What is the best pizza in Rouen?

Recently updated on July 6th, 2024 at 07:56 pm

If you are looking for the best pizza in Rouen, here you will find my selection of the best pizzas in Rouen. Why? Quite simply because I got my hands dirty by testing a number of pizzas (yes I know, it’s very brave of me).

First, let’s agree on the definition of an Italian pizza. You need a dough made by the pizza maker himself, a quality filling that favors short circuits, if possible, and cooking over a wood fire.
If you are in a hurry to know my favorite pizza in Rouen, go immediately to the chapter on Acqua et Farine (Acqua and Flour).

Where to eat a good pizza in Rouen?

My favorite pizzeria: Acqua et Farine (Water and Flour)

Located on the charming Pucelle square, Acqua et Farine offers pizzas and a few pasta dishes. Compared to other establishments, the menu is relatively short and details the ingredients of each dish (a good point!).

Here, the honor is given to modern pizzas. The Margherita is called Basilico. The rucola and Parma ham, the diavola (slightly spicy) and the gusto (4 cheeses) are among the most appetizing.

On the price side, we are on a quality pizzeria and which use good products therefore the prices oscillate between 11€ and 20# for a gourmet pizza.

My advice: the tiramisu with Pan di Spagna as a base, a sponge cake, which brings softness to this delicious Italian dessert.

4 bis Pucelle square, 76000 Rouen | www.acquaetfarine.com

An excellent alternative: Aux Gourmets d’Italie

Aux Gourmets d’Italie is an Italian delicatessen, but also a caterer, which offers quality and a variety of cold cuts, cheeses and fresh pasta.

On the pizza side, there are about twenty pizzas available. We find the classic Margherita with the particularity of the addition of capers, the Sebastiana combining a melted leek and melting mozzarella or the Pastorella: tomatoes, raw ham, parsley, ricotta and melting mozzarella.

Possibility of home delivery or take away.

15 Rue Rollon, 76000 Rouen | www.gourmetsditalie.com

The latest arrival: Italian Trattoria

Italian Trattoria is a brand of Italian restaurants that offers authentic family cuisine. It draws its inspiration from the Calabrian origins of its founders. Its particularity: products straight from Italy and fresh, homemade dishes.

On the pizza side, there are both classic pizzas such as margherita and marinara as well as modern pizzas such as diavola, 4 formaggi (4 cheeses)

22 Old Market Square, 76000 Rouen | it-trattoria.fr

Top Tip: Crunchy Mellow

Located on the picturesque Eau-de-Robec street, Crunchy Mellow offers pizzas and sandwiches. From classic pizzas like the Margherita or the spianita to the pizza by the slice (pizza al taglio), everything is homemade.
As for the price for pizzas, it varies between 3.5€ (pizza by the slice) to 15€ (whole pizza).

My good plan: download the Too good to go anti-food waste application and place an order to collect two slices of pizza in Rouen for only €4.

237 Eau de Robec street, 76000 Rouen | Instagram: crunchy_mellow_du_76

Pizzerias to try

I have written it. I have tested a number of Italian restaurants and pizzerias that sell pizzas in Rouen but I have not tested them all. This is why Bisou, with Margherita 2.0, Lolo & Zaza pizzeria and Papa Milano are on my list of places to try.

To complete my article and to allow everyone to find happiness for your taste buds, below you will find a list of pizzerias that deliver, those open on Sundays, those that offer halal and vegetarian pizzas and with the mentions “left bank », « right bank » to find the pizzeria closest to your home.

Which pizzeria offers pizza delivery in Rouen?

Here is a list of pizzerias that offer pizza delivery in Rouen, right bank and left bank combined.

• Bisou
• Crunchy Mellow
• Lolo & Zaza Pizzeria
• Pizza Délice

Bisou

6 Thomas Corneille street, 76000 Rouen | www.bisourouen.fr

Crunchy Mellow

237 Eau de Robec street, 76000 Rouen | Instagram : crunchy_mellow_du_76

Lolo & Zaza Pizzeria

45 Cauchoise street, 76000 Rouen | Instagram : Lolo & Zaza pizzeria

Pizza Délice

24 bis Jean Rondeaux avenue, 76100 Rouen | www.pizzadelicerouen.fr

Here is a list of pizzerias that offer pizza delivery in Rouen on Sundays

Bisou

6 Thomas Corneille street, 76000 Rouen | www.bisourouen.fr

Pizza Délice

24 bis Jean Rondeaux avenue, 76100 Rouen | www.pizzadelicerouen.fr

Here is a list of pizzerias that offer halal pizza delivery in Rouen

Fast pizza

7 Jean Lecanuet street, 76000 Rouen | www.fastpizzarouen.fr

La Piazza au feu de bois

2 bapeaume street 76000 Rouen | www.lapiazzafeudebois.fr

What does the word pizza mean?

