful first dinner in Firenze at this terrific restaurant, and we liked it so much that we came back here again with our friends when they arrived a couple of days later. The food is excellent - we loved the burrata, pizza, salad and pasta. The prices are very reasonable and the service is friendly and efficient. We weren't too excited by the wine though - the EUR25 wine tasted like average house wine.

Wonderful ambiance (cozy, friendly) tables although are small and close together.... It's comfortable. The server was helpful and amicable. The pizzas we had were GREAT!.... We had Diablo, Burrata and the capriciousa. For desert we had tiramisu and babba & coffee. It's a small place, and although reservation is not necessary- it's highly recommended if you don't want to get there and find out they are booked for the rest of the day. Loved it! And will be back soon.

Great beer and pizza for lunch! Laid back on a Monday afternoon and we walked right in. Pesto pizza was delicious and the burrata pizza did not hold back!!! Nice service and ambience :)

Good pizza! Not great. Ours could have used another 30 seconds or so in the oven. But the flavors were on point. We made a reservation for Il Pizzaiuolo by phone the day of. The woman who answered the phone was very kind! The dining room for dinner was packed! But the staff was very efficient in turning over tables.

We went to Pizzaiuolo based on local recommendations. The three of us ordered the meatballs, Margherita pizza, and their Diavolo pizza. At the price point, our expectations fell in line. I also knew based on reviews that the crust would not be crispy. What really surprised us though was how salty the crust was on both of our pizzas. Normally my favorite part of the pizza is that final crust, but without the sauce to balance out the salt, it was too hard to finish off. The meatballs, on the other hand were decent and the marinara sauce that came with the meatballs was excellent. For those reasons, I'd give Pizzaiuolo two and a half stars.

This was a tremendous meal. The pizza was incredibly fresh as it was being made right in front of you. I had the fusilli with meat sauce and it was lovely. However, my favorite part of this restaurant was the ambience. It is a family owned restaurant with the whole family hard at work. Tremendous meal and would recommend to anyone in Florence.

Service was great and the pizza was, as usual, amazing! The staff is very friendly and totally accommodating! Grazie Anna!

The best pizza I've ever had It was so good, we actually had to come back a second time! Keep it simple and get the Margherita pizza. Lots of locals eat here which is always a good sign. Service was also pretty friendly.

This place was recommended by our host of air BnB. My son ordered pizza & I opted for pasta with cuttlefish, mushrooms & squid. Pizza was good. My pasta doesn't look much but it very fulfilling and good. We ordered cappuccino and ice coffee latte but the waitress brought out espresso with milk instead. Even the mistake about the coffee, my espresso wasn't bad because she did add milk into the coffee

Food is excellent! Just the right amount of flavor. Pizza Marghareta and marinara was perfect. The carbonara seafood, fettuccine w cuttlefish and fusilli with meat sauce were all delicious. Service was fast and staff was nice.

This spot is well-known for a reason! Really good pizza for a really good price. Service was quick and friendly. Had a great time here, would recommend reserving if you plan to come for dinner.

Best pizza in Santa Croce!! I stayed in Firenze for 3 months and I'd say I ate at this restaurant weekly! Loved their pizza and Gnocchi

Great spot that fills up quickly after 8. Prices very reasonable and the house red wine was excellent. Service friendly with English speaking server. Pizza came out quickly with hot oven and was delicious. Sausage was very spicy but added a nice zing. Mixed salad was enough to share and pasta carbonara was done perfectly. Never rushed. An enjoyable experience. #stevensleavin

Very good! Quick service and pizza was delicious, dough was chewy and pizza came out piping hot.

Great food and service. Christian was our server and was great. I had gnocchi 2 had pasta with olives and capers. I had pizza.

We came in expecting to get off the pizza train we have been on in Italy. Walked in, saw the wood fired pizzas coming out of the grill and stuck with that...again. My wife ordered the Capprisia, many vegetables and ham. I ordered the Porcini mushroom and ham pizza. The crust is like Heaven. This little place will likely be packed when you get here, but we got our pizzas writhing 15 minutes of ordering. Great pick here!

