Neapolitan, Liverpool’s highest-rated Italian restaurant and pizza venue on TripAdvisor, was recently chosen by Real Madrid to prepare authentic Neapolitan pizzas for the club’s first-team players following their Champions League fixture against Liverpool FC.
A total of 45 pizzas were freshly prepared at Neapolitan’s Lime Street restaurant. Each pizza was hand-stretched, topped with carefully selected ingredients and cooked in the restaurant’s wood-fired oven before being delivered within 50 minutes.
The selection followed an approach from Real Madrid’s representatives two weeks before the match. After closely reviewing preparation methods, ingredient quality and cooking techniques, Neapolitan was selected ahead of all other Italian restaurants available in Liverpool.
“It was a huge honour to be selected by Real Madrid, who spent weeks preparing for their trip to Liverpool. They are one of the biggest sporting brands in the world, and the feedback we received from them was one of the highlights of our career so far,” said Lorraine, co-owner of Neapolitan.
The restaurant is run by husband-and-wife team Jamie and Lorraine, whose commitment to authentic Neapolitan pizza has earned widespread recognition. Jamie was recently invited by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), the official body overseeing Neapolitan pizza standards, to serve as a judge at the UK Pizza Championships.
Neapolitan is Liverpool and Merseyside’s first and only independent pizzeria to hold AVPN certification, specialising exclusively in traditional wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas prepared according to strict guidelines.
The family-run restaurant has also recently been named “Pizzeria of the Year 2025/26” for the North West by the Prestige Awards, recognising its focus on authenticity, quality and customer satisfaction.
Guests can watch pizzas being prepared in the open kitchen, which is visible throughout the restaurant, or enjoy a closer view from the Chef’s Table.
With an average 4.9-star rating across review platforms and more than 4,000 reviews, Neapolitan has built a strong reputation for both food and service. The restaurant has also received TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards in 2023, 2024 and 2025, maintaining its position as Liverpool’s top Italian restaurant and pizza destination.
“Being recognised as Pizzeria of the Year and Liverpool’s number one Italian restaurant is an incredible honour. Everything here is made with passion, from our fermented 24-hour in-house dough to our made-to-order pastas. Every dish is crafted with love and authenticity in mind, and we’re all so proud to share it with the people of Liverpool,” Lorraine said.
Located in Liverpool city centre, Neapolitan is a popular choice for pre-theatre dining near the Liverpool Empire, matchday meals for Everton and Liverpool fans, and relaxed dining after shopping or sightseeing. It is also a popular venue for birthdays, anniversaries and graduation celebrations.
The menu offers hand-stretched pizzas, freshly prepared pasta and classic Italian starters, along with dairy-free, vegan and gluten-free options to cater for a wide range of dietary requirements.
Just a two-minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street Station, Neapolitan is easily accessible by public transport, with nearby parking available on Bolton Street and at St John’s Shopping Centre. The restaurant is open seven days a week from 12:00.
