Discover the best pizza in Milan

The first Neapolitan pizzerias opened in Milan in the late 1940s and 1950s, run by families who migrated north from Naples looking for industrial work. Pizza was treated as a southern Italian curiosity for years before it became part of Milan's everyday food culture.

The highest density of well-regarded pizzerias is in Brera, Navigli, Porta Romana, Isola, and Porta Venezia. The area immediately around the Duomo and Galleria has famous-name outposts but is generally more expensive and more touristed than the surrounding districts.

More than any other Italian city. Neapolitan is the most common. The local speciality is contemporary pizza, a high-hydration evolution of Neapolitan that Milan pioneered in the 2010s. You will also find pizza al padellino from Turin, Roman pizza al taglio sold by weight, and pinsa from Lazio.

Contemporary pizza ("pizza contemporanea") is a style developed in Milan and northern Italy in the 2010s. The dough is hydrated to around 75 to 80 percent, fermented for 48 to 72 hours, and baked to a taller and lighter cornicione than classic Neapolitan. Toppings lean seasonal and ingredient-driven, often added after the bake. Milan's best contemporanea rooms like Lievità and Giolina have perfected the style over the last decade.

Expect €8 to €12 for a classic Margherita at a neighbourhood pizzeria, €13 to €20 at a contemporary or gourmet pizzeria, and €4 to €8 per portion of pizza al taglio sold by weight. Milan is more expensive than southern Italian cities for the same style of pizza. Fine-dining pizza rooms like Confine push well above this range.

Yes, for dinner at the better contemporary and gourmet places. Friday and Saturday nights routinely have 45 to 60 minute walk-in waits across Brera, Navigli, and Porta Romana. Lunch and weekday evenings are usually fine without a reservation. The best rooms in Milan like Confine and Vincenzo Capuano book out a week ahead.

The streets around the Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele have several famous-name pizzerias, including Milan branches of historic Naples houses. They are convenient but among the most expensive in the city. For better value, walk ten minutes to Brera to the north or Porta Romana to the south.

Most contemporary pizzerias offer a gluten-free base on request, usually with a small surcharge. A growing number of dedicated gluten-free pizzerias also operate in Porta Venezia and Navigli. Check the venue page on OpenPizzaMap for current dietary options.

Pizza al taglio ("by the cut") is rectangular pizza baked in long pans, sliced to order, and sold by weight. It originated in Rome but is now common across Milan, especially in Brera, Porta Romana, and the area around Stazione Centrale. It is the standard quick lunch option.

Pizzeria kitchens in Milan generally close between 23:00 and midnight. A handful of late-night spots in Navigli and around Corso Como serve pizza until 01:00 or 02:00 on weekends, often as part of a bar or aperitivo concept. Outside of those areas, after-midnight pizza is rare.