Sarchiapone in Turin, review: the most classic of Neapolitan pizzerias

The essence of this pizzeria lies in this ambiguity between mockery and threat, between Naples and the rest of Italy.

Located in the heart of San Salvario in Turin, a neighborhood where the food and wine offerings are overwhelming but evidently never sufficient, Sarchiapone's ambiance already contrasts with the Neapolitan term, and fortunately so: the decor is homey and informal—wooden chairs and marble tables—but clean, essential, and modern, free of that patina of fake old-fashionedness, of those frills like the 'nzerta d'aglio or the Totò posters that characterize so many wannabe Neapolitan establishments.

Sarchiapone, just beyond the pizza

The menu is minimal and unfussy: pizzas are divided into red, white, focaccia, and gourmet options, with prices ranging from €5 for a marinara to €12 for the more creative ones, with radicchio and gorgonzola with buffalo mozzarella being a real treat. The focus is on classics, which have the good sense to avoid the more elaborate toppings and are not overly elaborate. The most unusual specials of the day are also available.

The menu is even more stripped down to the bare minimum when it comes to traditional pizza accompaniments: appetizers are chiacchiere, fried pieces of dough, with three side dishes, followed by farinata and French fries (?). A small menu of six dishes is dedicated to celiacs, and seven very standard desserts round out the meal.

The drinks menu is still basic, but in this case it's a negative one: too bland in its brevity, it offers the usual industrial beers on tap and a single brewery (the local San Michele) with multiple labels as a craft alternative. The wine list isn't improved, with very few producers offered at a discounted price.

How to eat at Sarchiapone

The chiacchiere are four small triangles, cut from half a loaf of dough; the leavening and baking are very successful: airy on the inside, crispy and dry on the outside. The dough is rolled out on semolina (or granite) and it shows, but when fried, it's delightful because it imparts that delicate breading effect that's perfect. The accompanying ingredients, the classic trio of arugula, cherry tomatoes, and burrata, are fresh and well-balanced.

The pizzas, like many other items at the restaurant, seem Neapolitan at first glance: smaller than the plate, with a wide but shallow crust, and above all, a crispy bottom and a fairly thick center. Let's be clear, these characteristics aren't necessarily a bad thing. But specifically, the semolina dough and slower cooking leave the bottom a bit dry and sandy. And in some places, the thickness doesn't even allow for perfect cooking.

The toppings are excellent: the Gioia works like all revisited classic combinations; the basil cream blends seamlessly with the tomato sauce, but doesn't clash with it; the burrata, served whole and uncooked, flatters the whole thing. The dish of the day is incredibly delicious and rich: slices of Calabrian spianata and broccoli rabe are placed atop the sauce, while uncooked Tropea onions and the ever-present burrata stracciatella are added. It may seem overwhelming, but it isn't; the slice holds its weight, and the pan-Southern blend is truly compelling.

The bill, €17 per person, puts Sarchiapone in the low-to-medium price range. Digestion is fine, after some initial difficulty: but as usual, how much does the dough weigh, and how much does the ingredients weigh?

Opinion

Sarchiapone is a sarchiapone: not in the offensive sense of a big, stupid beast, but as an example of something that starts in Naples and becomes something else entirely. An indefinable object, which at times can even be disconcerting, but which ultimately becomes the protagonist of an entertaining story.

PRO

• The service is welcoming and fast, despite the rotation of customers at the tables.

AGAINST

• Forgettable drinks menu.