Restaurant
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Historic pizzeria run by the Condurro family, serving only marinara and margherita in a plain dining room on Via Cesare Sersale since 1930.
50 Kalò
Ciro Salvo's pizzeria in Mergellina, known for light, digestible dough and pizzas topped with a few seasonal ingredients from Campania producers.
At a glance
- Type
- Neapolitan pizza
- Area
- Mergellina, Naples, Italy
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- 50kalo.it
Good to know
- Wood-fired oven
- Seasonal toppings
Why we recommend it
50 Kalò is the pizzeria of Ciro Salvo, one of the most respected pizza makers of his generation, on Piazza Sannazaro in Mergellina, at the western end of the seafront. It opened in early 2014 in a venue that had been little changed since the late 1970s, which was given a contemporary refit. The restaurant's own tagline is the magic of lightness, and Salvo is often described as a master of dough: his pizzas are known for a soft, airy crust that is easy to digest.
The name comes from the old coded language of Neapolitan pizza makers, who paired numbers from the smorfia, the city's traditional dream-number book, with the Greek word kalò, meaning good. Saying 50 kalò was a way of praising a well-made pizza.
From the start Salvo's approach was that a pizza should carry no more than two or three ingredients, and only seasonal ones. Toppings are built around named producers from Campania: fior di latte from Agerola, buffalo mozzarella from the Caserta area, cheeses from artisan makers and extra virgin olive oil from the Sorrento peninsula. The wood-fired oven was built in the Neapolitan tradition. Ask the staff which seasonal pizzas are on that day. If you are with a group, ordering a few different pizzas to share is a good way to compare the classic and seasonal styles, and the margherita is the natural benchmark.
The pizzeria draws a mixed crowd of locals and visitors. Prices are moderate. Queues build up at peak times, particularly in the evening and at weekends, so arrive early or check the official website for current booking arrangements. Service is generally quick once you are seated.
It suits couples, groups of friends and families, and is a good choice if you want a top-level pizza without the crowds of Via dei Tribunali. It also fits neatly after a walk along the Lungomare, which ends nearby at Mergellina harbour. Mergellina station on metro Line 2 is a few minutes' walk away, and the Chiaia district's bars are a short taxi ride back towards the centre. Ciro Salvo has also taken the 50 Kalò name abroad, including to London, but this is the original.
50 Kalò FAQs
Who runs 50 Kalò?
Pizza maker Ciro Salvo, who opened it in 2014.
What does 50 Kalò mean?
It comes from the old coded speech of Neapolitan pizza makers, combining a smorfia number with kalò, Greek for good, to praise a good pizza.
What is special about the pizza?
A light, easily digestible dough and toppings limited to two or three seasonal ingredients.
Where is 50 Kalò?
At Piazza Sannazaro 201/b in Mergellina, near the end of the Lungomare.
Is it expensive?
Prices are moderate.
Is there a queue?
Often in the evenings and at weekends; arrive early.
How do I get there?
Mergellina station on metro Line 2 is a few minutes' walk away.
Who supplies the ingredients?
Named Campanian producers, including fior di latte from Agerola and buffalo mozzarella from the Caserta area.