Gusta Pizza

Florence, Italy (The Joy of Food) — Florence is a city with countless wonders, but remarkable pizza isn’t one of them. 

Unless you’re familiar with the regional cuisines of Italy, you may not know that the food known as ‘pizza’ generally struggles to find its footing north of Rome. No one arrives (or should arrive) in northern-area cities such as Milan, Venice, Florence, and Bologna looking for the best pizza they’ll ever have. Stick with Rome, Naples, and Sicily for the wonderful varieties born in those regions, where they continue to be made traditionally and affordably.

Of course, there is an exception to every rule, and in this case, it’s Gusta Pizza, serving Neapolitan pizza in the heart of Florence of the quality, taste, and texture you’d find in the city of Naples. 

Located south of the Arno River, Gusta is slightly off the beaten tourist track in the Oltrarno area, but is no less busy thanks to years of loyal patronage, word-of-mouth recommendations, and some well-earned publicity. 

The menu is small, but mighty, and working your way through most or all of it is one of the best things you could do with your time in Florence. 

The namesake Gustapizza is basically a salad on a perfectly blistered dough base, one that comes with sweet cherry tomatoes, peppery arugula, creamy mozzarella, and a sprinkle of parmgiano for umami flavor. The fresh ingredients raise the bar for the presence of green things on a pizza. 

The Calabrese comes topped with pomodoro, basil, mozzarella, and enough spicy salami to make your eyes water. This meat-eater’s pizza will hit the spot with anyone who likes their food with a bit of kick. 

The Margherita with pomodoro, mozzarella, parmigiano, basil, and olive oil is first-rate. Every element is on point, from the fragrant sauce to the tangy buffalo mozzarella to the slightly charred bits that intermingle with the dough’s yeasty scent and flavor. If you’re from Naples, this pizza is like coming home.

‘Gusta’ is the second person singular (tu) imperative form of the Italian verb ‘gustare’ meaning ‘to enjoy,’ which is a sure thing here. Thanks to the Maruca brothers who run the place  — Maurizio, Roberto, and Pasquale — lunch or dinner will be pizza and a show. Inside, the wood-fired stone oven where they produce 700+ pizzas a day takes over the majority of space. The dough for each pizza is pressed out, flung high almost to the ceiling, and then placed in the oven once toppings are added. 

If you dine-in, it’s tradition to write a little note on your order receipt and slip it under the glass table tops for future pizza eaters to read. Tables are repurposed from old wine barrels, and seating turns over quickly in the tiny place. If you manage to get a spot, you’ll want to eke out some space with your elbows and knock back your pizza in seconds, which is about the time it takes to cook it.

Those in the know, however, take their pizza to-go and eat it out of the box on the steps of the nearby Basilica di Santo Spirito, all for the bargain-basement price of €5 – €8 per pizza. Help this down with an entire bottle of wine right on the church steps for the most impeccable of meals. Only in Italy, kids, only in Italy.

One thing they do here that they don’t do in Naples: they’ll make your pizza in the shape of a heart on request. Corny at its best — and most delicious.

Note that Gusta follows a typical Italian business schedule with separate lunch and dinner openings and siesta time in between. I’ve never not seen this place mobbed, so go early for either shift.

Written by Joy

Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.

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