The connection between a quintessentially Italian dish like pizza and Israeli terroir and flavors isn’t straightforward. Today, it’s possible to import almost any product and stay true to classic Italian flavors. But Oren Avni from Haifa’s NeoPolitan has a different goal: not just to make one of the best Neapolitan pizzas in the country, which he already does, but to connect it to the local region. He pairs each pizza with the best local olive oils from small producers, which are perfect for dipping the crust into. Meanwhile, the cheeses are sourced from local artisanal dairies like HaMachleva and Shirat Roim, and the wines and beers are come from nearby producers. 

Pizza Oven, Photo: Noam Preisman

Food journalist Rita Goldstein says: “The pizza at NeoPolitan is a lasting pleasure, with meticulously crafted sourdough that’s full of flavor yet light. Oren is self-taught and committed to maintaining the highest standards, paying attention to every detail — from the dough’s rise time to the exact number of seconds it spends in the oven. While the classics are always a safe bet, it’s worth trying the more unusual pizzas on offer like the seasonal corn and smoked pepper salsa pizza, Grana Padano and finger lime pizza, HaMachleva’s scamorza cheese and date pizza, or the local cheese and hot honey pizza.”