Giovanni Di Palma’s Award-Winning Eatery Has Garnered More Than 50 Accolades Since Opening in 2009 and is Still Going Strong
Antico Pizza Napaletana, Atlanta, GA
While the list of esteemed accolades continues to grow, the formula for Antico Pizza remains the same, and its place in the dining community continues to expand. Last year, Antico joined 10 Atlanta restaurants that were awarded MICHELIN’s Bib Gourmand status. Antico Pizza is not only a standout among restaurants in Atlanta, but it also is one of just 13 pizza restaurants in the United States and one of 25 in the world to earn the Bib Gourmand status.
“To be recognized in this elite selection of Atlanta restaurants is humbling,” says Di Palma. “We’re thrilled to be a part of this inaugural class of Atlanta restaurants in the MICHELIN Guide. As we celebrate Antico Pizza’s 15th year, we are excited to receive this new accolade as we continue to evolve.”
From the beginning, he stayed faithful to his family’s age-old pizza Napoletana recipe. The yeasty dough is prepared with finely milled 00 flour, just like in Naples; cheeses are flown in fresh from Italy each week; and he only uses imported San Marzano DOP tomatoes in his tangy red sauce, Sicilian sea salt and extra virgin olive oil. Each pizza is flash-baked for 90 seconds in 1,000-degree custom-built ovens crafted from ancient Santa Maria brick and volcanic rock from Mt. Vesuvius.
Antico created its original style of pizza and caused a nationwide trend. Over the last 15 years, Di Palma has won numerous “Best of” awards, obtained a special Italian certification and was named best pizza in the United States by the Festa Della Pizza in Naples in 2010. Since opening in 2009, the beloved pizza spot has gathered countless awards and recognitions including:
- Top in Class for United States, Festa Della Pizza in Salerno, 2010
- Critics’ Pick for Best Pizza, Creative Loafing, 2010, 2011
- Readers’ Pick for Best Pizza, Creative Loafing, 2010-2018
- #2 Best of Atlanta, Zagat, 2011
- Where to Eat and Drink in Atlanta, Bon Appetit, 2013
- 10 Best Pizza in the U.S., Business Insider, 2013
- Top 10 Pizzas in the U.S., Gayot, 2013
- Best Pizza in Atlanta, Huffington Post, 2014
- #1 Most Iconic Atlanta Pizzerias, Eater, 2014
- Readers’ Choice for Best Pizza, Atlanta Magazine, 2014
- Best. Ever. with Ted Allen – featured, Food Network, 2015
- #7 Best Pizza in the U.S., TripAdvisor, 2015
- Best Italian Style Pizza, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2015
- 12 New Pizza Classics, Food & Wine Magazine, 2015
- 10 Best Atlanta Restaurants, USA Today, 2016
- 50 Best Restaurants, Atlanta Magazine, 2017
- Best Pizza in 23 U.S. Cities, Zagat, 2017
- Where to Eat, Drink in Atlanta, Sports Illustrated, 2017
- The 101 Best Pizzas in America, The Daily Meal, 2019
- Best Pizza Place in Atlanta | Best of Atlanta, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2019
- The 10 Best Pizzerias in Atlanta, Serious Eats, 2019
- 9 Great New Pizza Places in Atlanta, Zagat, 2019
- # 3 Best Pizza Place in Atlanta | Best of Atlanta, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2020
- #4 Best Pizza in Atlanta, GA Followers, 2020
- The Best Pizza in Every State, Food & Wine Magazine, 2021
- Best Pizza in Atlanta, Thrillist, 2021
- Where to Eat Pizza in Atlanta, Creative Loafing, 2021
- Best Pizza in Atlanta, Access Atlanta, 2022
- Best Pizza in Atlanta, The Atlantan, 2023
- Best Pizza in Atlanta, Gayot, 2023
- Steak Shapiro’s Top 10 Pizzas (#2), Atlanta Eats, 2023
- Best Pizza in Atlanta, The Infatuation, 2023
- #2 Best of Atlanta Pizza, Secret Atlanta, 2023
- #3 Best Pizza in Atlanta, TimeOut, 2023
- #1 Best Pizza in Alpharetta, Rough Draft, 2023
- Top 10 Best Pizza in Atlanta, Culture Trip, 2023
- #16 Best Pizza in the Country, TimeOut, 2023
- #35 Best in the U.S.A., 50 Top Pizzas, 2023
- Top 17 Best in the Country, Gotham Magazine, 2023
- Top 100 Restaurants in Atlanta, Jezebel, 2023
- Best Pizza in Atlanta, Epicurious
- Best Pizza in Every State, Reader’s Digest, 2024