This Italian dish dates back to Late Antiquity. The word “pizza” would have appeared in 997 in Gaeta, an Italian city located between Rome and Naples. Its origin is controversial: for some, the term comes from the German bizoo which means “piece of bread”, and for others, from the Greek pitta which means “fouace, pancake”.

Bizzo is a longobard word. Longobard refers to a Germanic language spoken by the Lombard people in northern Italy in the 6th century. The word Bizzo means piece of bread, bite, fouace (large bread in the shape of a crown).

Pitta, comes from the Greek language, means flatbread or puff pastry. This word pitta would have spread between the 7th and 9th centuries in the popular language of southern Italy dominated by the Byzantine Empire. Then, in the 10th century, the word evolves towards pizza which will designate various preparations of bakery or pastry.

It is this second hypothesis put forward by the German linguist Johannes Kramer which is today the most approved by historians concerning the origin of the word pizza.

How do you pronounce “pizza” in Italian?

Better than a long speech, the video below allows you to pronounce the word pizza like a real Italian.

And in the plural, the word pizza becomes pizze.

Where does pizza come from?

In Neolithic times, humans understood that by mixing crushed cereals with water and cooking them, it gave something edible and tasty to eat.
Then, thanks to the Egyptians, we discovered sourdough which, mixed with crushed cereals and water, after cooking, gave a kind of flat pancake similar to bread.

The ancient Romans, great cereal producers, already made discs of dough cooked in the ashes of the fireplace on which they placed all kinds of dishes, called mensés.

In the Middle Ages in Italy, we find the first document in which the word pizza appears. Its origin is controversial, for some the word comes from the Greek PITA which means focaccia, pancake, for others from the German bizzo, piece of bread or piece of bread, a name that the Lombards would have worn in Italy at the time of the invasions.

Once arrived in the 16th century in Naples, the word appears in the Neapolitan dialect designating a disc of dough slathered with olive oil and lard.

In the 17th century, when the tomato made its grand entrance into Italian and especially Neapolitan cuisine, pizza became, like pasta, a popular Neapolitan dish.
Simple, complete and nutritious, friendly and cheap, that you can buy on the street, that you can consider as street food.

Where was today’s Italian pizza born?

With the first counters and exchanges between countries, tomatoes and buffalo (whose milk is used to make mozzarella) arrive in Italy, more precisely in Naples. The Neapolitans are the first to cover their bread with tomatoes. Initially, this simple dish was sold in the streets of Naples and the pizzerias where this bread, baked in a wood-fired oven, was made, like a buttered ham would be in a bakery.

It was in 1780 that the first pizza in modern Italy was born, the pizza Margherita (bread, tomatoes, cheese), made by Raffaele Esposito in honor of Queen Margaret of Savoy who greatly appreciated his pizzas. This dish hitherto eaten in the street then acquired its letters of nobility, and has since continued to diversify.

Is there a different pizza for each region in Italy?

In the world, the most popular pizza is the margherita pizza which is of Neapolitan origin. It was created at the beginning of the year 1800 but was made famous on June 11, 1889 by Rafaele Esposito, who is the pizza maker who made it in tribute to the visit to Naples of Queen Margaret of Savoy. This pizza bears the colors of the Italian flag: the red of the tomato, the white of the mozzarella and the green of the basil.

But there are other regional schools of pizza in Italy, especially in Rome, there the pizza is thin and crispy called Schiocarella or pizza al taglio. In other words, “by the slice” because it is cut from a plate in individual format. In terms of consistency, it falls between a pizza and focaccia.

In Sicily, we find the sfincione, which is an old recipe for pizza dough, thick, soft, topped with tomato sauce, onions, cheeses and anchovies.

In Turin, the pizza al padellino, is a dough after having risen and matured, which is placed in an oiled frying pan of about 20 cm. We garnish it, put it in the oven and we get a pizza with quite crunchy edges and a thicker and softer base.

