Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get our top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
Header images courtesy of The Pizza Project
Originally published by Sophie Pettit. Last updated by Jen Paolini, Nicole Hurip, and Celia Lee.
Whether you’re craving a cheeky New York-style pizza or a more refined Neapolitan pie scattered with all your favourite toppings, nothing beats sinking your teeth into a slice of the good stuff. Luckily, the 852 is blessed with a plethora of great pizzerias to help take the edge off. In no particular order, here are our favourites pizza restaurants around Hong Kong.
Charming pizzeria Amalfitana is reason enough to visit Repulse Bay. Here, you get to tuck into rustic and flavoursome artisan pizzas inspired by the Amalfi Coast while lapping up the beautiful view of the beach. The restaurant serves all the classics, such as the Margherita, pepperoni, and Parma ham, which are executed to perfection, as well as creative offerings like the signature Amalfitana and the calzone. Amalfitana even has a range of bambino pizzas for kids, too, making this an ideal family dining spot.
Serving up Neapolitan-inspired pizzas topped with New York-style toppings, this popular pizzeria offers the best of both worlds. It uses its own 36-hour rising dough with Caputo 00 flour (considered the godfather of all flours) to make a deeply satisfying and thin crust that’s crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It also uses San Marzano tomatoes from Naples to create its sauce, so you know you’re in for an authentic feast.
The slices are big enough to fold and feature an array of adventurous toppings, such as the Summer of Love 1967 with chilli-infused honey, and the Hawaiian CoCo, which blends shredded coconut with fresh pineapple. These pizzas are so popular, in fact, that the owners have had to knock down the wall and expand into the space next door!
Mother of Pizzas, 13–19 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay | (+852) 2891 2221
Originally from Brooklyn, Motorino honours the tradition of Naples, serving up pizzas that have been cooked for less than ninety seconds in a custom-made oven under extremely high heat. This creates a soft-on-the-inside, slightly-charred-on-the-outside result.
The menu keeps things simple, featuring all the classics, as well as some creative combinations. Try out the La Stella for an innovative twist to pizzas. Fior di latte, creamy ricotta, and burrata cheeses are paired with crunchy pistachio for a layer of texture as you dig into your slice. With its rustic, warehouse-like interior and bustling atmosphere, Motorino is the ideal spot for a quick pizza fix if you happen to be in Wan Chai or Central. Keep an eye out for the adorable heart-shaped pies around Valentine’s Day, too.
With its cosy atmosphere, reasonable prices, and generously-sized pizzas, High Street eatery Pizzeria Italia has since expanded to two additional locations and is well worth a visit when the carb cravings hit. The menu features more than 30 pizzas—which come in 10- or 14-inch sizes—so you are sure to find your dream combination of toppings. The pizzeria makes its own homemade tomato sauce, which bursts with flavour and a hint of sweetness. With its modestly-sized venue, old-school décor, and rustic finish, Pizzeria Italia is about as close as you will get to an authentic side-street Italian pizza experience.
If you’re feeling ravenous, then you might be tempted by the huge 18-inch New York-style pizzas on offer at Fini’s. These tasty pies are big enough to feed a small army and take up a large portion of the table too, so it might be wise to share. Although the selection here isn’t too extensive, the pizzas certainly pack a punch, with The Bronx, featuring fresh mozzarella, porchetta, pepperoni, and meatballs, standing out for meat lovers. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Special makes for a satisfying veggie option, blending fried eggplant with roasted garlic and peppers, and basil. Just make sure you arrive hungry.
Situated in the backstreets of Kennedy Town is New York-style pizzeria Alvy’s. Since its opening in 2017, it has quickly become the favourite neighbourhood pizza spot for expats and locals in Hong Kong. Employing the infamous red brick pizza oven aptly named “The Red Bitch,” it serves up a wide array of delectable sourdough pizza. Though slightly quirky, the Bak Gwei, topped with char siu pork, mozzarella, gruyere béchamel, and minced ginger, is an innovative blend of local flair and classical New York pizza. If you’re aiming for something more classic, the A La Vodka is simple yet unbeatable.
