Famed for its face-sized slices and super-thick crust, Spontini is a must-visit for pizza lovers.
When most people think of Italian food, it’s safe to say that “pizza” is one of the first things that comes to mind. A food full of versatility, coming in all shapes, sizes and flavors. Loaded with cheese and other delicious toppings, and convenient to eat, the popularity of pizza worldwide is not surprising. However, in Milan, there is a chain of restaurants that is known for drawing long lines of people to enjoy its monstrously-sized pizzas.
Spontini boasts a long history, having been founded in 1953, but the year of 2015 marked the opening of its first branch in Japan with their Harajuku store opening. Hearing tales of these massive pizzas, one of our Japanese-language reporters, who had tasted the original in Milan, rushed out to try it remarked that the taste was exactly the same, proving that Spontini were dedicated to bringing its Milanese flavor to Japan.
Now Spontini has expanded to Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood, with a new branch that opened on April 26 located just a one-minute walk from the east exit of Shinjuku Station, Tokyo’s busiest and most useful rail hub.
▼ The Shinjuku branch is on the first floor of the recently renovated Shinjuku Okadaya TF Building, which also houses a new branch of famous Japanese toy and souvenir shop Kiddy Land.
When whispers of the new store reached our ears, we knew it was time to drown ourselves in blankets of molten mozzarella once again. Just outside of JR Shinjuku Station’s East Exit, you’ll find the new Spontini branch, which foregoes the leisurely dining experience in favor of a “stand-and-eat” style: perfect for stopping in for a quick bite.
After placing our order via a touchscreen panel and paying, we waited for just about 10 minutes for our abbondante-sized Double Mozzarella Cheese (1,400 yen [US$9.60]).
According to the staff, “abbondante” means “large,” but it’s probably more accurate to say that it’s closer in meaning to the word “abundant.” Semantics aside, the pizza was even more impressive than we remembered: even just one slice feels like it’s as big as your face.
In combination with a thickness of about three centimeters (or just over an inch), as well as copious amounts of cheese, left us feeling overwhelmed by pizza.
The crust was unbelievably fluffy, yet had a crispy bottom; a hallmark of Spontini’s signature pizzas. Much unlike traditional Milan-style pizzas, which have a thin, crisp crust, creating a more delicate eating experience, Spontini pan-fries their pizzas in a heavy iron skillet, creating a one-of-a-kind texture.
Despite the sea of cheese on top, the pizza didn’t feel greasy or heavy, which was perhaps due to the high quality of the mozzarella. The cheese was fresh, milky, and thoroughly enjoyable to the very last bite.
The sausage on top was part of a free topping campaign which was going on at the time of our visit, and it was also similarly gigantic. Even for a free service, Spontini really doesn’t know how to hold back.
If your desire is to be buried underneath an avalanche of cheese, Spontini has a slice with your name on it, so get on over to Shinjuku to enjoy Spontini’s unique style of pizza.
Restaurant information
Spontini (Shinjuku branch) / Spontini （新宿店）
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, San-chome 23-17, Shinjuku Okadaya TF Biru 1F
東京都新宿区三丁目23-17 新宿オカダヤTFビル1階
Open 11:00 a..m.-10:00 p.m. (last order 9:30 p.m.)
Website
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