Il Pizzaiuolo is a great place to get Southern Italy-style pizza in Florence. I tried many places while studying abroad here years ago, and this was definitely our favorite. I returned again last week to find they're still making delicious pizza and the place is as popular as ever. If you're going for dinner, you should probably expect a wait, because it's a relatively small space, but they're usually pretty accommodating. I arrived a bit late at night and had to wait a little longer, so I wasn't eating dinner until after 10 pm, but WHO CARES, because it is just that good! I would wait until midnight if I had to (which I actually did have to once in Naples, so I guess this is authentic?). I'm vegetarian, and really like the Parmigiana pizza, which is basically just a Margherita pizza with lots of eggplant on top. Yum!! The crust is perfect soft and chewy, and the tomato sauce is excellent. It's served uncut, as is traditional, so don't be alarmed. Here you are actually allowed to eat your pizza with a knife and fork. I love that this place is CHEAP, compared to America at least. My Parmigiana pizza cost €8,50, while it probably would have been more like $18.50 in the US! Also, if you don't speak Italian, don't be alarmed by the menu that is all in Italian out front. They also have English menus that they'll give you. And they'll know, trust me.

I mean it was okay. I'm any other country in the world I'd probably think it was 5 stars. But in experience it just left me wondering, "who is reviewing this place a d have they not been to any other places in Italy?" Not bad but not worth the hype.

my favorite pizza spot in florence and after introducing the bf to it he claimed it is the best pizza he's ever had (and this guy travels + eats pizza A LOT) the nduja one is AMAZING gives my LA fav (bestia) a run for its money served piping hot and fresh, the crust is a bit thin but still doughy and bubbly on the outside the sausage is perfectly spicy the melted cheese with the flavorful tomato sauce... UGH

Most amazing pizza I've ever had. Great service too! Restaurant is small but charming...basically what I expected for a pizza joint in Italy. 10/10 would recommend!

One of our most memorable meals in Florence. Best pizza I've had. We went around 1230pm sharp when the restaurant opens to avoid the line. Pizzas are freshly made out of the brick oven and served sizzling hot. The crust is very thin inside, tomato sauce is hot and running, the tomato and cheese aroma and the good smell of bread blends all together. We also enjoyed the grilled octopus with veggies. The octopus was excellent, succulent, soft and sweet. Overall wonderful meal and I would highly recommend

Third stop on our pizza/beer crawl/hop. We got seated fast and served promptly. Pizza was very good, sauce was my favorite so far it was just a tad more doughy than I'd prefer. I'm splitting hairs on the crust, it was good just a tad heavier than I'd prefer. Costs were super reasonable, great experience and one I'd recommend.

This food is really delicious. We hadn't heard of it (I don't know why) and we needed some quick takeout after a long day and it was close to our Airbnb. We ordered a few pastas some grilled veggies etc all was perfecfly cooked and super yummy oh and yes the wine also hit the spot!

Personal pizzas for every pizza lover. Choose your own pizza so you don't need to fight your family for which toppings go on the pizza. Pizzaiuolo has delicious tomato sauce accompanying mozzarella cheese and bread. Complimentary bread is also served. Only complaint for the pizza is that the center is soggy. I would have preferred a slight crisp on the crust.

Service was unkind and unhelpful. Go somewhere else and save your money. Plenty of places to eat nearby that are nice

I wrote an extensive review in 2012 on Il Pizzaiuolo, so I will not bore you with too many details or flowery prose. Leave it to say that in parts of Italy, Rome and northward, good pizza is hard to come by. Most visitors do not realize that this is authentic pizza napoletana (not "Napolean", he was the squirt of a French dictator), equaling some of the best pizzerias in Naples (Napoli), the home of pizza and the best in the world. They have only around 15 tables, so the place is small and hard to find a seat after 8pm. Beside pizza, they have starters, pasta, meat, and fish dishes, but pizza is their specialty. On this visit, one of many in the past, we decided to try their frittura (€8 - fried things), including arancini di riso (rice balls), croquette di patate (potato corquettes), and montanare (fried pizza dough with a little tomato sauce). Their were just two of each and at €8 a disappointment compared to what you would get in a Naples pizzeria for the same price. They were good, but there should have been more. I had a Neapolitan classic, pizza con salsiccia e friarielli (fior di latte cheese, sausage, and broccoli rabe sauteed in olive oil and garlic) and it was wonderful. My wife's pizza quattro formaggio (four cheeses) was also wonderful with loads of mozzarella, gorgonzola, ricotta, and provola cheese. As usual, the dough is thin and chewy, only crisp enough to hold the toppings without getting soggy and with little splotches of burnt crust from the fiery wood-fired oven. My only complaints, other than the women's toilet being rather filthy on this visit (my wife told me, I did not see for myself) are the fact that you can only get wine by the glass or bottle, no liters or half-liters and that the prices are a little steep, but those are small discrepancies when you are eating un'oltima pizza napoletana (excellent Neapolitan pizza) in Northern Italy! CombatCritic Il Pizzaiuolo 8 Out Of 10 Bombs ... Bombs Are Good!