Alvy’s, 8 Holland Street, Kennedy Town | (+852) 2312 2996
If you’re a fan of Pici, you’ll want to pay attention to The Pizza Project, which combines a trendy venue with satisfying and approachable handmade pizzas that are packed with different textures and generous toppings. Armed with the pleasant brand of charm that made Pici a runaway success, The Pizza Project is focused on captivating the hearts and stomachs of Hongkongers with freshly-prepared starters, decadent desserts, and stunning pies, replete with enticing aromas and lively flavours to attract spirited gatherings and hearty feasts. Must-tries include the carbonara with pancetta and quail eggs and the tonno e cipolle, a red sauce-based pie with tuna chunks and baked red onions.
La Camionetta is a cute little neighbourhood establishment that celebrated an under-the-radar opening, but our keen noses catch the fragrance of piping hot pies from miles away. Benito and Giulia, the husband-and-wife team behind La Camionetta, create handcrafted pizzas with a modern twist, based on well-loved, traditional Italian recipes.
Slip inside their sliver of a shop and tuck into the focused menu of antipasti dishes, 11-inch pizzas, and happy hour drinks. Cheese lovers will want to step up to the challenge of La Cinque Formaggi, a five-cheese pie guaranteed to induce food comas. Other signature pizzas include the southern-inspired La Calabrese, made with tomatoes, a two-cheese blend of fior di latte and scamorza affumicata, ‘nduja sausage, and spicy spianata salami, and the vegetarian La Foresta with fior di latte, chanterelles, fresh cream, pancetta, camembert di buffala, and chives. Before you leave, don’t forget to snap a pic of the adorable counter, inspired by the iconic, retro designs of vintage Volkswagen camper vans!
La Camionetta, 12A Elgin Street, Central
Dough Bros is a cheerful neighbourhood pizza joint that serves up your favourite pies with a side of beer, Nutella-filled doughnuts, and wine, and while their menu is small and specialised, all items pack a punch. We’re partial to the Parma ham for its combo of roasted garlic, wild mushrooms, parma ham, and rocket, as well as the Maui Wowie with smoked ham, Hawaiian sausages, and pineapple. The vegetarian Sophisticated comes with tomato, mozzarella, goat’s cheese, caramelised onion, pickled peppers, and sweet peppers. Oh, and did we mention all pizzas are crafted with a base of artisan sourdough? It’s the perfect thing to stock up on before a big night at the races!
Homemade and natural is the name of the game at Emmer. With a moniker paying homage to an ancient grain that our forebearers subsisted on, pizza-making at Emmer is a deliberately slow affair, with hand-milling and fermentation at the heart of the process. After rye and Italian flour are added, handcrafted pies are then baked in a rotating steel oven to produce a chewy and crunchy base. Its focused selection offers strong fan favourites like funghi, a mix of portobello and cremini mushrooms, and D.O.P. Quattro Formaggi with D.O.P. fontina, mozzarella, truffle pecorino romano, and taleggio.
Emmer, 407, 4/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty | (+852) 2780 1110
With a prime spot right in the heart of Lan Kwai Fong, Baci Trattoria and Bar is a casual open-kitchen Italian cafeteria offering the highest degree of authentic fare. Its blistered and charred pizzas, hence, are expertly made, using specific ingredients, techniques, and machinery in order to produce genuine Neapolitan-style pies; even the type of flour, water, salt and, dough mixers to be used are specified. Try the traditional Margherita, made with the freshest basil, or the pesto-based Baci, topped with Crescenza cheese, crispy zucchini, and aromatic black garlic, and you won’t go wrong.
Baci Trattoria and Bar, California Tower, 30–32 D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central | (+852) 2344 0005
Spacious in size and chic in décor but without the inhibiting price tag of an upscale restaurant, Gustaci offers warm service, generous portions, and big flavours. Ensconced in a vibrant setting of abstract paintings of Naples, diners can expect authentic Neapolitan culinary delights. Pizzas, of course, feature heavily on the menu, and the dough is naturally leavened before being baked to perfection in the Moretti Forni electric deck oven.
Highlights from the pizza menu include classics such as the Margherita and the marinara; lesser-seen options like Napoli with mozzarella and anchovies; vegetarian options such as the four formaggi with mozzarella, ricotta, gorgonzola, and scamorza with whipping cream for an ultimate cheesy indulgence; and specialities like the tartufella, a decadent pie of mozzarella, Parmesan, and black winter truffle. New in at Gustaci is a vegan option with mushrooms, artichokes, and premium vegan cheese for green eaters out there.
