Best Pizza in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina isn't a pizza town first, but a handful of wood-fired kitchens near Corso Italia turn out pies worth ordering instead of the tasting menu next door.
Reviewed by the Cortina Compass desk
Last verified on foot: January 2026 How we research
Cortina eats late, seriously, and with strong local loyalties. This is not a ranked list; it is what I have learned about best pizza in cortina d'ampezzo after several seasons of long lunches, near-misses without reservations, and quiet dinners that outshone the famous rooms across the street.
Everything below is specific to best pizza in cortina d'ampezzo — access, timing, and the details that actually change the day.
What the place is
Pizza in a Dolomites resort town is usually an afterthought for tired skiers, but a couple of Cortina's wood-fired ovens are good enough to order on purpose, not just out of convenience.
Where to actually order pizza
Pizzeria Il Ponte
Reliable wood-fired classics near the river — gets busy fast at 20:00, so go right at opening if you want a table without a wait.
El Camineto
A slightly more polished room with a wider topping list — good for groups, though it leans pricier than a standard pizzeria.
Ristorante 5 Torri
Mostly known for its mountain setting, but does a decent pizza as a lighter option alongside heavier mains.
Enoteca Cortina
Not a dedicated pizzeria, but their thin-crust option pairs well with a serious wine list if you want pizza without a casual-only vibe.
What I would order
One regional primo, one seasonal secondo, one dessert shared badly. Casunziei — beetroot ravioli with poppy seeds and browned butter — is the plate I always start with, and canederli or a barley soup if the weather has turned. The internationalised pasta list is competent and forgettable.
Food and the menu
The better pizzerias in town run proper wood-fired ovens rather than electric decks, which matters most on the base and char — Pizzeria Il Ponte and El Camineto both fire theirs from early evening, so a first-seating dinner around 19:30 gets the oven at its best temperature.
Price and value
Atmosphere
Small rooms, timber, low light, and a service style that treats dinner as two hours rather than a covers target. Smart-casual is right; nobody here is fussy, but nobody turns up in hiking trousers either.
Location and access
In-town tables are an easy walk from Corso Italia and worth doing on foot — parking in the centre after seven is a slow game. Anything up the valley or at a rifugio needs a car, a taxi booked in advance, or a lift with an evening service you have checked twice.
When to go
The kitchen starts around 19:30 and the first sitting is the good one; the second often arrives after the room has lost its edge. Lunch is the underrated slot — same cooking, shorter waits, better light. Book two to three weeks out for the celebrated rooms in high season, a few days out for everywhere else.
What surprised me
Don't expect pizza lunch service everywhere; several of the best wood-fired spots only fire the oven for dinner, so a midday craving may only get you a reheated slab from an electric oven kitchen.
Small detail
Ask before photographing staff or other diners, especially in small family rooms.
My experience at the table
My best meal here was a half-empty Tuesday in shoulder season, when an off-menu venison ragù appeared because a local hunter had come by that morning. That is the version of Cortina dining worth planning for — regional, personal, and slightly unrepeatable.
My tip
Order a classic margherita or a speck-and-mushroom pie before trying anything more elaborate — it tells you fastest whether the oven and dough are actually good, rather than being masked by toppings.
Who it is best for
Book the first dinner sitting and ask about half portions.
Local alternatives
Lunch menus and rifugio plates often offer better value than central evening dining.
Why the oven matters more than the toppings
A wood-fired oven run properly hits close to 400°C, cooking a pizza in under two minutes with a leoparded, blistered crust. An electric deck oven, common in busier tourist-trap kitchens around Corso Italia, runs cooler and slower, which produces a flatter, drier base no amount of good mozzarella can fix. This is the real dividing line in Cortina pizza quality, more than any specific topping list.
Frequently asked questions
Is pizza available at lunch in Cortina?
Only at a few spots — many wood-fired ovens are only lit for dinner, so check ahead if you want pizza before 19:30.
What's the best pizza style here — Neapolitan or Roman?
Most Cortina pizzerias lean toward a thicker, Neapolitan-adjacent base rather than a thin Roman crust.
Do I need to book a pizzeria table?
Not usually, though Il Ponte fills quickly right at 20:00 on August weekends, so an early arrival helps.
Is pizza a good budget option in Cortina?
Yes — at €14-24 a head it's one of the cheaper hot meals in town compared with a full trattoria dinner.
Can I get gluten-free pizza in Cortina?
Several pizzerias including El Camineto offer a gluten-free base on request, but call ahead if it's a strict requirement.
Take the early sitting, order what the valley actually cooks, and give the meal the two hours it wants.
Sources & further reading
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