After the Fierucola market, Robin and Irene were so excited to take me to their favorite pizza place in Firenze. They even called ahead to make sure we could get a table. The reason why they love this place so much is because their crust is sourdough and whole grain, while the toppings are all sourced from local farmers. Okay, yes, I like what I’m hearing. The one odd thing to me was that this pizza place was not only their favorite in Firenze, but also in Milano, where they first experienced this amazing pizza. The name of the restaurant is Berberè, and it’s a chain restaurant, which is incredibly uncommon in Italy. Robin and Irene said that chain restaurants don’t really exist outside of fast food, which I wasn’t surprised by, maybe it’s a stereotype, but when I imagine Italy I think of a small, cozy restaurant that has been owned by the same family for generations and the have a secret pasta recipe, or something like that.
Berberè first opened in 2010 in Castel Maggiore and over the past eight years they have opened a restaurant in Bologna, Florence, Turin, Milan, Rome, Verona, and became international in 2017 when they opened up shop in London. They are passionate about exploring traditional ways of bread making, sourcing local ingredients, and progressing the deliciousness of pizza that one thinks of when they think of Italy by enhancing the quality.
Irene was telling me how there are so many small pizza shops throughout Italy that are terrible, she likes how fluffy the crust is compared to the flat, flavorless white crust that is very commonly found throughout the country. I can attest to this statement, having had a very disappointing pizza in a small village outside of Lucca. Berberè’s pizza was outstanding, the dough was so flavorful, and they also offered very interesting toppings, such as puréed peas as a substitute for tomato sauce.
Additionally, Berberè’s locations are all in historic districts, where the architecture is very unique and beautiful. They hire the same artist to paint illustrations on the walls, which incorporate the building’s structure into the art pieces. The importance of aesthetics cannot be denied when creating a pleasurable dining experience, and again Berberè gets it right. They have some “literature” made by artists that you can pick up on your way out as well.
If you’re ever visiting one of these cities in Italy and craving pizza, I recommend going to Berberè. Don’t let the fact that it’s a chain concern you because it’s not like an American chain at all. Yet another example of something I would like to see adopted in the United States, in a country where chain restaurants are a part of our culture, why shouldn’t there be chains that think about locally sourced ingredients and incorporating cultural traditions?