Cathedral of Pizza

The Sacrament

We went to dinner and afterwards decided to drive over and check out Una Pizza Napoletana. Everyone thought since we had just eaten dinner, we would just look at the place, I figured we would also get a pizza, I was correct. This is the most famous pizza in San Francisco. Its proprietor: A. W. Mangieri has a believe that all one needs to do in life is to “Do one thing good”. His one thing is: making the ultimate pizza.


His restaurant was originally in New York but the tattooed Pizza guy moved to San Francisco and reopened in the Mission.


His restaurant is like a church. You walk in and like an alter there is a steel railing, behind which is a marble topped table facing the door. Mangieri stands at the alter paying no attention to the people watching him as he prepares the pizza. He only makes about 80 pizzas a day, and when he runs out of pizza dough he closes up for the night. He will not modify the pizza, you can only select a pizza and he will make it as he desires. There are no appetizers or desserts, no salads or bread. There is only pizza and some liquid refreshments to go with them. Did I say no take out either?


The pizzas are wonderful, but I am sure a large element of the experience is just being in this cathedral to pizza and being among the few to enjoy them.


The following short movie was made at his New York restaurant before he moved to San Francisco.


Watch this 4 minute film to understand his passion.


NATURALLY RISEN from michael evans on Vimeo.