Believe the hype. I love my pizza and pizza making is a passion of mine back home in Canada. Here, the pizza is an art and this place has it down pat. The dough was soft and chewy on the inside and charred and crisp on the outside. The ingredients were fresh including the Burrata cheese (creamy mozzarella). Yes, my friends, we are in Italy. People were lined up within 30min of this place opening for supper. We arrived early so we could get a table. Our kids didn't want another pizza so they had pasta...de la mer, and carne...both were very good. Their "house wine" was very good too.

What a FABULOUS place!!!!! Their service is always friendly and welcoming! The food......:WOW! We came here for the first time in 2019 and have been dreaming of their pizza and spaghetti carbonara ever since!!!! We finally made it back to Firenze (such a blessing!) and have been here TWICE in this trip already! We know good food and we appreciate the love and care they put into it!!!! Grazie Il Pizzaioulo!!!!!!

Perfect pizza and pasta! First dinner out in Florence and this eatery didn't disappoint. We had a simple green salad, pizza Margherita with spicy salami added and gnocchi. Finished the meal with cheesecake. Everything was fantastic and we cleaned our plates. Great ambiance and lively crowd. Excellent service as well! Highly recommend for pizza especially.

Amazing pizza. Maybe the best pizza I had in Florence. And it was only €5 when I went. I ate the whole thing every single time and I was not ashamed one bit. It was worth every bite. Definitely go!!

Yummy pizza! Great tomato sauce, delicious fresh mozzarella and a yummy crust! We have had the pizza in the past (15+ years ago) and although it is not quite as delicious as it used to be, it was still very good.

Despite its crazy popularity, I wouldn't come back for the pizza. I've had better here in Florence, mine was super super wet and soggy from the sauce. I appreciate super fresh sauce but this just was a mess to eat and didn't even seem like a pizza. My friend got pasta which was actually super tasty, but hers came out about 15 mins before mine which wasn't ideal since we didn't get to eat together. Looks delicious in picture, and it was good, but there is better pizza in Florence.

All four family members were ecstatic about their pizzas. Forgot to close with Lemoncello drink, a mistake on our part.

Great Napoletana-style pizza tucked away in a lesser tourist-ridden area of Florence. There's a mirror that allows you to see your pizza being made in a matter of minutes. The bread is soooo tasty. My husband doesn't like crusts usually, but he couldn't stop scarfing it down! Fresh salads too--their tomatoes are amazing!!!

A native cab driver sent us to this place and it was an excellent suggestion for local pizza! Although I like extra crispy crust, we decided to have it the Florence way. Ordered ham

Go get pizza here if you're in town. We foolishly tried to just walk in for a table on a Friday and the place had a two hour wait. Turns out there aren't a lot of tables and this place is really popular. Good news is that takeout was very fast, and we took two pies home to have with a bottle of Chianti. We tried the Margherita with just tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, along with a funghi pie with mushrooms. They were amazing. A thin, chewy crust, sauce that really popped with basil flavors, and a good layer of fresh cheese.

While not the best restaurant we ate at in Florence this was a solid choice. Our family of five had the carbonara, gnocchi sorrento and pizza with truffle oil and prosciutto. It was fun to eat next the the pizza oven and see our food being cooked and delivered fresh to us out of the oven. The staff was nice and friendly and mostly prompt.

A very cozy but nice place for great traditional pizza from Naples. The tradition pizza margarita with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil sounds underwhelming for most Americans. Take a step back before Pieology and Blaze (where you stack the toppings on as high as possible). Let's start with the amazingly fresh ingredients and simplicity. You can taste the sweetness and the subtle tartness in the sauce and the creamy, gooey mozzarella with the crispy crust. The crust is so good you will not want to waste it. It is genuinely simplicity at its best. And only for 7 euros!!! We also order a seafood salad and it was truly underwhelming, but you must order the pizza pie when you are here.

