Risto Pizza in Azabudai, Minato City, Tokyo
Bringing you first-hand knowledge of pizza in Tokyo, we present this review of Risto Pizza in Azabudai Hills Tower Plaza in Minato City, Tokyo.
Tokyo’s Risto Pizza is in Azabudai, on the border of Azabudai Hills Central Green, relatively close to both Roppongi-Itchome Station and Kamiyachō Station. Risto is one of three Tokyo restaurants by Giuseppe Errichiello; he calls himself “Peppe.” The Azabudai Pizzeria da Peppe Napoli Sta’ Ca” (which we have not reviewed) is separate restaurant; nearby, a seven minute-walk from from Risto Pizza. We have previously written a review of Pizzeria Napoli Sta Ca in Setagaya City.
If you’re on your way to Risto Pizza for the first time (and we’re not recommending you go), allow a little extra time to find the restaurant… it’s located on the third floor of a large shopping mall, and you might need 10 or 15 minutes to wander through the mall to find it.
It might be nice to say that I liked Risto, but you won’t read that in this review. I don’t like Risto, and I think the pizza is basically “so so.” Not my kind of place, not at all, but I can tell you why I went:
As we were doing some research for the Setagaya store review, we came across a “list of the best pizzas in Asia” (we won’t mention that list by name, it’s not worth knowing). We have seen that list before, and eaten at many of the pizza restaurants on that list. Risto Pizza was recently listed by that group as the “#1 Pizza in Asia” (which is quite a claim). They are ranked just ahead of Tokyo’s Pizza Bar on 38th (which is not even the best pizza in Tokyo, but is an infinitely better experience than Risto).
Reading that (nonsensical) list of “top pizzas in Asia,” there are some truly excellent pizzas like Marumo Pizza in Ebisu are not included, while some very mediocre pizzas like Pizzeria da Tigre in Osaka (which is a low-quality experience top to bottom) make the list.
Do we think Risto is the top ranking pizza in Tokyo??
When I visited Peppe’s “Napoli Sta Ca” in Setagaya a few weeks earlier, I was after a taste of his star-shaped Don Salvo pizza (I wrote about it in that review). That was a decent pizza, but only that. The overall experience of that night was disappointing. In the review I wrote that I knew I would never go back.
Having done some research, having had a lot of conversations about the best pizza restaurants in Tokyo, we can say that from all of our experience exploring the very excellent Tokyo pizzas shops… nobody talks about Risto Pizza. Nobody cares.
Could it be Risto is the number one pizza in the East, but somehow remains “undiscovered?” In part to take another pass as assessing that “great pizza list,” we thought we would give Risto a try.
I dropped by Risto Pizza in Minato City one evening a little before six PM. Hoping to get a seat, I arrived about 20 min before they opened for dinner and I waited in line. There was a family of three in front of the line (maybe German). Then me. By the time they opened, maybe 10 people had lined up (most with reservations). The staff asked if I had a reservation; I did not, their system would not let me make a reservation for one. He said I was “lucky,” he had a place for me.
Great. At that moment, I did indeed feel lucky. He gave me a seat at the counter.
There is an old expression, “show, don’t tell.” I am a man of far too many words, but we can let the pictures begin to set the scene.
Gold forks. Sometimes, gold indicates luxury. Sometimes it means pawing after the image of luxury. In another time, a restaurant like Risto would have let that gold fork (or something more tasteful) rest on a white table cloth. From my position at the counter, Risto’s gold plating and black granite reminded me of bottle of cheap perfume.
Let’s take a look at what’s on the pizza menu at Risto.
Risto Pizza offers a full menu, with pasta and more, but as for pizza; one page of six red sauce pizza on his Pizza Rosse page; and another five, mostly-creamy pizzas on his Pizza Bianche page.
There was also one additional pizza on his “special” menu:
My First Memory of Gourmet Pizza: Cream of Leeks and Potatos, Fior di Latte Mozzarella Cheese from Naples, Lemon-Marinaded Crab, Caviar, and Fried Leeks
— From the specials menu at Risto Pizza
While his menu includes a few surprises (both a Broccoli Cream and a Pumpkin Cream pizzas), his pizza menu has fewer choices, and doesn’t excite me like other nearby choices like PST Rippongi or Pizza Strada. This being my second time at one of Peppe’s spots, I still think his “star shaped” pizza is the most interesting item on the menu.
On this occasion, I wanted to try something new, so I choose:
La Signora Marinara Pizza: Blended Tomato Sauce with Garlic Aromas, Baked Semi-dried Tomatoes, Pitted Taggiasca Olives, Anchovy Fillets, Fresh Oregano, Garlic-scented EVO oil
— From the Risto Pizza pizza menu
That night at the counter, I ended up seated next to another guy that was on his own; a young, interesting guy from England. As we had both ordered, I wondered if he was a regular, and we began a conversation that became my favorite part of the experience that night.
My English friend had not been to Risto before; he was visiting Tokyo and had also been sucked in by the rumors of exceptional pizza. As the conversation developed, our pizzas were out of the oven and delivered to our seats.
