By Isabel Herwig
The Papaleo in the Samariter-Kiez has been my place to go for Neapolitan pizza for years. Long before the Neapolitans sprouted up like mushrooms in the district, the best pizza in all of Friedrichshain was served here.
And even now, with a lot of competition, the Papaleo can’t be outdone. It’s always crowded and bustling. Just very Italian.
The walls are adorned with old racing bikes and jerseys and the pizzas are named accordingly Bianchi, Moser, Colnago, Pantani … – and there is also an Ulle pizza (with sausage, potatoes and rosemary).
I meet a friend here regularly on Sundays. She ALWAYS eats the papaleo pizza with mozzarella, basil, pesto, cherry tomatoes, nuts and feta cheese (13 euros). Which, given a number x of visits, clearly stands for their quality.
I vary the pizzas between Pantani (with mozzarella, tomatoes, rocket, Parma ham and stracchino cream cheese, 12 euros) and Colnago (tomato sauce, mozzarella, beef ham, rocket and Parmesan, 13 euros) and am always happy about a thick topping and fluffy dough that tastes much better than other pizzerias.
If you like pasta and like it classic, you MUST try the Carbonara. Super creamy, well seasoned and not just pelted with bacon from afar. For 12.5 euros you get a huge plate!
Bänschstrasse 67, Tue.–Sat. 4 p.m.–11 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m.–10.30 p.m., ☎700 357 27