The Pizza That Has Flipped Capri Upside Down
Concettina ai Tre Santi, with its viral pizza, has brought the "vibes" to Capri
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Dear Reader,
Don’t hate me for saying this… but the end of summer is near.
And when that happens… I can’t help but think about the memories I’ve made over the past few months.
Cho & Tell fans, you know that Capri is my favorite summer destination… a place I visit every year.
What I love most about this small island — more than the food, the shopping, even La Fontelina—is that things tend to stay more or less the same.
The same restaurants, the same wonderful people, the same routine.
Which is why when something new comes along… well, it’s a big, damn deal.
Concettina ai Tre Santi, one of the buzziest pizzerias in Naples, opened an outpost in Capri this summer.
And let’s just say… it’s all the rage.
I was there, I saw it with my own eyes:
Concettina is all about the vibes… led by its dynamic owner, Ciro Oliva.
I sat down with Ciro one hot July afternoon for his very first interview conducted in English.
Pizza sauce runs through his veins, you could say.
And he’s just as much of a showman as he is restaurateur.
Read on.
COMING TO CAPRI
ALINA CHO: You must be so happy to bring Concettina ai Tre Santi to Capri.
CIRO OLIVA: It’s always been my dream to be here. When I went to Capri, four or five years ago, it was not possible to open here because finding a location was complicated. We work with the best clients in the world. In my district [in Naples], Europe, America, Asia, Africa, everywhere. [And all of those people come to Capri].
ALINA CHO: Tell me about how your family started Concettina, the pizzeria. Concettina was your great-grandmother…
CIRO OLIVA: Yes, Concettina, she founded the pizzeria in 1951. And I'm the fourth generation of the family to work here. My great-grandmother, my grandfather, my dad, my uncle…
ALINA CHO: …and now you.
CIRO OLIVA: And now me. When I started I was 12 or 13 years old. Very, very young. A child.
ALINA CHO: Yes.
CIRO OLIVA: [But even then], I loved my job. I love making pizza.
ALINA CHO: What does Concettina ai Tre Santi mean?
CIRO OLIVA: Three saints. Near the restaurant in Naples, we have a chapel with statues of three saints outside. They are our protectors. And there is [a statue of] one saint outside of our restaurant in Capri.
THE VIRAL UPSIDE DOWN PIZZA
ALINA CHO: I must say, you do know how to bring the fun to the whole experience of eating pizza.
CIRO OLIVA: I think I have the vibes inside me and it's very important for me to transform the vision of pizza, the classical pizza.
ALINA CHO: Was the upside down pizza your idea?
CIRO OLIVA: Yeah, it's my idea.
ALINA CHO: How did you come up with it?
CIRO OLIVA: The humidity in the dough when you put the pizza sauce on the bread…
ALINA CHO: Makes the bread soggy.
CIRO OLIVA: Yeah, too soft. And I wanted to balance it.
ALINA CHO: Did you know at the time that it would become a social media sensation?
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CIRO OLIVA: So many people put it on Instagram and TikTok.
ALINA CHO: That’s how I found you!
CIRO OLIVA: When you're eating the pizza, it’s not just about the [food], it’s also the show. You’re eating with your eyes, too. And, oh, my gosh — the very best ingredients. The tomato, olive oil, garlic. All the best quality.
A RESTAURANT WITH JUST PIZZA?
CIRO OLIVA: People said, “You are crazy opening [a restaurant with] just pizza. How will you pay the rent? How will you pay the people?”
ALINA CHO: With just pizza…
CIRO OLIVA: … with just pizza. “You are crazy, man,” they said. No, I think when you have the strategy and when you see all the details at the restaurant — the [bright] decor, the fruits and vegetables, people look.
CIRO OLIVA: And why do I open just for dinner? Because we need three hours to prepare the pizzeria [for dinner service]. Before we open, we pay attention to the music, the great accommodations, the great welcome. The Italian welcome. And, of course, the Mediterranean food.
ALINA CHO: Well, it’s working. I read that Remo Ruffini acquired 47.5% of your company in 2023.
CIRO OLIVA: My dream is for our clients to have a beautiful experience. One of my friends told me, "Ciro, remember my words, okay? Everything must be top quality, Ciro. The ingredients, location, music, lights, everything. Remember, Ciro. Everything top quality." And I remember that always in my heart.
ALINA CHO: Words to live by.
CIRO OLIVA: My dad was crying of happiness when I opened in Capri. He always taught me, “Ciro, work every day, this is the key to success." And I work every day.