This pizza joint is absolutely the best pizza you can get in Daejeon. I know I've mentioned some negatives about this place in the past but I hope they don't read this blog so they won't ban me. It's the only place in Daejeon that I can get my pizza fix. Really the best pizza this town has to offer. Not as good as d'Buzza in Seoul--and d'Buzza is a much better product--but the pizza at Nuovo Napoli is in the same ballpark. No one else in Daejeon offers a product this good. The next nearest pizza this good is Pizzaiolio in the Joongmun area of Cheongju and their pizza is just shy of this quality. Eat Me in Dunsan isn't even close to the pizza quality in Pizzaiolio, which makes them a distant follower to Nuovo Napoli. Distant, really distant. Like Daejeon to Singapore distant.

If you want pizza in Daejeon this really is the only place with a high-quality product.


A wood-fired brick oven. There are other places that have a wood-fired oven but they fail to get the results that Nuovo Napoli does. This is where it starts. Manage your oven well and the other things will fall into place if you are diligent.


Note the nice char on the crust of this Napolitana pizza. This is only possible when your oven is upwards of 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Capers, anchovies, and black olives. A simple classic that should be in every Italian style pizza restaurant. 15,200 won and worth it.

The sauce is simple, slightly acidic tomatoes, crushed with no noticeable pollutants. I love the simple things. If you look at the menu, they offer a margarita pizza with fresh mozzarella for 4000 thousand more won. A nice thing for purists. The San Marzano tomatoes are also a purist attraction (see what I did there?)


A negative: I ordered a Napolitano pizza and the server brought me the Italiano pizza. When I said this wasn't the Napolitana, the server said "Yes it is." Beata, one of the people running the place noticed the error and said it would be five minutes to knock out the correct pizza.






Negative: nasty glass of wine. Either that or it was corked. Staff noticed I didn't drink it. When asked how everything was I said "nasty glass of wine". Didn't stop me from paying for it. Do not order wine unless you're buying a bottle.

There are some pasta items on the menu so you can drag your heretical friends who do not like pizza (yes, there are people like that. I don't know any because I have excommunicated them all.) They (the pasta, not the excommunicated friends) are arranged on the menu by sauce, Korean style. There's a calzone on the menu that I haven't tried but I have only been here five or six times. Now that I have moved back to Daejeon, I'm sure I'll be there more often.




Nuovo Napoli

THE BEST PIZZA IN DAEJEON

Gungdong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon
Between Nonghyup Credit Union and Santa Claus on the street that divides Gungdong and Eoeundong. Across from the small police station.
042.322.9582

Open Tues-Sunday 11:30 a.m.~10:00 p.m.

Alcohol: bottle wine, limited booze, house wine if your palate was reamed by hydrochloric acid.

Price: $$$ ($~$$$$$)

Sound level: good for conversation but if it's full, the level increases dramatically.

Music: Non-offensive, light jazz. They seem to like Harry Connick.

Casual Dress

Kid friendly: two high chairs, so I guess they're ready for them.

Reservations: Yes, and recommended for peak hours or large parties.
Take out: They have spiffy boxes.

Visa/Mastercard accepted.