Officine Del Cibo

Is Officine Del Cibo worth booking for pizza in Liguria?

Yes — and the credentials back it up. Officine Del Cibo holds a Tre Spicchi rating from Gambero Rosso, Italy's most authoritative pizza and restaurant guide, and ranked 51st on the 50 Leading Pizza Italia 2025 list. For context, that list covers the entire country; landing in the top 51 in Italy means you are competing with Naples itself. If you are in or around Sarzana and serious about pizza, this is where to go.

The venue

Officine Del Cibo sits on Via Brigata Partigiana Ugo Muccini in Sarzana, a small Ligurian city better known for its medieval fortress than its food scene. That context matters: this is not a restaurant propped up by tourist traffic or a major urban dining market. Its awards have been earned in a competitive national arena despite its location, which tells you something about consistency and intent.

The physical space rewards those who pay attention to where they sit. Counter or bar seating, where available, puts you close to the action of a serious pizza kitchen — and at a place associated with the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), watching dough preparation and oven work from that vantage point adds real context to the meal. If you have visited once and sat at a standard table, try the counter on your next visit. The spatial intimacy changes the experience in a way that is hard to replicate from across the room.

The menu covers more ground than a standard Neapolitan operation. Classic Neapolitan pizzas anchor the offer, but the kitchen also produces steamed pizzas, pan pizzas, and a thin, crispy style described as pizza all'italiana. A gluten-free option has been added more recently. For a returning guest, the thin-crust style is the most interesting branch to explore if you came in expecting traditional Neapolitan and want to see the full range of what the kitchen can do.

AVPN membership is a meaningful credential here, not just a wall plaque. The association enforces strict standards on dough hydration, fermentation time, ingredient sourcing, and oven temperature for any pizzeria that carries the Vera Pizza Napoletana certification. Officine Del Cibo's Tre Spicchi award from Gambero Rosso and its 50 Leading Pizza Italia ranking confirm that these standards are being met at a high level, year on year.

Who should book

Book if you are in the La Spezia province and want a credentialed, serious pizza experience rather than a casual neighbourhood slice. This is also a sound choice if you are travelling between Cinque Terre and Tuscany and want a meal worth a short detour into Sarzana rather than eating at a tourist-facing restaurant on the coast. For a broader picture of where Officine Del Cibo fits into the local food scene, see our full Sarzana restaurants guide. If pizza is not your priority, Il Cardinale Vino e Cucina in Sarzana covers traditional Ligurian cooking and is worth considering for a different kind of meal.

Practical details

Reservations: Booking difficulty is rated easy, but given the Gambero Rosso and 50 Leading Pizza Italia profile, calling or booking a day or two ahead is sensible on weekends. Price: No price range is recorded in our data, but AVPN-certified Neapolitan pizzerias in Italy at this award level typically price in the accessible-to-mid range , expect this to be considerably more affordable than a tasting-menu dinner. Dress: No dress code is specified; smart-casual is appropriate. Getting there: Sarzana is well connected by rail from La Spezia (around 10 minutes) and from Pisa. The address is Via Brigata Partigiana Ugo Muccini, 181, Sarzana SP. Also in Sarzana: If you are building a longer visit, see our Sarzana hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide.

How It Compares