(photo by Jill — Glossy Veneer)

You’ve probably had a drippy slice or two from Domino’s or Papa John’s, but have you ever had a true Neapolitan pizzamaker  — who’s a member of the Vera Pizza Napoletana organization no less — pile your personal pie with pancetta, wood oven sausage, roasted mushrooms, pine nuts, crushed tomatoes, mozzarella and basil (pictured)? At Settebello in Salt Lake City, Utah, pizzaiolo Matteo Schiavone delivers a totally unique pizza experience in one of the city’s hippest new spots.

Located right downtown near the popular Gateway shopping area, Settebello’s windows are piled high with bags of the pure Italian flour and cans of the tomato sauce that the Vera Pizza Napolitana organization has specifically approved for authentic Neapolitan pies. The freshest and finest ingredients make pizzas here taste like an entirely different food group from what Pizza Hut tries to pass off as the Italian staple. As an added bonus, Signor Schiavone’s wood burning oven is located centrally near the door of the restaurant so not only can you taste the difference, but you can watch as the pizzaiolo himself tosses your dough and loads it with imported goodies.

— Neylan McBaine