(ANSA)- Naples, July 21 - Caiazzo has taken Naples' pride of place for the best pizza in Italy this year.

The restaurant 'Pepe in Grani', located in the small municipality in the Caserta province, was deemed the best of 500 pizzerias visited incognito by 100 inspectors. The final ranking was drawn up by 50 Top Pizza, the first online guide entirely dedicated to Italian pizzerias and under the wine and food journalist Luciano Pignataro as well as Albert Sapere and Barbara Guerra, curators of the 'Strade della Mozzarella (LSDM).

'Pepe in Grani' won due to quality of its food, service, wine and beer list and its furnishings. In second and third place were 'Gino Sorbillo', in Naples, and 'Francesco & Salvatore Salvo' in San Giorgio a Cremano, in the Naples province.

The awards ceremony was held in Naples' Castel dell'Ovo and out of the top fifty, 19 were in Campania. The rankings, however, represent all the major varieties of pizza in Italian regions. After Campania was Lazio, in second place with six of the best pizzerias, and then Tuscany with five, followed by a tie between Lombardy and Emilia Romagna. Then came Puglia, Sicily, Abruzzo, Trentino Alto Adige and Veneto, which had two of it pizzerias among the top ten: 'I Tigli' in San Bonifacio and 'Saporè' in San Martino Buon Albergo.

At the bottom were the regions of Piedmont and Basilicata. A number of Special Prizes were also awarded. Isabella De Cham from Naples' '1947 Pizza Fritta' was given the Pizzamaker of the Year Award, Pierluigi Roscioli from Rome's 'Antico Forno Roscioli' got the Baker of the Year Award and 'Morsi &Rimorsi' in Aversa Got the Innovative Pizzzeria of the Year Award. The Best Neapolitan Style Pizzeria outside of Italy went to Paris's 'Ober Mamma'.

"50 Top Pizza," said the three curators of the guide - Luciano Pignataro, Barbara Guerra and Albert Sapere - is not only a useful guide for those seeking excellent pizza in any part of the country, it is a true journey through the different styles and typical products of Italy and thus pays homage to the concept of high quality Italian-made goods."