Includes bibliographical references (pages 151-153) and index.

The origins of pizza and the pizzeria -- Censuses and statistics: pizzaioli in their social context -- Licenses and the law -- Inside the pizzeria and behind the counter -- Uncertainty and continuity in hard times -- The distribution of pizzerias across the city -- Historic pizzerias -- A family affair.

Pizza is one of the best-known and widely exported Italian foods and yet relatively little is known about its origins in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Myths such as the naming of pizza margherita after the Italian queen abound and yet little serious scholarly attention has been devoted to the topic. Eschewing exaggerated fables, this book draws a detailed portrait of the difficulties experienced by the then marginalized class of pizza makers, rather than the ultimate success of their descendants. It provides a unique exploration of the history of pizza making in Naples, offering an archival-based history of the early story of pizza and the establishment of the pizzeria. Touching upon issues of politics, economics and sociology, Inventing the Pizzeria contributes not only to the commercial, social and food history of Italy but also provides an urban history of a major European city, told through one of its most famous edible exports.

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