Gustaci Pizza Lounge, Shop HG01-05, Block B, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central | (+852) 2981 1418
The secret to a great pizza lies in the dough, something that the chefs at Ciak take very seriously. Their pizza dough is made with a special 18-year-old Italian yeast and a blend of four different flours, then fermented for 36 hours. This makes for an extremely flavourful base that is light and crispy, perfect for delivering an array of toppings. Try the chef’s favourite—try the seasonal Ciak tartufo bianco with mozzarella, taleggio cheese, and premium Alba white truffle. An egg yolk cracked into the middle elevates the luxurious experience even further, making every bite deliciously savoury and aromatic.
Other choice options include the Norcina, a hearty meat lover’s pie with homemade Italian sausage, mushroom, and mozzarella, and the Mediterranea, a seafood delight with tomato sauce, fresh Mediterranean anchovies, black olives, and aromatic garlic oil.
Ciak—In the Kitchen, locations across Hong Kong Island
Babacio offers a variety of pies, from tomato-based favourites to deep-fried indulgences. For classics, you can’t go wrong with a spicy salami pizza—the Piccante, made with buffalo mozzarella for a creamier bite. We particularly enjoy the restaurant’s namesake pie, Babacio, which features slices of 18-month-aged Parma ham, pesto and tomato sauces, dry tomato, and a mix of buffalo mozzarella and cold burrata cheese for extra cheesy goodness and hot and cold contrast. Enjoy your pizza on the plant-filled terrace looking over Wyndham Street and Tai Kwun—perfect for day or night, casual or fancy.
Babacio, 5/F, Carfield Commercial Building, 77 Wyndham Street, Central | (+852) 2808 1961
Meaning “paddle pizza” in Italian, Pala’s speciality is—you guessed it—paddle pizza. This style of pizza originated in Rome, named after the long wooden paddles used to slide pizzas in and out of the oven. The dough is stretched to fit the paddle, so pizzas are in an oblong shape. The crust is low in gluten, high in dietary fibre, and left to ferment for two hours, making the pizzas as nutritious as it is delicious.
Try the carbonara, topped with pancetta, pork cheek bacon, fior di latte mozzarella, pecorino cheese, creamy egg yolk, and ground black pepper, or the porcini and tartufata, topped with mushrooms, truffle paste, truffle oil, and shaved black truffle.
Pala, 7 Amoy Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 6979 1332
Crust Sorrento brings the best speciality regional pizzas and focaccias from Naples and the Sorrento Coast to Hong Kong. You can find a wide selection of authentic Italian street fare here. From the pesto-based Sisona topped with burrata, to the seasonal tartufo with mushrooms, porcinis, mozzarella, and truffles, you are guaranteed a taste of southern Italy with these unique pizzas. Try the regional speciality sandwich-style focaccia that comes with three groups of delicious fillings: mascarpone, mortadella, and pistachio, eggplant with tomato sauce and ricotta, and the classic tomato sauce and mozzarella.
Crust Sorrento, Shop 05, G/F, Monterey Complex, 23 Tong Chun Street, Tseung Kwan O
An innovative pizza concept from Korea, Pizza Maru is known for its delicious fusion ventures, combining the best of Italian cuisine with Korean elements. If you’re not a fan of the usual Margherita, try the Kimchi Bay with a selection of seafood, pineapple, and kimchi mayo, or meat-heavy pizzas like the Korea Surf and Turf with shrimp, beef bulgogi, and spicy potatoes! Pizza Maru also has a wide selection of classic and innovative pies, including Chicago thick-base pizzas and even sweet slices.
Known for its 30-inch rectangular pizzas, The Pizza Pig is opening a new location in the heart of Lai Chi Kok! You can expect all the goodness of its Tseung Kwan O menus at this new location, and more. Celebrating the occasion, The Pizza Pig is bringing two new pizza flavours to the table: the seafood umami pizza is a decadent exploration of the best offerings from the sea, including tender calamari, flavourful prawns, umami crab meat, juicy mussels, and fluffy scallops; and the Meat Lovers pizza not only features a complete selection of meats from cotta ham and pepperoni to Parma ham, but also aromatic smoked mozzarella paired with rich cheddar and The Pizza Pig’s speciality meatballs.
Covering the hottest new eats, the best places to play, offbeat takes on local culture, and so much more, Localiiz is every Hongkonger’s destination for how to live a well-rounded life in our vibrant city. Why the strange spelling? Well, Localiiz is designed to be your “local eyes”—and for that, you need two i’s.
Top
