Vincenzo Capuano brings his award-winning pizzas from Naples to Mumbai.
The pizza that arrives at my table resembles a Margherita, the three colours of the Italian flag rendered on it with tomato, cheese, and basil. The chef whips out a pair of golden scissors and proceeds to cut the pizza into quarters. This is the first time I have seen pizza cut like this, as if it were a sheet of paper; evidently, that’s the way the nonni (grandparents) do it in Italian homes. With my first bite I realise that this isn’t a plain ole Margherita (not that there’s anything wrong with that most classic style of pizza). What I’m eating is Provola e Pepe, chef Vincenzo Capuano’s calling card — the pizza that crowned him the World Champion of Contemporary Pizza in 2022 at the prestigious Caputo Cup. His namesake brand of artisanal pizzerias now has more than 50 outlets across Italy, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, Kosovo, Singapore, and Hong Kong. And it has just debuted in India with the first outlet opening in Mumbai’s busy commercial district of Lower Parel (outlets in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru are in the offing too).
Capuano is a third-generation pizzaiolo from Naples, and he opened his first branded pizzeria in his hometown in 2016. Naturally he makes Neapolitan-style pizza, which has a soft, thin base with high edges. But what makes it the world’s best pizza? The secret is Nuvola or ‘Cloud’ flour, specifically engineered for high hydration and exceptional airiness. Capuano has collaborated with legendary Naples-based flour millers Mulino Caputo to develop this flour. His dough-making process is also unique. “We make the dough 24–30 hours in advance; it’s just flour, water, and fresh yeast mixed together and refrigerated. The next day, we finish it with salt and more water. The dough is 70-80% hydrated and produces a remarkably light and airy crust,” says Capuano. The use of golden scissors is also a signature of the brand. “The scissors preserve the honeycomb structure of the cornicione (the high-edged crust typical of Neapolitan pizzas), which the traditional wheel cutter would crush. We take so much effort to prepare this nice dough and a beautiful pizza; we want to respect the craft and showcase it to the customer,” he adds.
The 100+ seater restaurant is a cheerful spot, bathed in natural light through floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside, it’s a bit of a mishmash of styles — one wall painted to resemble an Italian façade with flower-clad windows, another with exposed brick, and yet another adorned with black-and-white photos of daily scenes in Italy — it’s all very Italian trattoria, complete with arched walls. The aquamarine-tiled pizza oven gleams in the open kitchen, above which a neon sign proclaims “Jamme Ja!”. It’s a common Neapolitan expression that could mean “let’s go”, “come on”, or “hurry up” depending on the tone of voice.
There are more than 20 pizzas to choose from, including a vegan one. The aforesaid Provola e Pepe is topped with hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, pepper mix, and smoked provola cheese. This is a stretched curd cheese made from raw cow’s milk that originated in Campania, the Italian region of which Naples is the capital. The cheese brings a deliciously smoky complexity to the pizza and complements the rich umami of tomatoes. Another pizza to try is the Tetti Illuminati, which has fior di latte, mortadella from Italy, pistachio cream, and pecorino romanoflakes. This elegant take on a classic white pizza offers a decadent combination of buttery richness, gentle sweetness, and salty depth. There are the classics like Margherita and Diavola as well as Centro Calabria (topped with nduja or spiced Calabrian sausage) and Don Vincenzo (where the crust is stuffed with ricotta cheese). And because this is India, there are a couple of ‘Mumbai Specials’ like Chicken Tikka and Paneer Chimichurri. Alongside, you can also get a trio of dips (hot honey, basil pesto, and arrabbiata sauce) to dunk your crust edges in.
Apart from pizzas, there are antipasti like bruschetta, focaccia, etc. and salads such as Caesar and Burrata. Or try the Cavolo Melone with kale and melon dressed with spicy ginger tofu. There’s a selection of pastas too, but that would require a separate visit! The dessert menu has six dolci, including Biscoff cheesecake, crème brûlée, and tiramisu; the last is competent enough but frankly, I’ve had better. The Italian classic ciambella (sweet, fried doughnut dusted with cinnamon sugar) wasn’t available when I visited. The bar menu lists classic cocktails, Italian and global wines, aperitifs, etc.; however, the alcohol license isn’t in place and is expected soon.
Back to the original question: is this the world’s best pizza? I have eaten more than my fair share of pizzas around the world, including in Italy. Vincenzo Capuano’s light and airy crust is fantastic, certainly amongst the best I have sampled. Coupled with his innovative toppings and high-quality ingredients, it’s no surprise that this jolly chef from Naples has been crowned a world champion.
Address: Lodha Signet, Lodha Park, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400013
Timings: Open daily from noon to 4pm and 6pm to 11pm (to 1am Fri–Sun)
Price for two: 3,000/- ++
For reservation: 7710882828