Whether pasta (HOLY CRAP!) or pizza (...NUTS!!!) it seems these people simply can DO NO WRONG! Our first meal in Florence and THIS is what we get?! We should just leave. Things can only go very down hill from here. In any case, the food at Il Pizzaiuolo is DANGEROUSLY fantastic. My children had to guard their meals; I was tempted to order dinner for people not present and have it delivered! PLUS the service was intelligent and engaged. ALSO: the deco was groovy. IN ANY CASE: if you're near, stop what you're doing (immediately) and configure your GPS. ...Nothing. Else. Matters. For more of my thoughts see www.alistairavogan.com

Awesome pizza and atmosphere. The pan a cotta was great as well. The best we had while in Firenze this past year.

We came here at around 8pm on a weekend night, and had to wait until after 10 for a table. We were really hungry, but wanted to try this super popular spot so went down the road for a few glasses of prosecco and some snacks before coming back when our table was ready. The pizzas were great, and really generous with the cheese. If you can get there early, or manage the waiting time, definitely a place to check out while in Florence.

On a gothic night walk, stopped by this kitchen on a recommendation, and I will never forget that calzone...

We tried a number of different pizza places on our trip and Il Pizzaiuolo was definitely our favorite. After walking around Florence all morning and part of the afternoon on a rainy day, we came across this place after wandering through the farmers market. We were lucky to make it in just before the lunch rush. There aren't very many tables and this place does fill up rather quickly it seems. Just note that it can get quite loud when the restaurant is full. We tried the one of the fried appetizer dishes (mozzarella sticks, rice balls and some dough with some a little cheese in the middle). I loved the rice balls. We also tried a pasta with fresh mushrooms which was tasty. The pizza and calzone were perfectly cooked in a wood burning oven. We ordered too much food but everything we tried was delicious. Please note you do need to ask for the check. It would be rude for staff to bring you the check before you request it.

The hype is deserved. This is real deal, delicious, wood-fired pizza. Once we found Pizzaiuolo it became our pizza place in Florence. And for good reason. The crust is chewy with a few leopard spots to give a little different texture and flavor. Throw in their flavorful tomato sauce and fresh toppings, and you have an amazing pizza. We started things off with a fried food starter once, and although we enjoyed it, especially the fried dough, we decided that it wasn't necessary as we wanted to save room in our stomach for the pizza! I almost always order the Bomba, a scrumptious amalgamation of tomato sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, mushrooms, and spicy salami--just thinking of it makes me sigh AND salivate. The salsiccia e friarelli is delicious, too, although with it being the same price as the Bomba (or at least very close), I'd rather have the Bomba. My husband usually goes for the Rustica, with tomato sauce, ham, onion, sausage, and mushrooms plus he adds mozzarella, which rivals my beloved Bomba, especially when you drizzle some olio picante onto it. Service is adequate--when we we arrived the first few times the host was very warm and inviting, although recently he's just showed us to our seat and that's about it. Our waitresses have been so gracious and patient with us, especially as we wheel in our stroller and 10-month-old into the small restaurant. Their pizza-making chef is a genius, and they have a window over his pizza-making station so you could watch your pizza being made. It makes for great entertainment. Nice guy, too--feel free to start up a conversation with him if he has a free moment. Il Pizzaiuolo is right across from the Sant'Ambrogio market, not too far from Santa Croce, so if you're in the area, check it out. Actually, even if you aren't in the area, check it out. It'll change the way you view pizza. And one more for the road: Bomba.

amazing pizza and staff! they open around 7:30 p.m. and always seat us super quickly! Go-to place for me and friends studying abroad! I recommend the mozzarella and prosciutto pizza, they bring it to you unsliced for extra freshness!

This was hands down the best pizza we have ever eaten!!! We [unfortunately] discovered this gem on our last day in Firenze. Do not miss out! We started with a delicious calamari appetizer, followed by pizza. We would have returned if we could have!

4.5 Stars Probably on of the three best Pizza joints that I have ever been to (in the world). Freshly made neapolitan Pizza is served quickly and there are wide variety of pre-curated topping combinations. I usually go for the Daivola, which has just the right amount of heat. Also a standout here is the burrata, absolutely fresh and creamy, and a large portion. Strongly recommend check thing place out. I will certainly come back here next time I am in Florence.