In Naples, the story of a young pizza chef, Ciro Oliva, who changed the destiny of Rione Sanità, focusing on a pizza made “only with the best” and the close link with the arts and crafts of the neighborhood, today among the most trendy in the city.
That of the Oliva family is not only the story of one of the best pizzas in Naples, but above all it is the fairy tale of those who made it and wanted to share the success, doing good, with their people.
It was 1951 when Concettina, Antonio Oliva‘s wife, started making pizzas outside her home, so good that with her first savings she opened the pizzeria right in the place where it is today, next to the votive shrine of San Vincenzo Ferrari, patron saint of Sanità, of Sant’Alfonso Maria de’ Liguori, protector of the walls of the place, and of Sant’Anna, to whom Sant’Alfonso was devoted; the 3 saints from whom the place takes its name.
I believe in the Neapolitan people and in the great beauty present in each of us, values that have been handed down to me by my family, my roots are everything in life for me.
(Ciro Oliva)
It is Ciro Oliva, the fourth generation of the family of pizza makers, who created the miracle, driven by the dream of ensuring that people from every corner of the world came to the Sanità neighborhood and that this growth could also be an example for other young people. Starting from tradition, without opposing the new, Ciro has been able to create a strong brand identity, while at the same time continuing to pursue the excellence of the pizza inherited from his beloved grandparents.
A research and experimentation carried out not only through the use of superior ingredients, such as dairy products, cured meats, tomatoes, extra virgin olive oils, and vegetables from organic cultivations and Slow Food Presidia, but also through a close link with the suppliers and the artisans themselves to “grow all together.”
A success soon recognized by all the major guides, from Michelin to Gambero Rosso, and which Ciro, together with his father Antonio, always present in the pizzeria, wanted to share with his people right away.
In fact, everything from Concettina to the Tre Santi speaks of Sanità and its inhabitants. From the nativity scene created inside the old headboard of a bed donated by the artist Lello Esposito who has always believed in Ciro, to the dishes designed by the children of the Casa dei Cristallini, an association that helps boys and girls of the neighborhood in order to give them a better future.
Ciro’s secret? Having understood the incredible power of art, the means through which he transformed Concettina ai Tre Santi into a place of inclusion where the whole world can be connected.
And if Concettina’s motto reads: “get used to miracles”, here, in addition to the traditional and fried pizzas, you can order the San Gennaro pizza, with or without a miracle (i.e. white or red), and the fun tasting menu to try them all, including the Nutella one.
In the characteristic courtyard of the pizzeria, where you can eat even in winter thanks to the comfortable heaters, you can meet just everyone, from neighbors to international rock stars, united by the love for Neapolitan pizza and an atmosphere of joy and sharing which has become the hallmark of the place.
The wine list is also excellent, which includes small quality productions and aims to represent the region in its entirety, with special attention to Naples, the vineyards of the Campi Flegrei and those on Vesuvius, as well as the local craft beers.
Concettina ai Tre Santi is an unmissable stop during a stay in Naples, close to some of the most fascinating cultural attractions of the city, from the Palazzo dello Spagnolo to the Hypogeum of the Cristallini, from the Blue Church to the Jago Museum.
The Secret
Each pizza step is designed to offer the best. For example, a maximum of 2 pizzas are baked at a time and the fior di latte mozzarella used comes from the Agerola area where the acidification process, during which the curd is enriched with the ferments essential for the development of the flavor of the final product, occurs naturally and lasts 12 hours.
Useful Info
Concettina ai Tre Santi
Via Arena alla Sanità 7 Bis
80137 Napoli
Tel. +39 081 290037
Pizza: from 12 euro