In Veneto, it is the homeland of gourmet pizza, born about twenty years ago, it is another vision of pizza that wants to renew the tradition that is characterized by different styles of pasta, prepared with artisanal flours, often made from ancient wheat with fillings made from highly sought-after, elaborate and top-of-the-range raw materials.

How do you recognize a real Neapolitan pizza?

The former Neapolitan pizzaiolo masters, faced with the development of the large fast food chains as well as the enormous diffusion and use, sometimes improper, of the name “vera pizza napoletana” (real Neapolitan pizza), decided to create an association, with a regulation, to defend and enhance the pizza, produced and worked according to the ancient Neapolitan traditions and uses.

In 1984, under the patronage of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts of Naples, the Association Per una Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) – For A Real Neapolitan Pizza – was born and established precise rules to define the real Neapolitan pizza : it must not exceed 34 centimeters in diameter which means that a “real” pizza is round.

According to the specifications of the verace pizza napoletana, in the center the dough is thin and must not exceed 0.4 millimeters in thickness with thick edges of about 1 to 2 cm and with a maximum diameter of 34 cm.

The crust should be golden and not burnt. It should taste and smell like bread just out of the oven. It should be soft to the touch and easy to fold into a wallet.

The ingredients must have a perfect visual and taste balance. The acidity of tomato, the sweetness of mozzarella, the fruitiness of olive oil and the herbaceousness of basil.

To this, we must take into account the seasonality of the ingredients.
The peak tomato season is in June, but you can find them on the shelves from May to September, with earlier and later varieties.
As for basil, its peak season begins in June and ends at the end of August.

Why is the pizza round?

Pizza is traditionally round because it makes it easier to prepare and cook. The circular shape allows the dough, sauce and ingredients to be evenly distributed over the surface of the pizza, allowing the ingredients to cook evenly. In addition, the round shape makes it easy to cut into equal parts for a fair distribution between the guests.

However, it is also possible to find square or rectangular pizzas in certain regions or for certain specific types of pizza. The shape of the pizza may vary depending on the local culinary tradition or the creativity of the pizza maker.

This is the case with Sicilian pizza. Rectangular in format and called the sfincione, this “pizza of the Palermitans” is a staple of Sicilian street-food. Softer than a pizza and better than a focaccia, the sfincione is halfway between the two.

How do you make a pizza?

The ingredients for a pizza are very simple: flour, water, yeast or natural sourdough and salt.
However, the quantity and above all the quality of the ingredients and the preparation technique will play a huge role in the result.

In general, for the Neapolitan pizza which is the most widespread, the yeast is dissolved in the water, it is added to the flour and then it is seasoned with salt.
After having kneaded to obtain a smooth, homogeneous, supple, slightly elastic and not sticky dough, it is fermented in 2 times.
First, on a work surface for a few hours.
Then, we cut small dough pieces of 250 grams and place them in a box so that they rest for a period of between 4 to 6 hours.

We spread the dough, then, with the hands, we exert pressure on the dough with the fingers to expel the air from the center of the circle of the dough towards the edges in order to form the famous pavement called in Italian the cornicione.

We garnish with the ingredients available and then we put the pizza in a wood-fired oven for cooking for about 1m30 minutes at 480 degrees.

What are the different types of pizza in Italy?

Traditional Italian Pizza

The Margherita Pizza

The Margherita pizza pays tribute to Queen Margherita di Savoia (Marguerite of Savoy) born in 1851 and died in 1926. This pizza is easily recognizable because it proudly wears the colors of the Italian flag: the white of the mozzarella, the red of the tomato and the green of the basil.

It consists of the following ingredients:

• San Marzano peeled tomatoes
• Mozzarella
• Granda padano, parmiggiano reggiano, pecoriro (optional)
• Basil leaves (after cooking + seasonality)
• Extra virgin olive oil (how to choose your olive oil?)

The Ripieno blanco pizza

A calzone white version of Naples. It consists of the following ingredients:

• Pork grattons (roughly detailed rillettes, made from bards, pieces of rind and lean.
• Neapolitan sausage (made with lean pork, chilli and spices)
• Ricotta
• Provola
• Extra virgin olive oil (how to choose your olive oil?)

