New Harrogate Pizzeria - and Its Oven - Wow Reviewers

A specialist pizzeria in Harrogate, which opened its doors in spring 2024 with a Valoriani Igloo woodfired restaurant pizza oven at its heart, is already wowing local diners with the quality of its delicious Neapolitan pizzas.

Stefano’s Italian Pizzeria is the new business baby of Stefano Dell’Oso and partner, Sally.  Whilst Stefano hails from Pescara in Abruzzo, Italy, Sally is originally from Harrogate and the restaurant’s opening was underpinned by the couple’s decision to leave their home in London and get back to her Yorkshire roots.

With ten years’ experience as a pizzaiolo under his belt, Stefano, with the help of his family, decided to put his pizza chef talents to great use, opening his own restaurant in Kings Road, Harrogate.

When planning his commercial kitchen, Stefano had little hesitation in opting for a Valoriani woodfired oven, having cooked in one previously and regarding this as a “great oven”, capable of cooking authentic Neapolitan pizza to perfection.  That very much matters at a pizzeria whose stated aim, on its website, is to “make every pizza perfect.”

The choice of  pizzas includes traditional Neapolitan favourites, such as the Margherita and Marinara that both have their historical origins in Naples.  Less well-known gourmet pizzas might be the Alici (anchovies and capers on a tomato and herb sauce), the Speck (speck ham, olive oil, fior di latte mozzarella blue cheese, walnuts and rocket), or the Friarielli – a leafy green vegetable, accompanied as a topping by Italian sausage, basil, olive oil and fior di latte mozzarella.

The pizzeria’s ‘special’ is a Zucca, a pizza with a charcoal black dough base, pumpkin cream, ‘Nduja, blue cheese, parmesan, basil and olive oil.  Three types of calzone – spinaci, cotto and funghi and piccante – are also rustled up in the Valoriani commercial woodfired pizza oven.

Comments from diners have instantly been gratifying and impressive.  One comments, “The pizzas are the best I’ve tasted.”  Another says, “Best pizza in Harrogate, by far.” And another notes, “Delicious pizzas from a giant oven visible from the restaurant.”

That Igloo 120 x 120 commercial woodfired pizza oven is certainly playing its part in creating food theatre and adding Italian authenticity to the dining experience.  Stefano has not been disappointed having specifically chosen a Valoriani oven for his restaurant kitchen, with it performing at a consistently high level. The wood burning pizza oven cooks every pizza just as he desires, leveraging the taste benefits from fresh daily dough intended to create a soft, light, tasty and highly digestible pizza base - and creating the quality product that he wants to serve on plates.

Backed by great service from the Orchard Ovens team, his wood-fired oven is the beating heart of an eatery already up there with the best in Harrogate.  As the Stefano’s Italian Pizzeria website says, everything at the eatery is made with Italian love, passion and the finest ingredients.  To that could be added the best commercial woodfired pizza oven available in the UK today, courtesy of the Tuscan experts and artisans at the Valoriani factory in Italy and suppliers, Orchard Ovens.

Ends

Editors notes

Orchard Ovens is the domestic and commercial pizza oven supplier in the UK of Valoriani, based in Reggello, Tuscany - the manufacturer of Italy's hugely respected Valoriani pizza ovens, known as the Maserati of pizza ovens and the kings of clay. These ovens are made from superb refractory clay - cotto clay - found in the family's quarry and unique, thanks to having just the right alumina. This allows Valoriani ovens to heat up quickly and retain heat superbly, bring huge advantages to homeowners, as well as restaurant owners, hotels, pubs, mobile caterers, pizzerias, takeaways and more.

Orchard Ovens supplies some of Britain's best-known restaurants and chefs, whilst it is also a specialist creator of outdoor kitchens and wood-fired oven builds for the rich and famous, as well as everyday homeowners wishing to add value to their home and enjoy an outdoor lifestyle to the full.