Restaurant in Arielli, Italy
Abruzzo's research-driven pizza, easier to book than it deserves.
Giangi in Arielli is Abruzzo's most awarded research pizzeria, earning Gambero Rosso's Miglior pizza 2019 under chef Gianluigi Di Vincenzo, a student of Renato Bosco. The menu treats pizza as composed, multi-element flavor sequences rather than conventional pies. Easy to book and worth a deliberate detour for food-focused travelers in central Italy.
Getting a table at Giangi is easy relative to Italy's major dining destinations — this is not a venue where you need to set calendar reminders three months out. That accessibility makes it more appealing, not less. Giangi earned Gambero Rosso's Miglior pizza 2019 award and has built a following serious enough to put a small Abruzzo hill town on the pizza research map. If you are planning a route through central Italy and care about technique-driven pizza, this is a clear stop. If you are already in Chieti province, there is no good reason to skip it.
Pizzeria Giangi Pizza e Ricerca, run by Gianluigi Di Vincenzo, sits at 27 Via Valle Arielli in the village of Arielli, in the Chieti province of Abruzzo. Gianluigi — known simply as Giangi , trained under Renato Bosco, one of Italy's most influential figures in dough research and fermentation technique. That lineage matters: the base here is not an afterthought but the structural foundation around which everything else is designed. The result is a menu that reads more like a tasting sequence than a standard pizzeria list.
Two creations define the current menu and have become signatures over time. "Oops, I made a shrimp cocktail!" has held its place long enough to be considered a house classic, and the Sushi-Già reinterprets Japanese flavors through an Italian lens. The kitchen's approach is leading described as cocktail thinking applied to pizza: each bite is calibrated so that flavors interact and shift across the slice. This is not novelty for its own sake. The Gambero Rosso recognition in 2019 confirmed that the experimentation is grounded in taste, not just concept.
Abruzzo's ingredient calendar shapes what appears on research-driven menus like Giangi's. The region's spring produces strong greens and early-season vegetables; summer brings coastal and hill ingredients into alignment; autumn is the most interesting window for anyone tracking local sourcing, as chestnut, mushroom, and cured-meat references start appearing in creative compositions. Winter menus tend to lean into richer, more preserved ingredients. The "classics" on the menu offer a stable baseline year-round, but if you are visiting with the intent of seeing the menu at its most territorially expressive, an autumn visit gives Giangi's research ethos the most local material to work with. Check directly with the venue closer to your visit for what the current menu reflects , given the kitchen's documented interest in territory-driven experimentation, seasonal variation is a reasonable expectation.
Arielli is a small Abruzzo comune. This is not a city restaurant with a full evening-service machine behind it. The energy at Giangi reads as focused and unpretentious, the kind of room where the food carries the experience rather than the room design. Expect a relaxed pace and a crowd that has largely made a deliberate trip to eat here, rather than stumbled in. That shared intentionality gives the room a quiet, concentrated feel. It is a good environment for eating carefully and paying attention to what is on the plate.
See the comparison section below for how Giangi sits against other destinations in the Italian fine dining and creative pizza space.
For a broader picture of dining in the area, see our full Arielli restaurants guide. You can also explore our Arielli hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide to plan the full trip.
Giangi fits naturally into a route that takes Italian food seriously without being entirely anchored to Michelin fine dining. For contrast in Abruzzo itself, Reale in Castel di Sangro is the region's most discussed progressive Italian kitchen and a logical pairing on an extended stay. Along the Adriatic, Uliassi in Senigallia is worth the northward drive for serious diners. Further afield, Osteria Francescana in Modena and Piazza Duomo in Alba represent the country's most ambitious creative cooking if you are planning a longer circuit. For those connecting through northern cities, Enrico Bartolini in Milan and Casa Perbellini 12 Apostoli in Verona are well worth the time. International reference points for the same research-driven, technique-first sensibility include Lazy Bear in San Francisco and Le Bernardin in New York City.
The menu at Giangi is built around research-driven pizza with specific flavor compositions, which means some dishes may be difficult to modify without compromising the intended result. Contact the venue directly before your visit if you have specific dietary requirements , the kitchen's documented attention to ingredients and technique suggests awareness of what goes into each element, but confirmation is necessary given the lack of published menu data in our record.
Arielli is a small village location, so seat counts at Giangi are likely modest. For groups larger than four, it is sensible to call ahead and confirm availability and seating arrangements. Giangi's menu format, with its focus on composed, multi-element pizzas, works well for groups who want to share and compare across the table , that style of eating suits a group booking well if space allows.