The Capriocciosa pizza

The “capricious” has temperament and its composition evolves according to the ingredients available and the mood of the chef. It consists of the following ingredients:

• San Marzano peeled tomatoes
• Garlic (optional)
• Fior di latte
• Slices of cooked ham
• Mushrooms
• Artichokes
• Parmigiano Reggiano
• Basil (after cooking + seasonality)
• Extra virgin olive oil (how to choose your olive oil?)

The Marinara Pizza

The Marinara pizza, alias “the sailor” in reference to the Neapolitan sailors, is, with the Margherita pizza, one of the two authentic pizza variants recognized in Naples by the specifications of the “Verace Pizza Napoletana” association.

San Marzano peeled tomatoes
Garlic (optional)
Fior di latte
Slices of cooked ham
Mushrooms
Artichokes
Parmigiano Reggiano
Basicil (after cooking)
Extra virgin olive oil (how to choose your olive oil?)

The Mastunicola pizza

The Mastunicola pizza is the ancestor of the Neapolitan pizza and seems to date back to the 16th century. At that time, it was a disc of pasta seasoned with lard, pepper, grated cheese and basil. This is what we define today as a white pizza, without tomato or mozzarella.

Modern pizzas

The Vegetarian pizza

Pizza vegetariana as its name suggests is vegetarian. It consists of the following ingredients:

• San Marzano peeled tomatoes
• Fior di latte
• Mushrooms
• Artichokes
• Granda padano, pecorino, parmiggiano reggiano
• Eggplants (after cooking)
• Zucchini (after cooking)
• Basil (after cooking)

The Acciughe or Romana pizza

Acciughe pizza is perfect for those who love anchovies. It consists of the following ingredients:

• San Marzano peeled tomatoes
• Piennolo tomatoes from Vesuvius
• Anchovies (after cooking)
• Oregano
• Garlic
• Black olives (optional)

The Diavola pizza

The devil pizza! This Diavola pizza will not leave you indifferent with its spicy and spicy sides. It consists of the following ingredients:

• San Marzano peeled tomatoes
• Spicy salami (Neapolitan salame or Calabrian spianata)
• Fior di latte
• Pepper
• Grana padano, parmiggiano reggiano, pecorino
• Basil (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil (how to choose your olive oil?)

Quattro formaggi pizza

Ah, the 4-cheese pizza, one of the most delicious and popular in the pizza family. It consists of the following ingredients:

• Ricotta
• Gorgonzola
• Smoked Provola
• Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino
• Extra virgin olive oil (how to choose your olive oil?)

The Rucola Pizza

Rucola means arugula, it is the key element of this pizza. It consists of the following ingredients:

• Fior di latte
• Mozzarella di buffalo (after cooking)
• Cherry tomatoes (after cooking)
• Arugula (after cooking)
• Parmigiano Reggiano (after cooking)

What are the different types of pizza in the world?

You can easily imagine that the other types of pizza in the world are all, or almost all, from Italian immigrants who settled in the United States at the end of the 19th century. Philadelphia, Chicago and New York were the first American cities to discover the flavors of Neapolitan pizza. Over time, Neapolitan pizza has adapted to American tastes. And this is how new pizzas will be born like the Chicago deep-dish from the Neapolitan pizza. Below, I list the main pizzas that have emerged around the world.

The New York pizza

The New York pizza is easily recognized by its round shape and large size. Its crust is thinner than other American pizzas. Tomato sauce and mozzarella are often accompanied by pepperoni. Dried oregano, garlic powder and grated parmesan cheese are also common condiments.

The Chicago deep dish

The Chicago deep-dish pizza is characterized by a thick and gourmet crust (I can already see the gourmands drooling hehehe). This pizza takes its name from the deep oven dish used to prepare it. But the main feature that makes this pizza really special is the order you follow to top it.

First there is a layer of cheese and then comes the tomato sauce that covers the mozzarella. Its dough is often made with cornmeal, hence its unique texture. Deliciousness guaranteed!

The Greek pizza

The Greek pizza, as you might have guessed, features Hellenic ingredients: feta cheese, Kalamata olives, red onions, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, oregano and olive oil. olive.

You could almost say it’s a Greek salad on a pizza dough. In this regard, the base of the pizza is made with a traditional leavened dough.

The Detroit pizza

The Detroit pizza is characterized by its square shape which resembles a focaccia. The cheese is put directly on the base of the pizza and the sauce is added afterwards. Its square shape comes from the fact that originally metal drip trays recovered from car factories were used to cook pizzas.

