TOKYO – Crosta Pizzeria in Makati, Philippines clinches the second position in the annual 50 Top Pizza ranking in the Asia-Pacific category, solidifying its status as the best pizzeria in the country. a mano, another establishment from the same city, secures a respectable 12th place, and Wild Flour Italian in Taguig City lands at the 47th position.
Japanese-Filipino Yuichi Abellare Ito, who is the head chef of Crosta, is honored with the Pizza Maker of the Year 2024 – Ferrarelle Award. He served for several years at The Pizza Bar on 38th in Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo, the guide’s frontrunner this year, before his stint at this pizzeria located within Salcedo Village.
“We were not expecting so much. We’re just a small pizzeria in Manila, Philippines,” Ito said during the awards ceremony at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura on Monday.
Amado Fores’ a mano also received the Best Pasta Proposal 2024 – Pastificio Di Martino Award.
Crosta and a mano along with the other pizzerias in the top 13 are automatically in the running for this year’s top 100 Best Pizzerias in the World, which will be announced at the Teatro Mercadante in Naples on Sept. 10.
Japan leads the awards tally with 13 restaurants, followed by Australia with 10 and Thailand with five. It is the first time for Azerbaijan and Vietnam, with one pizzeria each. Tokyo has been confirmed as the capital of quality pizza in the region with nine pizzerias present in the guide this year.
50 Top Pizza is the most influential guide in the pizza sector created and curated by Barbara Guerra, Luciano Pignataro and Albert Sapere.
“The Asia-Pacific guide, now in its third edition, always gives us so much insight and we have also witnessed a significant rise in the overall level of quality. In fact, we estimate that next year the guide will be even larger, with at least one hundred pizzerias reviewed in this area,” they said.
For additional details about 50 Top Pizza, please visit the website. - Florenda Corpuz
