A Port Moody restaurant has once again been recognized among the best places in the world outside Italy to enjoy authentic Neapolitan pizza.
Pizzeria Spacca Napoli has been named Canada’s highest-ranked pizzeria in the latest international guide published by Gambero Rosso, one of Italy’s most influential food and wine organizations. The recognition marks the third consecutive year the restaurant has appeared in the guide.
Founded in 1986, Rome-based Gambero Rosso is widely regarded as one of Italy’s leading authorities on food, wine and travel. Its restaurant and pizzeria guides are considered among the most respected culinary rankings in Italy and internationally, evaluating establishments on factors such as authenticity, ingredients, technique and overall dining experience. The organization is perhaps best known for its annual guides to Italian restaurants, wines and pizzerias, including its coveted “Spicchi” ratings for pizza establishments.
Spacca Napoli first made Canadian pizza history in 2024 when it became the country’s first pizzeria to receive Gambero Rosso’s highest “Tre Spicchi” (Three Slices) designation. The restaurant remains the highest-ranked pizzeria in Canada in the guide.
“To be recognized for three years running by the people who wrote the book on Italian pizza is an incredible honour,” said Vita Di Giovanni, general manager of Pizzeria Spacca Napoli. “We are proud, we are grateful, and we are not slowing down.”
Located on St. Johns Street in Port Moody, the restaurant has built its reputation around traditional Neapolitan pizza-making techniques. Its pizzas feature imported Italian ingredients, slow-fermented dough and are baked in a wood-fired oven. Head chef Stefano Speranza leads a team of pizzaioli trained in the Neapolitan tradition.
The restaurant opened in 2016 and has become a destination for pizza enthusiasts throughout Metro Vancouver and beyond. Its recognition by Gambero Rosso places it among a select group of pizzerias worldwide recognized for maintaining traditional Italian standards outside their country of origin.
The award was presented in May during a ceremony attended by Di Giovanni and Speranza, who accepted the recognition on behalf of the restaurant.
The latest honour adds to a growing list of accolades for the Port Moody establishment and further highlights British Columbia’s increasingly diverse culinary landscape, where locally based restaurants continue to earn recognition on the international stage.
