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It’s safe to say Australia knows a thing or two about great pizza. Earlier this year, several of our nation’s most traditional pizzerias claimed spots in the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific guide, with a Sydney favourite ranking third. Now, that very same spot has earned a place on the 50 Top Pizza World list, with its head chef crowned Pizza Maker of the Year. Way to represent!
The 50 Top Pizza Awards are essentially the Michelin Guide of the pizza world, with the rankings decided by nearly 1,000 anonymous, unpaid inspectors. Visiting each pizzeria at least twice a year, they evaluate far more than just the final taste, scoring everything from dough quality and ingredient sourcing to service and overall atmosphere.
In a shocking twist, the top two pizzerias for 2026 aren’t actually in Italy – aka the birthplace of pizza. First place went to London’s Napoli on the Road, followed by New York’s Una Pizza Napoletana in second.
Australia claimed two spots in the top 50 this year, led by Sydney’s Gigi’s Balmain in 16th place. Even more impressive, Gigi's head pizzaiolo, Daniel Semrani, snagged the esteemed title of Pizza Maker of the Year – beating out top chefs from all across the globe.
According to Semrani, who's been perfecting his craft for 16 years, the allure comes from what he's coined “Crunchy contemporary Neapolitan: a technique that sits between traditional Neapolitan and a more structured, high-crunch finish, while maintaining a soft, melting interior."
"At Gigi’s, we’ve been refining this process through fermentation, hydration and a unique baking method that challenges the traditional rules of Neapolitan pizza. The goal has always been to evolve the category while respecting its roots," he previously told Time Out.
Melbourne’s Shop225 also cracked the top 50, landing in 42nd place. This neighbourhood joint in Pascoe Vale South doesn’t just make exceptional pizza; it was the first pizzeria nationally to be gluten-free accredited by Coeliac Australia, and offers heaps of vegetarian options too.
We need to give one final shout-out to Melbourne institution 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar, which took out 79th place in the broader top 100 rankings. You can check out the full 50 Top Pizza guide here.
The world’s 20 best pizzerias in 2026:
- Napoli on the Road, London, England
- Una Pizza Napoletana, New York, USA
- Confine, Milan, Italy
- I Masanielli, Caserta, Italy
- Seu Pizza Illuminati, Rome, Italy
- Pizzeria Sei, Los Angeles, USA
- Tony's Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco, USA
- Leggera Pizza Napoletana, São Paulo, Brazil
- RistoPizza by Napoli sta ca, Tokyo, Japan
- Baldoria, Madrid, Spain
- Allería, Providencia, Chile
- Palazzo Petrucci Pizzeria, Naples, Italy
- I Tigli, San Bonifacio, Italy
- 50 Kalò, Naples, Italy
- Avenida Calò, Rome, Italy
- Gigi’s, Sydney, Australia
- Pizzardi Artigianale, Bogotá, Colombia
- Fiata, Hong Kong, China
- QT Pizza Bar, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dry Milano, Milan, Italy