Trattoria Pizzeria Cesari

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

For Everyone Who Loves Naples

Cesari in Nagoya's Osu district is built around a single, uncompromising idea: bring the soul of Naples — its noise, its wood smoke, its generous spirit — to Japan. The restaurant's tagline says it plainly: "For all those who love Naples." That warmth is baked into every corner of the place.

The Man Behind the Dough

The heart of Cesari is pizzaiolo Pasquale Makishima, and his credentials are extraordinary. He trained at the prestigious Neapolitan pizzeria Da Gaetano on the island of Ischia, then competed at the World Pizza Championship in Naples in 2007, 2008, and 2009 — earning a special prize, runner-up in the foreign division, and third place in the Pizza Napoletana S.T.G. category. In 2010, he won that same S.T.G. division outright, becoming the world's best Neapolitan pizza maker. The Neapolitan Pizzaioli Association subsequently named him the sole Japanese World Ambassador for Neapolitan pizza. He has since been appointed Cultural Goodwill Ambassador for Naples by the city's mayor, UNESCO Pizza Ambassador by the former Italian Minister of Agriculture, and in 2019 received the inaugural Reiwa-era Nagoya Tourism and Cultural Exchange Ambassador title from the city of Nagoya. Gambero Rosso has recognised Cesari with 2 Slices — the Italian food guide's mark of quality for pizza that genuinely earns it.

The Oven That Makes It Happen

Makishima's wood-fired oven was built together with Stefano Ferrara, Naples' celebrated master kiln craftsman. The combination of the two men's expertise produces what the restaurant describes as "the world's best wood-fired oven." Alongside Neapolitan pizza, a wood-fired grill — the braceria — turns out bistecca cooked in live-flame heat that, unlike charcoal, wraps the meat in moisture-carrying fire for a result that is juicy, aromatic, and deeply satisfying.

The Space

The two-floor dining room is a considered recreation of a Neapolitan trattoria. On the ground floor, the Mare dining room features sea-blue Sorrento tiles and custom ceramic tables from Vietri sul Mare. A Bianco Carrara solid marble counter runs through the Banco section — good for solo diners or couples. A private Cantina room, walled in traditional Pompeian-red Italian plaster, houses Campania wines and seats 8–12. An open terrace faces the wood-fired oven directly. Upstairs, the Ristorante room — inspired by the sea views from Posillipo hill — is the most elegant space, suited to private parties and wedding receptions. Throughout, furniture, lighting, and paintings are crafted by Neapolitan artisans.

What to Expect at the Table

Neapolitan pizza here carries the weight of a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage tradition — one that has been passed down for over 400 years in Naples. The menu runs across lunch and dinner, with set menus for both services, à la carte options, and monthly-changing dishes and desserts. Cesari is a trattoria in the truest sense: not a luxury destination, but a place where good food is simply expected and always delivered.