Cape Town - Cape Town’s Ferdinando’s serves South Africa’s favourite pizza, according to diners who voted the establishment into top spot in this year’s Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge.
The colourful and quirky Observatory-based restaurant, run by Italian Diego Milesi, initially with his late partner Kiki Bisogno, beat out strong competition to take the title.
In second place was Joburg favourite Gino’s in Robertsham, owned by Gino Mazza and last year’s winner, while Enzo Pizzeria Trattoria in Scottburgh made it into 5th position, the first KwaZulu-Natal establishment to achieve a Top 10 ranking.
Mazza’s second operation in Stellenbosch, with brother Dom at the helm, was in fourth spot while restaurateur sisters Cristina De Almeida and Claudia Lau both made the Top 10.
De Almeida’s Edenvale establishment Piccola Rossa came in at 8th position and Lau’s Osteria Rossa in Bedfordview achieved 9th spot.
One of Ferdinando’s best-selling pizzas is their Classic Diavola - spicy Italian salami on a Margarita base while their signature pizza is the Turbanite, with a topping of grilled baby marrow, home-made caramelised onion jam and feta. Lynton Kaiser of Porcupine Ridge said: “We are thrilled that both the South African pizza-loving public and pizza-serving establishments continue to embrace the Pizzeria Challenge.
“Everyone has their local favourite pizza spot and this just gives patrons the chance to make their support known.”
As winners, Ferdinando’s receives a Winner’s Paddle, Porcupine Ridge wine for a year and promotional materials to the value of R25 000.
The Top 10 in the Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge 2022 are:
Ferdinando’s (Observatory, Cape Town)
Gino’s (Robertsham, Johannesburg)
Bardelli’s (Kenilworth, Cape Town)
Gino’s (Stellenbosch)
Enzo Pizzeria Trattoria (Scottburgh)
Caspita (George)
Lucio’s Pizzeria (Northcliff, Johannesburg)
Piccola Rossa (Edenvale, Johannesburg)
Osteria Rossa (Bedfordview, Johannesburg)
Izzeria (Brooklyn, Pretoria)
Cape Times