How pizza omakase became a trend and where to try it

National Geographic

a day ago

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
If you've ever looked at the menu in a pizzeria and been blinded by indecision, then pizza omakase might be for you – the food trend that gives you licence to sample a slice of everything.
Meaning 'I leave it up to you' in Japanese, omakase traditionally refers to the experience of sitting around a small sushi counter while the chef expertly crafts perfect sushi in front of you. Eschewing such workaday formalities as a menu, they hand you delicate slices of fish and rice with reverence, adapting what's served to your tastes and desires.
As a catch-all term for leaving your dinner decisions in the hands of the chef, omakase is an intimate, often high-end tasting menu experience that's taken off around the world extending far beyond sushi, incorporating the likes of desserts and foods cooked over fire. And omakase has now also embraced pizza, with a concept that largely offers a tasting menu of different slices, bookended by appetisers and desserts. Popping up everywhere from Japan to Costa Rica, pizza omakase is not about sitting respectfully at a counter, as is the way with its sushi forebears; the experience is often enjoyed by many people at once in a lively restaurant dining room.
One of its pioneers is Franco Pepe (star of Netflix's Chef's Table), at his Pepe in Grani pizzeria in the small hilltop town of Caiazzo, north of Naples. There are three pizza tasting menus available, which change seasonally apart from a few signatures, all beginning and concluding with fried pizza – savoury to start and sweet to finish. Just like traditional omakase, the mood and tastes of the customer are taken into consideration, assessed in real time by front of house staff and communicated back to the pizzaioli. Pepe's signature margherita sbagliata (margherita 'done wrong') is topped with just mozzarella before being cooked, then dressed with tomato passata and green pesto. Photograph by Pepe in Grani
'The goal is to guide the customer through the entire experience, reaching the final course without ever feeling weighed down,' says Pepe. The idea for pizza tasting menus started to take shape around 2013, he says. He doesn't claim to be the concept's originator, although he notes 'if you ask ChatGPT it will tell you that I was the first.' That honour, he says, falls to friend and colleague Simone Padoan of Verona's I Tigli. 'In his case,' continues Pepe, 'the menu was made up of whole pizzas to be shared in slices. I chose a different approach, offering just one slice of each type of pizza.'
Pepe also hosts intimate omakase experiences at Authentica, 'the world's smallest pizzeria' set above the restaurant. Here, up to eight guests sit around a counter and eat selections of still-bubbling slices cooked by the man himself. 'If this has become a trend, I can't help but feel pleased' says Pepe. 'As it represents one of the most important experiences for the customer: the opportunity to experience the pizzaiolo's creativity.' Where to try pizza omakase 1. Pepe in Grani
Franco Pepe's pizzeria is a pilgrimage for foodies, who descend on the hill town of Caiazzo in the Campania countryside 25 miles north of Naples, to sample next-level pizza made with the finest local ingredients. Pepe's signature margherita sbagliata (margherita 'done wrong') is always on offer, topped with just mozzarella before being cooked, then dressed with tomato passata and green pesto. The fried pizza slices, meanwhile – dressed simply with a slice of tomato, anchovies and lemon zest – touch the divine. Amazingly, Pepe manages the rhythm of the menu in a way that leaves you full but not overwhelmed. Menus from €40 (£34). Francesco Capece is co-owner of Milan's Confine restaurant, where pizza is given a fine-dining treatment. Photograph by Martina Corà Confine was recently named fourth-best pizzeria in the world by Italy's 50 Top Pizza ranking. Photograph by Martina Corà 2. Confine
Another acclaimed Campania pizzaiolo, Francesco Capece is co-owner of Milan's Confine restaurant, where pizza is given a fine-dining treatment. Paired with wines, the tasting menu takes in different pizza styles including pan-baked padellino from Turin, and classic Neapolitan, served una sola fetta (as a single slice). It was recently named fourth-best pizzeria in the world by Italy's 50 Top Pizza ranking. Menus from €40 (£34). The by-the-slice pizza tasting menu at Seba's on Costa Rica's Pacific coast draws on a farm-to-table, open-fire ethos. Photograph by Christopher Avila 50 Top Pizza named Seba's the best pizzeria in Costa Rica and also ranked it among the top 50 in Latin America. Photograph by Christopher Avila 3. Seba's
Launched in spring 2025, the by-the-slice pizza tasting menu at Seba's on Costa Rica's Pacific coast draws on a farm-to-table, open-fire ethos. Expect toppings including expertly grilled local beef, smoked fish and seasonal vegetables across varieties that range from classic Neapolitan and Romana to a New York-style large, foldable thin-crust slice. 50 Top Pizza named Seba's the best pizzeria in Costa Rica and also ranked it among the top 50 in Latin America. Menus from US$50 (£36). 4. Pizzeria Sei
Multicultural influences and premium ingredients feature on the 11-course menu on monthly omakase nights at this Los Angeles venue. One for the more adventurous diners, Sei is led by chef-owner William Joo who plays with flavours that might result in the likes of a tom yum margherita with scallop pepperoni and a Baja fish taco pizza topped with sea urchin from Hokkaido, Japan. Menus from US$125 (£91). Pace yourself, as the meal kicks off with four starters and there is a selection of Italian desserts to finish. Photograph by Marc Fiorito 5. Tony's Pizza Napoletana
Thirteen-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani doesn't hold back at his San Francisco pizzeria, where the offering is less dainty tasting menu, more full-on feast. Here, seven pizzas are served up whole, featuring styles from around the world and taking in the likes of an artichoke canotto ('dingy', the name referring to the pizza's shape, with a puffy raised crust) with mozzarella, artichoke, smoked provolone, spinach, garlic and lemon, along with Gemignani's award-winning signature margherita. Pace yourself, as the meal also kicks off with four starters and there is a selection of Italian desserts to finish. Menus cost $500 (£364) for up to six people. Roman native executive chef Daniele Cason serves a-by-the-slice counter omakase experience for up to eight guests taking in six types of seasonal pizza. Photograph by Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Tokyo The Pizza Bar on 38th is set high in the sky at Tokyo's Mandarin Oriental hotel. Photograph by Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Tokyo 6. The Pizza Bar on 38th
At The Pizza Bar on 38th, set high in the sky at Tokyo's Mandarin Oriental hotel, Roman native executive chef Daniele Cason serves a-by-the-slice counter omakase experience for up to eight guests taking in six types of seasonal pizza including classic marinara and with toppings such as 'mountain vegetables' and courgette flowers. The pizza scene in the Japanese capital has rivalled the best in the world in recent years, so it makes sense that one of the leading pizza omakase experiences should be found here. Lunch menu ¥13,200 (£67), dinner ¥18,700 (£95). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).