First established in 1738 as a stand for peddlers, Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba was opened in 1830 in the town center at Via Port'Alba 18. The restaurant replaced street vendors who would make pizza in wood-fired ovens and bring it onto the street, keeping it warm in small tin stoves they balanced on their head.
It soon became a prominent meeting place for men in the street. Most patrons were artists, students, or others with very little money, so the pizzas made were generally simple, with toppings such as oil and garlic. A payment system, called pizza a otto, was developed that allowed customers to pay up to eight days after their meal.
Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba is still in business today, located between a number of bookstores. It is widely believed to be the world's first pizzeria.
Since it first opened in 1830, the pizzeria’s ovens have been lined with lava rock brought from Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that looms over Naples. From its formation, the business has been run traditionally by the Luciano family.
Sources:
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/06/29/opened-in-1830-pizzeria-portalba-holds-the-honor-of-being-the-worlds-first-pizzeria/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antica_Pizzeria_Port%27Alba
Picture 1: https://www.yelp.com/biz/antica-pizzeria-portalba-napoli
Picture 2: http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2012/11/antica-pizzeria-portalba.html
Picture 3: https://bluenosetraveler.wordpress.com/2014/12/26/naples-in-24-hours-the-pizzas/
PART 2