I am often very enthusiastic about that first vision as the pizza first arrives. In this case, my first look at the La Signora wasn’t impressive. “Brown” is rarely a color you will see as your pizza is served, but that is not necessarily an indication of the taste.
First bite: sweet. And that was true of just about every other bite, as well. If you look at the ingredients; it is rare to have so much emphasis on tomatoes. In this case, his blended tomato sauce, and then, baked tomatoes. And that was the flavor, a sweet tomato taste. If there were anchovies, I didn’t notice. The olives, I assume they were on the pizza but nothing I could taste. Just overwhelming sweet tomato; like tomato paste straight out of the can.
When I visited the Pizzeria da Peppe Napoli Sta’ Ca” Komozawa store, the pizza I had that night was also “tomato-y.” But on that Don Salvo pizza, the basil and ricotta and salami provide some contrast. Peppe’s La Signora Marinara Pizza is a tomato slog.
It’s a marinara, right? Shouldn’t it taste like tomatoes? While marinaras are not my favorite, I have had some truly exceptional examples. The marinara at Da Massimo in Sapporo is – which is extraordinary – is a masterful combination of sauce, shaved garlic, and some of the best crust in the country. Stubbornly simple, but every bite is a statement. At Risto… not quite at that level.
Risto Pizza’s La Signora is a needless overcomplicated marinara, that is not distinct, but monotonous.
The crust, too, unremarkable… but you can pick it up.
My interesting neighbor ordered the Don Salvo. I was too involved in our conversation to remember to ask him what he thought, but I remember feeling a pang of jealousy as I realized he’d made the better choice.
Is Risto Pizza the best pizza in Asia. Clearly not. It’s not even the best pizza spot in this neighborhood. Risto is not even in the top 50% of pizzas in Tokyo.
Oh, I almost forgot: If you would like some water with your meal at Risto Pizza, you’ll have to pay for that level of “luxury.” Gouging his customers for a 700 JPY for water was part of what turned me off about his Pizzeria Sta’ Ca”.
But wait, wait… there’s more.
The also have a 550 JPY cover charge. And if you want to take something home – “Fuhgeddaboudit.” They are not going to be cool or helpful about that either.
There is a theme at Risto, and it is mostly that Peppe’s business decisions are insultingly inhospitable to the customer. His bad judgment makes the completely-average quality of his food even more obnoxious.
I don’t like Risto Pizza. It’s try-hard elegant; forced, coming off as over-dressed for a shop next to the elevators at the top floor of the mall. Peppe was in the shop on the night I visited; covered with tattoos (which in another context I might like) and loud (which I didn’t like); he was a bull in a overpriced, china shop of his own making. Not actually high-end, nor grounded and real, the look he has created does not suit him.
What is Risto Pizza trying to do? Risto is like the Las Vegas of pizza; an experience that uses “gold forks” to present itself as something better more elite than it is. Peppe should drop the pretense, and open up a simple rock-n-roll pizza shop, maybe serve pepperoni slices. As it is, he is pushing his recipes well past their own potential. Risto is almost comically overblown, like an airport restaurant trying to intimidate you into thinking something “four star” is about to happen.
And now, back to the “Best Pizzas in the World” List: based on ridiculous Risto endorsement, they look completely illegitimate. Maybe it should be obvious they are not a serious source of selection, but pretending Risto is anything to get excited about exposes that list for what it is; I don’t have any evidence, but that list appears to be (educated guess, only) what we call “pay to play.” I assume Peppe has paid fee for “promotional consideration” to be included on that list, and to then get a piece of paper that says he’s on the list (which he has on his wall).
(If “The List” has some other, more credible reason for putting a second-rate shop like Risto at the top of the rankings, please contact us to say more. If you can convince me I have misunderstood, I would considering writing something more about your actual criteria.)
Scanning that list for signs of authenticity, I can back them up on one of their “top 50” choices; the inclusion of Massimottavio (in Suginami City, Tokyo) is a credible suggestion (our review of that spot, coming soon). Since that is the Asia-Pacific list (and includes Australia), if they want to increase their credibility, they should check out Regina al Pizzeria (in Sydney).
For now, that list proves itself to be an irrelevant source for the best pizza in Japan (and presumably anywhere else).
I will say that I like my server. That guy seems to have some experience, and played his role with a combination of grace and a sense of order. Well done, Sir.
Reaching for desert (especially at a place I wasn’t really enjoying) isn’t usually my style, but the server recommended the chocolate cake and I allowed myself to be influenced; and it was excellent. I would not go back to Risto, but if I did… maybe I’d just have the cake (I know I can get better pizza almost anywhere else).
Risto is the kind of place you only go to once, and as such… maybe he can suck tourists in to keep his seats full before they leave town. For people that live in Tokyo (or are here often), I can’t imagine choosing Risto when you have so many brilliant pizzas to choose from in this city.
You certainly have better choices than this place; not recommended.