PlanetEye

Wondering around in Padova for an afternoon is easy to do. The streets offer a lingering stroll through a city that has retained much of its "Authentic Italian" feel despite the proximity to Venice, which is a huge tourist draw, and Vicenza, which is the location for the US Army base. The streets offer a unique look at this mid-evil town and have a lot of hidden jewels that are tucked away down the countless side streets in the Ghetto (old Jewish neighborhood) and around Il Duomo.

While wondering around searching for a place to grab a pizza for dinner, I stumbled across Pizzeria Medina on via Barbarigo. This quaint little pizzeria is truly amazing and offers countless pages of different types of pizza. Although there aren't many tables, 15 or less, it can cater to large parties of 6 or 7 or intimate 1 on 1 seating arrangements. The kitchen is open and easily viewed from the entire restaurant and I found it interesting to watch as the Mara, the man preparing the pizzas, tossed the dough into the air and then stretched it on the edge of the counter without it breaking. The oven is wood burning which makes for the perfect pizza crust so I'm told. The owner is Dominico and is always present, sometimes preparing a pizza himself or pouring beers at the bar. His wife, Mara, is the head waitress and will put anything on a pizza that you ask for or have a question about. 

The pizza was amazing! I had a diavola with salsiccia and cipolle (spicy peperoni with Italian sausage and onions) and a large beer (which turned out to be 1 liter). The price was really affordable, less than 20 Euro for pizza, beer, and limoncello as a dessert. For my money, this is the best pizza in Padova and as far as a digestivo of Limoncello, it was smooth and didn't burn like some of the cheaper brands.

I suggest calling for a reservation on Friday and Saturday night if you are going to be there later than 7:30pm. If Sunday was any indication, you'll need it because the place fills up fast and people were waiting on the street. To see photos click here and then click on the Photo gallery link.

Address:

Via S. Barbarigo, 18
35100 - Centro Storico (PD)

Telephone: +39 049 654-597