There’s something magnetic about the ritual of sharing a pizza at a communal table. The crisp crackle of the crust, the aroma that fills the air, and that culinary certainty that here, the ingredients are treated with an almost artisanal devotion. That daily connection between the ovens and the neighbors has just received the highest international recognition, confirming that the art of making pizza here is truly exceptional.
The renowned 50 Top Pizza guide has published its new list of the best pizzerias in Europe—a ranking that excludes Italian establishments—based on a meticulous system of anonymous inspections. The competition has selected seven establishments from across the country, placing the venues in Barcelona and Catalonia in a position of absolute privilege and securing them a direct spot in the grand finale of the world’s top 100 pizzerias, to be held on September 15 in Naples.
Barcelona’s Pizza Pride
The Catalan capital once again demonstrates its culinary prowess by placing two of its leading names among the continent’s elite. The great local triumph comes from Sartoria Panatieri, which has secured a spectacular fifth-place finish on the list. With this result, it enters the coveted European top 10 and makes Spain, alongside the United Kingdom, the only country with two entries at the very top of the rankings.
Barcelona’s success is further cemented a bit lower on the list thanks to Balmesina, which secures a commendable seventeenth spot. Its presence on this list reaffirms the strength of the city’s culinary scene, where Italian haute cuisine has become a natural and everyday language for local diners.
The Great Rural Surprise of La Garrotxa
The Catalan representation in this edition has an ace up its sleeve outside the big city. At number 39 on the list is Gasparic, a restaurant located in Santa Pau (Girona), a small town of just 1,500 residents that has managed to place its name alongside those of major European capitals. The restaurant, making its debut on this list, had previously been recognized by The Best Pizza Awards.
At the helm of this project is pizzaiolo Eloi Torrent, who is committed to offering a unique experience shaped by the identity of the Garrotxa region. His signature style is the “padellino” format and the double-cooking technique (fried and baked). The menu features traditional options like the Margherita for 13 euros, innovative creations such as the double-cooked Melanzane for 21 euros, and his most exclusive offering, the Palamós shrimp padellino for 39 euros.
The rest of the national winners
Although the European list is topped for the third consecutive year by London’s Napoli on the Road, the rest of the Spanish entries round out a first-rate culinary map. Second place on the European podium went to Madrid’s Baldoria, which climbed six spots and is officially crowned the best pizzeria in Spain. The Spanish capital also adds Fratelli Figurato to the list in eleventh place.
The northern part of the peninsula is also making its mark on the international stage. In Santiago de Compostela, the pizzeria Oura debuts in 14th place—a project by Julio Gómez that cooks under the motto “conscious pizza, roots without folklore, and tradition without nostalgia, ” using local ingredients such as Celtic pork, Burela bonito, and Padrón peppers, with options ranging from its 12-euro margarita to tasting menus priced at 35 and 50 euros. Finally, the Bilbao-based Demaio rounds out the impressive national showing by securing the 16th spot in the rankings.
