Item: REbasilico
Rating: 5
Author: Beppe Castro

Finding REBasilico for the best pizza in Rome should be a priority during your visit and these tips will guide you to the most amazing pizza outside of Naples.

REbasilico - Traditional — Traditional Pizza

REBasilico is a Neapolitan-style pizzeria with sadly only one location in Rome, but needs to be part of your meal plans when you visit on your next vacation to Rome. REBasilico offers a broad menu with at least nine types of pizzas that celebrate the food of Naples. It has the classics, like: Margherita, Marinara and Diavola, but there are others that have toppings like: Tropea onions, ‘Nduja and anchovies. They also have some toppings that are less traditional, but more fun, like: hot dogs, french fries and squash. There is definitely a pizza that can make anyone happy.

Why Is Neapolitan-Style Pizza So Special?

I want to clearly state that I am aware that the origins of pizza in various forms predate the commonly known origin story from Naples. If you abstract out your definition of pizza, it should be obvious that the concept of a flatbread covered in toppings was being consumed all across the Mediterranean for centuries before the Unification of Italy. It continues today with focaccia and its various toppings being enjoyed across Italy with variations in Greece and all around the Mediterranean.

Now that we are clear, I want to focus on the very limited definition of pizza as it is understood around the world. After the unification of Italy in 1861, the King and Queen of Italy were visiting Naples and they wanted to try a local version of pizza. Pizzeria Brandi created one with mozzarella, tomato sauce and basil leaves, which were supposed to represent the white, red and green colors of the Italian flag. The pizza was named Pizza Margherita as a tribute to the Queen.

An interesting side-note is that tomatoes were brought to Europe from the Americas in the 16th century, so without the Americas (North, Central and South), the pizza that we know today might never have come into existence.

REbasilico - With Wine — With Wine, Of Course

Who Is The Best Pizza Maker In Italy?

It is difficult to determine the best pizza maker in Italy as there are many skilled and talented pizza makers in the country. The quality of pizza can depend on a variety of factors such as the type of ingredients used, the method of preparation and the cooking style. It is important to note that the best pizza maker is a matter of personal preference and that there is no definitive answer to this question.

How Was REbasilico Pizza?

Having the opportunity to enjoy the riches of such an amazing selection of pizzerias in Rome, the idea of finding “The Best Pizza In Rome” is a little ridiculous. Like finding the best gelato, the journey is the real adventure, so stop trying to find “the best” and try everything you can.

REBasilico, which is found at: Via Cernaia 16/18 is in what I would consider a less touristy part of Rome, but it is still very popular. Our most recent visit was for lunch during Ferragosto, so we risked not having a reservation, and we were fine. If you plan on going to dinner or sometime other than August vacation, you might want to consider making a reservation.

REbasilico - Individual Pizzas — Individual Pizzas

There were a couple seats open, but I believe there was additional seating available downstairs, so there was plenty of space for our lunch. We both wanted to try something other than our favorite: Pizza Margherita, so we had the Diavola, with spicy salami, and the La Tropea, which had the Tropea onions and ‘Nduja and this is what we noticed:

The Type Of Pizza – I had written about the various types of pizza In Italy, and this falls squarely under the Pizza Napolitano variety. It comes in individual whole pies, unsliced and with a knife and fork.
The Dough – This is one of the greatest differentiators because this Neapolitan pizza dough is amazingly soft, much more than Roman pizza. I love it!
The Service – The service was top notch. I think our server was a bit new, but he was great. He suffered through our weak attempts to speak the language and cleared up some confusion about the half-bottles vs per-glass wine options.
The Range Of Toppings – As I mentioned above, beyond the basic tomato and cheese, there are others that have toppings like: Tropea onions, ‘Nduja and anchovies. They also have some toppings that are less traditional, but more fun, like: hot dogs, french fries and squash. There is definitely a pizza that can make anyone happy.
The Presentation – Our order was simple because we only got the pizza and planned to have some gelato elsewhere. There was one plate for each of the pizzas, a couple of glasses of wine, a bottle of water and a fork and knife. It is important to know that proper pizza is browned, but not burned. People online like to say the black, carbonized dough is delicious and proper, but that isn’t true. Check out the pictures to understand what I’m referring to. This pizza was not burned, but cooked perfectly.

I will give our overall impressions of REBasilico a little further down this article, but let’s discuss pizza a little bit more!

Which City In Italy Has The Best Pizza?

It is widely believed that the birthplace of pizza is Naples, Italy. It is therefore often said that the best pizza can be found in Naples and I heartily agree. Pizzerias in Naples follow traditional recipes, using simple and fresh ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and olive oil. Additionally, pizzas in Naples are usually cooked in high temperature wood-fired ovens, giving them a unique taste and texture.

For me, REbasilico is among the best Neapolitan pizza in Rome. We have had a couple opportunities to enjoy this pizza, both in the restaurant and delivered, and they were all very satisfying experiences.

What Is The Most Famous Pizza In Italy?

Without a doubt, the most famous pizza in Italy is the Margherita pizza. This classic pizza originated in Naples and is considered a symbol of traditional Italian cuisine. The Margherita pizza is made with simple ingredients, including tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, basil, and olive oil, and it is said to represent the colors of the Italian flag (red, white, and green). You can find Pizza Margherita pretty much everywhere in Rome and of course REBasilico is no exception.

REbasilico - Neapolitan Toppings — Neapolitan Toppings

Is REBasilico The Best Pizza In Rome?

We really enjoyed our experiences at REBasilico and we look forward to the next time we plan a pilgrimage to the restaurant. I would strongly recommend REBasilico when you are in Rome and if you don’t want to leave your hotel after a long day of touring around the city, getting it delivered is a great option.

For me, it is a pretty high bar to be called the Best Pizza in Rome and something that needs to be almost life affirming, and this approaches that bar because it was easily among the best pizza I’ve eaten in Rome. I would definitely travel across the city for it, and in fact I have done just that a couple of times, even though it is on the other side of town from where we live. I would recommend combining it with another stop, Come il Latte Gelateria and make it a complete food adventure.

Here Are Some More Links About Eating Pizza In Rome

Coming to Italy has quite a few requirements if you want to feel like you got an authentic experience, and eating delicious pizza is one of them. If you enjoyed this article about REbasilico and want to learn about how pizza is an important part of Italian food culture and day-to-day life in Italy, check out some of these other posts: