This Roman thinks you’re paying too much for pizza

In Rome, it's not surprising to pay €5 for an individual size margarita pizza. In Ireland, you’re looking at at least double, if not triple that.

Davide Chiarenza thinks this is ridiculous. He runs the takeaway pizza joint in Phoenix Yard alongside his girlfriend, Ali Deeley.

The 33-year-old Roman opened Angelo’s pizzeria in April this year and sells a 12-inch Margherita pizza for €6.90.

Davide believes that the high cost of pizza in Ireland is artificially inflated. He said: “Pizza is just flour, water, oil, tomato sauce and cheese – you know how much these cost.” 

Davide showed the Waterford News & Star a recent invoice from one of his suppliers. He pays €164 for 20 kilograms of mozzarella cheese.

Davide estimates that by working as a chef for his own business, he saves between €50,000 and €60,000 per year. He said: “I understand why you pay €12 for pizza – so the boss can stay at home with his laptop. You don’t pay €12 for a pizza, you just pay for his days off.” 

He says that for them a margarita pizza costs less than two euros. This is excluding all overheads. And Davide is not skimping on ingredients either – the flour, mozzarella, and tomato sauce are all from Italy and his chicken and vegetables are 100% Irish.

Davide worked as a pizza chef for Italy’s largest pizza by the slice chain, Alice. He was taught by pizza ‘maestro’ Luca Lughini. What makes his pizza unique is that Davide uses a Roman base (which includes olive oil) but serves his pizza in the round, Neapolitan style – Roman pizzas are traditionally square.

Davide is clear that he has no problem with the quality of pizza in Ireland, he said: “I didn’t move to Ireland to complain about pizza, I know we’re not in Italy but the price – we need to do something about that.” 

In fact, it was the weather that inspired his move to the Emerald Isle. “In Italy, from April to September, it is impossible to work in a kitchen,” because of the heat.

He first moved to Kildare in 2023, where he worked as a barista in Newbridge Shopping Centre to improve his English.

He now thinks he has found his home in Waterford – he is particularly fond of having a few pints with fellow food truck chefs in neighbouring Tully’s.

He said: “I really like the community, especially on this street. We see the same people every day. Everyone is friends, especially after a couple of pints.” 

Davide is an ambitious man and wants to open “more honest pizza places in Ireland”. 

He told the News & Star that he is opening a second premises early in August in a “prestigious location”, although he wouldn’t reveal exactly where it will be; it will almost certainly be a takeaway spot. 

“I don’t want to hire waiters,” Davide said.

When the Waterford News & Star heads over to the Phoenix Yard to meet Davide, we bump into Luis and David – two Spaniards and massive Glen Hansard fans. After going to his gig in Dublin the night before, they stopped off in Waterford on their way to Cork.

They order two slices: a meat feast and chicken and mushroom, both of which are eaten in a matter of minutes. 

Their review? “As good as the pizza in Italy.”