Keeping up with all the new trend eateries in Munich may wreak havoc on my waistline, but I do it for you; and honestly, pizza is worth every pound in my book. So, after a few times passing by and thinking, “that place looks cool,” and hundreds of times drooling over their grungy Instagram feed, I finally made my way into Soul Kitchen for a Neapolitan-Style pizza.
Now, for those of you who grew up on chain delivery pizza (as I did), or those of you who haven’t yet finished their dissertation on regional pizza variations, let’s do a quick section of ‘Pizza 101.’ Neapolitan pizza from the Campania region of Italy is known for a thin, oftentimes wet center and puffed edges with a chewy bite. The rules of authenticity are pretty strict. Officially, there are only two topping styles for a true Neapolitan pizza: marinara—with tomato, garlic, oregano, and olive oil—and margherita—with tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. The hand-stretched pizza is baked quickly and in the high heat of a wood-fired oven, producing the classic charred edges. Neapolitan-Style pizza takes some liberties and pairs a Neapolitan-like crust with trendy or more varied toppings.
Neapolitan style pizzerias have been sprouting like weeds in München of late, and one look at the lines outside these places suggests that people really are loving this pizza trend. So, I garnered my strength, pushed through the crowds and got myself a table to scream across (because it’s mad loud in Soul Kitchen) and it was kind of, sort of awesome.
When my table was finally free, I ordered a Radler and a glass of red wine to calm my nerves (seas of people aren’t my thing) and decided to peck at some Arancini before graduating to pizza. Arancini, for my fellow companions who have no idea, are heavenly fried rice balls and officially one of my new favorite things. At Soul Kitchen, these crispy-silky celestials are stuffed with Salami, Fior di Latte Mozzarella, Parmesan and Saffron. Mostly, they just taste like fried balls of cheese, and I can see absolutely nothing wrong with that. But we’re here to talk about pizza, so let’s talk about pizza. Soul Kitchen has 12 topping variations to choose from along with specials. Classic Marina and Bufalina variations are accompanied by some more interesting choices like the All-Star, which has sweet potatoes and the Goodfellas, which has fig cream.
I decided to try the Summer Jam with Mozzarella, Ricotta Mousse, Lemon Dust, Himalaya Salt, Pistachios and Ginger. What surprised me most about this combination was how absolutely refreshing it was. If ever there was a pizza you could describe as light, this was it. It, without a doubt, tastes like pure sunshine and tan lines. I also had the opportunity to try the Hellboy, which happens to have my new favorite spreadable sausage variety on top: Nduja. This silky pork sausage is flavored with herbs, spices, and no-joke spicy Calabrian peppers. Along with the Nduja, the Hellboy pizza has tomatoes, olives, and roasted peppers. If you don’t know Nduja, you need to get to know it. My tip is that you go ahead and dip your puffy crust into the drops of spicy fatty sausage glory. I doubt you’ll regret it.
All in all, I have to admit that Soul Kitchen lives up to the hype. The pizza is great, the atmosphere is lively [read: loud, young and crowded], and the aesthetic is IG feed gold.
I’m sure you all have your own go-to pizza places, so don’t hesitate to let me know all about them. A love of pizza, after all, should always be shared.
Soul Kitchen
Fraunhoferstr. 27 A
80469 München
Mon. – Fri.: 11:30 – 12:30
