Which Naples pizzeria is widely believed to be the world's first pizzeria?

The Naples pizzeria widely believed to be the world’s first is Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba.

Its origins reach back to 1738, when it operated as a stand serving pizza to peddlers and passersby. In 1830, it became a full restaurant with tables at Via Port’Alba 18 in Naples. That distinction matters: pizza existed before then, but Port’Alba is often credited as the first dedicated pizzeria still operating in recognizable restaurant form.

The establishment replaced street sellers who baked pizzas in wood-fired ovens and carried them through Naples. Its early customers included artists, students, and other people with limited money. A famous payment custom called pizza a otto allowed customers to pay as much as eight days later, reflecting the food’s role as an inexpensive meal.

The wording “widely believed” is important because claims about the first pizzeria depend on how a pizzeria is defined. Pizzeria Brandi, Da Michele, and Lombardi’s are historically famous, but they do not fit this particular first-pizzeria claim as well as Port’Alba.