An illustrative view of a pizza pie. Photo: Pixabay.

Two pizza shops in Israel were named in the top 50 pizzerias in the the Asia-Pacific, according to the Italian pizza magazine “50 Top Pizza.” The two pizzerias, La Piedra in Jerusalem and Fresca from Kibbutz Afikim in the Jordan Valley, were honored at a ceremony in Tokyo.

“We at La Piedra are happy and proud to be included for the second year in a row in the list of the best pizzas in the world, proud to represent Israel and proud that even in a difficult and complex time that we all experience, there are also moments with good news, at the same time, restrained joy,” said Avi Sinclair, the chef of the pizza shop.

Donning a shirt that said “Bring Them Home,” in homage to the hostages being held in Gaza, he added “I am excited by the status and the impressive event. I am proud that we won the coveted title and that we have preserved the quality of our pizza. Along with the happy moment, it was very important for us to mention from the main stage that the 134 abductees are suffering in Gaza and to call for their immediate release.”

The kosher pizza establishment, ranked 39th, has two locations in Jerusalem, one near the Mamila shopping center and another in newly constructed residential areas in Arnona next to the new United States Embassy.

Top 50 Pizza said La Piedra “continues to maintain its high standards of quality. The dough, soft and well-leavened, thanks to the high hydration and long leavening process, results in a very light product after its baking, and the disk has an excellent bubbly crust. The taste is great, also thanks to the quality raw materials selected. Avi Sinclair, the young owner, has learned his trade very well.”

Yoni Avraham, the owner of the Fresca, said at the event “It is a great honor to be among the 50 best pizzerias in Asia-Pacific. It is also exciting because it comes just after we moved to our new location in Kibbutz Afikim. At a time when Israel is mentioned mainly in a negative context, this ranking becomes even more important.”

The 37th ranked pizzeria was also given the prize of “One to Watch 2024” for their craft. The magazine described the pizza as having “A soft dough and often gentle cooking. It has a soft and honeycombed cornice, slightly swollen in the contemporary Neapolitan style.”