Yes, and it is a good choice for the solo food traveler in particular. The menu's creative, research-driven format rewards close attention, and solo diners can work through more of the menu by ordering a wider range of pizzas without the coordination overhead of a larger group. Arielli is a deliberate destination, not a casual drop-in, so arriving solo is entirely in keeping with the crowd the venue draws.
Arielli is a small comune and does not have a dense restaurant scene. For serious dining in the broader Abruzzo region, Reale in Castel di Sangro is the most significant alternative and operates at a different register entirely , progressive Italian tasting menus at €€€€ pricing, versus Giangi's more accessible pizza-focused format. If you are in Abruzzo for the food, both are worth scheduling; they do not overlap in what they offer.
Giangi works for a special occasion if the occasion is food-focused rather than ceremony-focused. The Gambero Rosso Miglior pizza 2019 recognition and the kitchen's creative ambition give it genuine substance as a destination meal. It is not a white-tablecloth venue with full front-of-house theatre, but for a food enthusiast, the meal itself carries the occasion. If the occasion requires formal atmosphere or extensive wine service, consider combining Giangi with a stay at a more formal property nearby.
No dress code is indicated. In a village pizzeria in Abruzzo, smart-casual is the practical choice , comfortable enough for a relaxed meal, respectful of the seriousness of what the kitchen is doing. Giangi's Gambero Rosso recognition gives it credibility as a serious destination, but it is not a formal dining room. Leave the jacket at the hotel.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giangi | Pizzeria Giangi Pizza e Ricerca, led by the talented Giangi, is a renowned Abruzzo establishment known for its complex and articulated flavors. A student of Renato Bosco, the pizzeria was also recognized as 'Miglior pizza 2019' by Gambero Rosso. It is celebrated for its innovative approach to pizza and high-quality ingredients.; Pizza and Research in Arielli. Gianluigi Di Vincenzo, aka Giangi, continues his research that combines technique, territory, and a touch of audacity. The menu is a journey, and, aside from the good "classics", two creations stand out above all. The first, "Oops, I made a shrimp cocktail!", has been a staple for years now, while the Sushi-Già! skillfully reinterprets Japanese inspirations. Indeed, many pizzas here are actually cocktails that come together bite by bite, elegant and playful, intertwining with impeccable bases to provide surprising experiences. A place that doesn't just follow trends, but creates them, experimenting without ever losing sight of taste and intelligence. | — | |
| Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Dal Pescatore | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Osteria Francescana | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Quattro Passi | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Reale | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
No dietary policy is documented in available records for Giangi. Given the venue's research-driven format — where specific creations like the shrimp cocktail pizza and Sushi-Già! are signature dishes — substitutions may be limited. check the venue's official channels before booking if you have strict requirements, as adapting composed, technique-led pizzas is rarely straightforward.
Arielli is a small Abruzzo village and Giangi is not a large urban operation, so groups should book well in advance and confirm capacity directly with the venue. The focused, research-led format suits groups who are genuinely interested in creative pizza rather than those looking for a casual, high-volume evening out. Parties with mixed dietary needs or low engagement with experimental food may find Osteria Francescana or Dal Pescatore better structured for group occasions.
Yes — a solo visit here is a sensible choice. Giangi's creative format, where individual pizzas read as composed dishes, translates well to a single diner working through the menu at their own pace. As a village pizzeria rather than a counter-only omakase format, solo guests are unlikely to feel out of place.
Arielli is a small comune in Chieti province and has no documented dining alternatives at Giangi's level. If you're building an Abruzzo food itinerary, Reale in Castel di Sangro is the region's benchmark for high-end creative cooking and represents a natural companion stop. For a different take on serious Italian pizza outside Abruzzo, the broader Renato Bosco school in Veneto is worth researching.
Yes, with the right expectations. Giangi earned Gambero Rosso's Miglior Pizza 2019 and runs a menu of playful, technique-driven creations — that's a credible occasion destination for food-focused guests. It is not a white-tablecloth setting, so if formal atmosphere is part of what makes an occasion feel special, look at Quattro Passi or Dal Pescatore instead. For a celebration built around serious eating in an unpretentious room, Giangi fits.
No dress code is documented for Giangi. As a pizzeria in a small Abruzzo village, even one operating at Gambero Rosso-recognised level, the setting is almost certainly relaxed. Clean, casual clothes are appropriate; there is no indication that formal dress is expected or that guests would be turned away for it.
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