Singapore’s Evolving Pizza Scene

I’ve been following the pizza scene in Singapore even before L’Operetta managed to get its Vera Pizza Napoletana accreditation. Back then, the pizza trend was still thin and crispy and the first waves of the Neapolitan tsunami had just reached our shores. In those days, spotting a bona fide Italian wood-fired oven was a novelty. Operators even had to import their own firewood since it couldn’t be sourced locally!

Today, every self-respecting pizzeria is doing Neapolitan. In fact, we have already progressed beyond Neapolitan to Neo-Neapolitan. Now that a pillowy, leopard-spotted crust is the norm, pizzaioli are starting to modify their dough recipes to develop their own signature style. Nobody is chasing a Vera Pizza Napoletana accreditation anymore.

The focus has also shifted away from the crust. Italian pizza flour and a long fermentation with a mother starter is almost a given now at any pizzeria claiming to serve authentic Napoletana. If you study the pizzas making the Asia Top 50 list, the focus is shifting to more innovative toppings. At least that’s what I observed having tried Asia’s top-ranked Pizza Bar on 38th in Tokyo last year, as well as La Bottega Enoteca and Fortuna right here in Singapore.