An enduring legend, celebrated globally by pizza lovers, marks June 1889 as the birth month of the archetypal Pizza Margherita. This famous dish, characterized by its simple yet vibrant colors, was allegedly created as a culinary tribute to a visiting royal.
The story goes that the Royal Palace of Capodimonte commissioned the most renowned Neapolitan pizzaiolo (pizza maker), Raffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi, to prepare a special pizza in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy.
Espsito, recognizing the opportunity to honor the Queen and the newly unified Kingdom of Italy, sought to represent the colors of the Italian flag in his creation:
Red: Represented by tomato (specifically, San Marzano tomatoes).
White: Represented by mozzarella cheese (fior di latte).
Green: Represented by fresh basil leaves.
The Queen, delighted by the patriotic and delicious tribute, reportedly sent a note of thanks to Esposito. In honor of the royal recipient, the pizza was christened the Pizza Margherita.
While culinary historians debate the precise details of the pizza’s invention—simple pizzas with tomato, cheese, and basil existed before 1889—the story cemented the status of Pizzeria Brandi and the specific combination of ingredients.
Today, the Pizza Margherita remains the gold standard of Neapolitan pizza, protected by the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) certification, ensuring its original preparation and ingredients are maintained. It stands as a delicious, living symbol of both Italian unification and the genius of Neapolitan culinary tradition.