This pizza is baked in the oven until the cheese is almost charred around the edges and the base is very, very crispy.

The Buffalo-style pizza

The Buffalo style pizza is arguably the furthest from Neapolitan pizza. For Italian food purists, read no further.

The Buffalo style pizza consists of a Buffalo sauce (a spicy and vinegary American sauce with multiple ingredients) with lots of cheese and pieces of chicken breast. In terms of taste, this pizza is ultra-gourmet and stringy. We are close to porn-food!

What are the ingredients of a margherita pizza?

Do you want to know everything about the pizza star or do you want to cook for a homemade pizza. You only need 4 elements to make a margherita pizza: dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil!

The pizza dough

Pizza dough ingredients

• W260 type 00 or type 45 wheat flour
• Spring water (less calcareous than tap water)
• Fresh baker’s yeast
• Salt

What flour for pizza dough?

The quality and properties of the flour will greatly affect the final result of the pizza. Flour type 00 W260 or type 45.

Which spring water for pizza dough?

Spring water that is less calcareous and chlorine-free than tap water is ideal for preparing pizza dough.

Which baker’s yeast for pizza dough?

Liquid, fresh or dry, yeast is a key element for successful pizza dough. The ideal is fresh baker’s yeast. If you make your own pizza, I recommend buying some directly from your neighborhood baker. 10 grams will be enough to rise your pizza dough. You can always take more to make a foccacia.

What salt for pizza dough?

Salt, nicknamed “white gold”, is of vital importance in pizza dough. Sea salt is recommended to add more flavor to your pizza dough. If the subject interests you, I invite you to read the article Salt and its effects in dough.

Preparing the pizza dough

Follow step by step (up to 2 minutes 33), the preparation of the pizza dough according to the Neapolitan Alba Pezone, author of Italian cookbooks and founder of the Word in Cucina School.

Pizza dough, bread dough or both?

Pizza dough is a type of bread dough used to create pizza. The manufacture of these two doughs are very similar therefore bread dough and pizza dough are interchangeable to make a pizza.

Tomato sauce

Whether homemade or bought ready-made, your tomato sauce is the base of the pizza. Here, we will leave aside the homemade sauce to focus on the tomato sauce in a jar. The San Marzano tomato, red and elongated, from Campania in Italy will be your preference in order to have a tasty passata (sauce).

Mozzarella

Buffalo milk mozzarella (mozzarella di bufala) is the most recommended for the taste it brings to pizza. How to recognize it? The head of the buffalo and the red and gold label are printed on the packaging.

The Basil

Basil is an aromatic herb that brings a fresh, slightly minty flavor to pizza. The Grand Vert Basil is a very good choice to bring its flavor to the pizza. Moreover, it is also used in the preparation of pesto.

Where to buy Italian products in Rouen?

If you have already tasted each pizza in Rouen one by one and want to put yourself in the shoes of a Neapolitan pizza maker to make your own pizza, you are going to need Italian products.

For this, nothing like going to an Italian grocery store. I have selected 3 for you:

To the Gourmets of Italy

15 Rollon street, 76000 Rouen | www.ollca.com

Papa Milano – Palais de Justice

55-9 Massacre street, 76000 Rouen | Facebook

La Petite Épicerie

9 Massacre street, 76000 Rouen | Facebook

In conclusion, Rouen is a city that offers a multitude of choices for enjoying delicious pizzas. Whether you prefer thin and crispy or thick and chewy crust, there is sure to be a pizzeria that will satisfy your taste buds.

Among the many options available, some addresses particularly stand out by offering fresh, quality ingredients, traditional cooking methods and original recipes.

For my part, Acqua et farine (Acqua and flour) does the job on the pizza side. However, I dream that one of our merchants will be able to offer, one day, the real Neapolitan pizza by being affiliated with the Association Per una Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN).

However, if you change your mind at the last minute and want something other than pizza, you can consult my list of the best restaurants in Rouen in 2023 which can be found here.

In the comments, I invite you to share your good addresses, whether in Rouen, around Rouen or elsewhere in France or even beyond. Also, if you know a good pizza truck in Rouen that cooks its pizzas over a wood fire, I’m interested too. As a lover of Italian cuisine, I like to discover new addresses. Buon appetito!