Good pizza in Asia? Great news: it’s more common than you’d think. We spent the last five months scouring the continent for the best pies this side of Italy and what we found was pretty impressive. Whether you’re tired of Asian fare or you’re just in the mood for a world-class slice, these spots in Bali, Kolkata, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore are safe bets. Get ready to “ciao” down.
Image: Motorino
ASIA’S BEST PIZZAS
MOTORINO, HONG KONG
Images: Motorino
Hailing straight from Brooklyn, New York, HKers couldn’t really ask for a better transplant than Motorino. The shop slings Neapolitan-style, individually-sized pizzas in a 11 varities with 20 extra topping options like grape tomatoes, soppressata, cured anchovies, meatballs and yellow clams. Special care is taken in the dough creation process and the finished product is a delicious combination of soft but charred crust. A popular option – a pie sporting brussels sprouts with fior di latte, garlic, pecorino, smoked pancetta and extra virgin olive oil – gives a delicious grown-up take on the vegetable so hated by children worldwide. An impressive wine list and some authentic antipasti render an actual trip to Italy unnecessary. SoHo: 11 Shelley St., Central Hong Kong Wan Chai: 15 Ship Street, Hong Kong
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Image: Fire and Ice
PIZZERIA LIMONCELLO, BANGKOK
FIRE AND ICE PIZZERIA, KOLKATA
The Zanotti Group may be infamous in Bangkok for some mediocre Italian food, but that doesn’t mean you should write off the group’s Pizzeria Limoncello, which is informally regarded as having the best pizza in the city. Skip the starters and sides and head right to the main attraction – thin crust pizzas with traditional toppings. The eponymous pizza Zanotti with tomato, mozzarella, mascarpone cheese and imported parma ham is a signature at Limoncello, while other options like the Popeye with mozzarella, spinach and ricotta cheese and the Delizia with tomato, mozzarella, zucchini, eggplant and prawns offer a different spin. All of the pies are cooked in a wood oven and served up in Limoncello’s Italian-inspired dining room featuring yellow and white tablecloths and wine bottle-lined walls.
In a city with a severe dearth of Italian options, Fire and Ice certainly comes through with some amazing pizza. And we’re not talking about amazing pizza for India, we’re talking about amazing pizza for anywhere. The restaurant was founded as the second location of a Kathmandu spot when a chef from Naples learned that the only Italian food in Kolkata was being served in a fivestar hotel. In a quest to make her country’s cuisine available to the masses, Annamaria Forgione opened this spot in Kolkata in 2005 and it’s been a go-to for both locals and tourists ever since. Fire and Ice’s menu boasts about 25 different types of thin-crusted pizza, all cooked in a real pizza oven and topped with a combination of imported and local ingredients like caramelized onions, ricotta, rocket, artichokes, pesto, bacon and homemade mozzarella cheese – a real treat in India.
Soi Sukhumvit 11, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoey-Nua, Wattana, Bangkok
41 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata
Image: Manhattan Pizza Co.
THE MANHATTAN PIZZA CO., SINGAPORE Another New York transplant, the Manhattan Pizza Co.’s two Singapore locations were a result of owner Joey Manoli’s whim. When a Singaporean customer dining in his NYC chain told him that pizza was too expensive in Singapore, Joey boarded a flight half way across the world to check the situation out for himself. Ultimately his family followed and Joey got to work on revolutionizing Singapore’s pizza scene. You can be assured he’s not joking around – the Manhattan Pizza Co. serves up 10-inch slices and 12-inch pies of bonafide NYC-style pizza with toppings like spicy barbecue chicken, pepperoni and even Singapore-inspired roast duck. The shop’s Boat Quay location has some of the best waterfront seating in the city. [Image courtesy of Manhattan Pizza Co.] Orchard Central: 181 Orchard Road, B1-01, Orchard Central mall Boat Quay: 51 Boat Quay, Prince of Wales Backpacker Pub
PRONTO PIZZA, BALI Let’s face it – Bali is pretty much tourist-central these days. Every type of food you could ask for is there in either Kuta, Seminyak or both but we’d venture to say that quality is just as variable as cuisine. Located just below street level on popular Poppies Lane I in Kuta, Pronto Pizza serves up the real thing – the proof is in watching Pronto’s Italian owner make your pizza himself. Leave the beach at lunch time and take a seat in the typical pizzeria-style joint – there’s a whole list of authentic thin-crust pizzas and prices per pie average around AUD $6. Toppings include ham and mushroom, ham and pineapple, pepperoni, prawn, egg and bacon, potato and beef, tuna and onion, and the popular Vegetariana. Pronto can be tricky to locate; walk down Poppies I from the beach and look for steps down on your right. Jalan Poppies I, Kuta, Bali
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