World’s top pizzeria is coming to California — but there’s a catch
California pizza lovers are salivating as one of the world’s top pie purveyors prepares to make his highly anticipated return to the Golden State.
Master pizzaiolo Anthony Mangieri of New York’s Una Pizza Napoletana is returning to San Francisco to cook in local ovens for the first time since shutting his South of Market location in 2017, SFGate reported.
The surprise comeback was revealed in an announcement shared to the celebrated eatery’s Instagram page on Monday.
The celebrated culinary figure, whose New York establishment was crowned the best pizzeria in the world last year before taking second spot this year, is hosting a pair of exclusive ticketed pop-up events to mark his brand’s 30th anniversary.
Foodies won’t have to battle the legendary around-the-block queues that defined his original stint in the city, but securing a slice comes with major hurdles — including a strictly capped capacity and an eye-popping admission price.
Seats go on sale this Thursday via Instagram for a hefty $110 per person.
Given that reservations at Mangieri’s Manhattan flagship regularly vanish in seconds, seats for the one-off showcase are expected to sell out quickly.
Diners who manage to secure a spot will be treated to a split pizza — half marinara, half margherita— personally fired by Mangieri himself at Marina hotspot A16 on the night of November 16.
The sit-down affair also features house-marinated olives, a specialty cocktail crafted by the Bar Agricole team, fresh-juiced fruit sorbetto, espresso, and an exclusive parting merchandise bag boasting Mangieri’s private-label extra virgin olive oil and custom cycling gear.
The anniversary celebrations will spill into the following morning, with a follow-up morning session hosted at Linea Caffe in the city’s Mission District.
Mangieri originally founded Una Pizza Napoletana in New Jersey in 1996 before relocating to New York City in 2004, later expanding into California.
The pizza icon has long credited San Francisco’s distinct climate, microflora, and tap water with revolutionizing his artisan dough technique — spurring him to pioneer multi-flour blends that produce his trademark airy, blistered crusts.