The smallest pizzeria in the world, according to 50 Top Pizza, occupies a hotel in Tokyo and seats only eight people. But the pizza is so amazing, it ranks as one of the best on the planet, the experts say.
Specifically, 50 Top Pizza named The Pizza Bar on 38th the best pizzeria in the Asia Pacific region. Under the direction of Executive Chef Daniele Cason, it’s located in Tokyo’s Mandarin Hotel.
The hotel’s website, including a page dedicated to The Pizza Bar on 38th, is currently “undergoing maintenance.”
Related: How 50 Top Pizza selects the best pizzerias in the world
50 Top Pizza said the restaurant “has made a huge leap in quality” since last year. The organization pointed to an “evolution that has certainly developed over the years but which has been confirmed in particular over the last year with the introduction of the ‘omakase’ menu. Chef Daniele Cason entertains, with great kindness, his eight guests who surround him at the counter, presenting the fresh ingredients of the day and showing them how they are prepared. The menu includes eight pizzas, studied to serve a wedge to each of them, then appetizer and dessert. The pizza is the pan-style pizza but, both for the ingredients and the way in which it is prepared, the impression is that of eating a sophisticated gourmet dish.”
The guide adds that “Pizza Bar on 38th is a unique experience in Tokyo, and it is worth forgetting the Neapolitan pizza for a day to be able to dive into a journey of extraordinary taste.”
The pizzeria is also featured in the Michelin Guide. That entry reads: “The courses are made possible thanks to having each seating start at the same time. Pizzas, baked one after another, are cut into eight equal slices, each with different toppings, so guests can try all eight varieties in one sitting. The dough is made from organic Italian wheat and takes a long time to mature, creating a moist crust with a light texture. This is a popular place, so make your reservations early.”
The Pizza Bar on 38th also came in at No. 16 in 50 Top Pizza’s list of the 100 best pizza restaurants in 2023.
In an announcement about this year’s best Asia Pacific pizzerias, 50 Top Pizza noted that its guide “does not have ideological principles.” Rather, “it is inspired by the general concept of quality in its broadest sense. However, it does give preference to establishments that use locally sourced and seasonal products.”
Related: 50 Top Pizza’s best pizzerias in the world for 2023
According to Time Out last year, The Pizza Bar on 38th received the Michelin Bib Gourmand award six years in a row. “The pizzas included in the omakase course will change seasonally depending on ingredients,” Time Out reports, “but you can look forward to classics such as the marinara topped with simple tomato sauce and the Pizzino, which includes mascarpone, olives and truffle essence.”
In second place in 50 Top Pizza’s ranking of Asian-Pacific pizzerias is Crosta Pizzeria in Makati, The Philippines, led by Yuichi Ito, who also captured the organization’s Pizza Maker of the Year 2024 – Ferrarelle Award. Third place went to Risto Pizza in Tokyo, a newly opened restaurant by Giuseppe Errichiello.
Fourth place went to Fiata by Salvatore Fiata in Hong Kong, who also took home the Pizza of the Year 2024 – Latteria Sorrentina Award for his Provala e Pepe pie. Fifth place was a dead heat between Al Taglio by Silvio Groppelli in Sydney, Australia, and 48th Pizza e Gnochi Bar by Michele Circhirillo and Fabio Biscalde in Melbourne.
One thousand experts spread throughout the world choose 50 Top Pizza’s best pizzerias in different regions of the world each year. They “consider each pizzeria on the whole and make an assessment based on its capacity to guarantee the well-being of the customer based on his or her informed selection from the menu.” Visits to the pizzeria are carried out anonymously by 50 Top Pizza’s experts, and assessment for criteria include quality of the pizza (leavening and primary ingredients), service, location, wait and beverage lists.
