Nomad in Italy: Pizza nirvana
Stalin Bedon and Tom Grim, who own the Nomad Pizza Co. shops near South Street and in Hopewell, N.J., closed down, packed up, and flew themselves and longtime staff to Italy for a 10-day eating excursion. It's all about pizza. "We think it is important that our staff gets a taste of the food culture and have a point of reference for pizza," said Grim.
Nomad in Italy: Pizza nirvana
Stalin Bedon and Tom Grim, who own the Nomad Pizza Co. shops near South Street and in Hopewell, N.J., closed down, packed up, and flew themselves and longtime staff to Italy for a 10-day eating excursion. It's all about pizza. "We think it is important that our staff gets a taste of the food culture and have a point of reference for pizza," said Grim.
Today's entry is by Grim.
Day 5. Our group went to what is considered by many to be the best pizza in Naples, Pizzeria Sorbillo.
It is a very busy, very hectic place. You are there to have your pizza - not linger. Have your pizza and please make way for the waiting throngs of customers. The crust is soft, the tomatoes are perfect and the mozzarella is sweet and delicious.
We have Italian customers that often compare our pizza to Sorbillo. It is an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence.
Half of our group headed back to Rome as planned. The rest were having such a good time they decided to stay in Naples an extra day. They made friends with locals and had a rooftop lunch where they could see Mount Vesuvius and the sea. They went to a catacomb and toured Naples.
Da Michele is one of the most celebrated pizzerias in the world. It is the pizzeria featured in Eat, Pray, Love where Julia Roberts had pizza in Naples. After that book and movie it was impossible to get a seat. Their menu may be the smallest of any pizzeria, They offer two pizzas. Cheese or NO cheese and drinks. That's it. No salad, no appetizers, Just two kinds of pizza. I admire the simplicity and excellence. Could a pizzeria in America offer pizza and NO toppings? The concept is very appealing.
Tomorrow we will be visiting Forno pizza and Da Baffetto in Rome.
Catch up on the trip
Part 1 is here
Part 2 is here
Part 3 is here
Part 4 is here
Part 5 is here
Part 6 is here
Part 7 is here
Part 8 is here
Comment removed.- Let's see: successful business does market research and rewards long-term staff while doing so. Oh, and keeps their brand in the public eye with free advertising disguised as news articles. Yep, sure sounds like they're just throwing their money away.
- Nomad is over-rated. The best pizzas are made by Pietros on 2nd and South, and Randazzos pizza on 18th and South. Randazzos has the best cheese, cheese steak, and buffalo chicken pizza. Pietros has the best coal fired pizza in Philly.— donjuango
- Hey, Dr. Thora Mann, PhD, let me guess, you're one of those worthless, self important professors who never worked outside of academia. Am I right? Why do you care how he chose to spend his money. This entrepreneur had a great idea. Take a trip to Italy to do "research" for his business and write the whole thing off as a business expense.— jgalt52
- How is it a waste of money to take a trip to Italy to explore the country and learn about your craft? I've been reading these entries all week, and have really enjoyed them, and would love to do what they're doing. It's not a waste of money if you are doing what you love.— mjc1
- I can appreciate Dr Mann's concern in regards to the economy, as things are very difficult and will most likely become even more difficult, with so many people unemployed and remaining unemployed. However, I greatly admire anyone who is self-employed and can keep a business established and thriving. If we want to talk about wasted money, perhaps we should direct that at the Corporate wasters, the government wasters. Not the little guy making a living for himself and employing others.
I'd be curious to know what Dr Mann is doing in this bad economy to help defray costs, support local businesses and to help the unemployed.— ophelia61 - people spend tens of thousands on college but a trip to naples is far more useful to someone opening a pizzaria. sorbillo is nothing short of phenomenal. pietro's is decent but nothing amazing, nomad is good, zavino, and stella are excellent.— dreinterests
- The pizza in Sao Paulo, Brazil is the best! I've been there twice for a total of 50 days and speak of first-hand experience!— sbmedlg
- I spent 10 days in Santos, Brazil a few years ago, and never thought to try the pizza. Who knew? I remember trying Hamburg, Germany's take on pizza, that was interesting.— PhillyFanSince1982
