North Korea's first pizzeria opened in 2009 in which capital city?

North Korea’s first pizzeria opened in Pyongyang, the country’s capital, in 2009.

The restaurant was described in contemporary reports as the country’s first Italian restaurant or pizzeria. Its opening followed years of preparation associated with Kim Jong Il’s interest in introducing foreign dishes. North Korean cooks reportedly received training connected with Italian pizza-making, while ingredients such as flour, butter and cheese were imported for the restaurant.

The date can cause confusion because reports published in 2009 said the restaurant had opened in December of the previous year. The quiz’s year refers to the widely reported 2009 news coverage, while the city remains unambiguous: Pyongyang.

This was not an ordinary mass-market restaurant. Reports portrayed it as an expensive destination mainly accessible to Pyongyang’s elite, a sharp contrast with the food insecurity affecting much of the country. Seoul is South Korea’s capital, Beijing is China’s, and Hanoi is Vietnam’s.