The best Pizza Margherita in the world you will not find in Naples or New York but in …Athens, Greece!
That’s the decision of pizza connoisseurs at the “The Best Pizza Awards”, the most important global list that recognizes excellence in the big business called pizza.
In the competition that took place last Friday in Milan, a Greek restaurant had the honor to win the first prize for the best Margherita Pizza in the Special Category of Pizzas.
Chef Francesco Granata was named the 16th top pizzaiolo in the world, finding his place among legends, iconic personalities and absolute “gods” of pizza.
The reason is Francesco Granata from Napul’e in Vari, south-eastern Athens, now has the opportunity to “hang” at the entrance of his shop, the plaque that reads “The Best Pizza 2026”
The Italian chef himself, who has been living in Greece for the past several years, said after receiving the award that he thanked “those who support me and even those who had to put up with me in difficult times, because this journey has not always been easy. Italy gave me my roots, but Greece gave me the opportunity to express them. This recognition also belongs to the Greek people, who welcomed me, believed in me, supported me and allowed a Neapolitan chef to bring his idea of Italy to Athens. Today I feel proud, grateful and even thirstier than before.”
Francesco Granata, a master pizzaiolo was born in Naples. Before becoming a pizza master, he was a doctor (anesthesiologist), but a twist of fate and his family origins gave him the ticket to enter the magical world of Italian culinary tradition. His medical background endowed him with an obsession for detail, precision and meticulousness. His endless love of knowledge, and his obsession with detail for the sake of authentic Neapolitan pizza, earned him the title of one of the 100 best pizzaiolo in the world.
He began his culinary journey at the age of six, making dough with his mother and learning that simplicity is a serious art and the foundation of true cooking. Before dedicating himself fully to gastronomy, he worked in the healthcare sector until the age of 47. He then chose to follow his passion for pizza, adopting a new professional and personal identity, rooted in tradition and authenticity. His philosophy is firmly based on preserving Neapolitan pizza without compromise.
