Two Argentine names made it into the Top 100 of The Best Pizza Awards 2026, the global ranking that recognizes the world’s best pizzaiolos. Franco Kalifon, founder of Kalis Pizza in Buenos Aires, ranked 45th; while Mauro Colagreco appears in 60th place alongside Paulo Corsi for Pecoranegra, in Menton, France. The official selection was announced in Milan and places Argentina in a conversation dominated by Italy, but increasingly open to pizza scenes from the United States, Japan, Spain, Brazil, and Mexico.
In Kalifon’s case, the recognition comes for a concept born in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Núñez: New York-style pizza, sold by the slice, with a thin crust, crispy on the outside and juicy in the center. Kalis Pizza opened a year and a half ago, with a short menu and in-house production of several products, including imported San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, homemade mozzarella, and house-made pepperoni. “What we aim for is not to be good or very good, but to be memorable,” Kalifon sums up. “From the first bite to the service, we want every person who comes to Kalis Pizza to remember it for life.”
Kalifon’s recognition adds to another recent international milestone: in February 2026, Time Out ranked Kalis Pizza 8th in its list of the world’s best pizzas, as the only Argentine establishment in that selection. His background comes from artisan bread: before Kalis Pizza, he led Kalis Pan, a brand associated with the growth of sourdough bakeries in Buenos Aires. With Kalis Pizza, he transferred part of that obsession with fermentation, texture, and product consistency to a more urban and fast-paced format.
The second Argentine in the Top 100 is Mauro Colagreco, ranked 60th alongside Paulo Corsi for Pecoranegra, in Menton, France. The distinction adds to the pizza universe one of Argentina’s most internationally acclaimed chefs: Colagreco opened Mirazur in 2006 on the French Riviera, earned three Michelin stars, a Michelin Green Star, and in 2022 was named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity. His career reached a pinnacle in 2019 when Mirazur was chosen as the best restaurant in the world by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. That journey, associated with a cuisine marked by terroir, seasonal products, and sustainability, is now linked to Pecoranegra, the project for which Colagreco and Corsi were included among the world’s top 100 pizza makers.
The 2026 edition of The Best Pizza Awards had Francesco Martucci of I Masanielli in Caserta, Italy, as number one. Second place went to Roberto Davanzo of Bob Alchimia a Spicchi in Montepaone, and third to Francesco Capece of Confine in Milan. The ranking does not order pizzerias as commercial venues, but rather the pizzaiolos behind each project. The 2026 selection was presented in Milan and allows sorting the list by Top 100, name, location, or pizzeria, according to the award’s official website.
The presence of two Argentines in the Top 100 shows that the national pizza scene is on par with the best in the world. With offerings ranging from New York-style with a Buenos Aires identity to French haute cuisine with Argentine roots, the country is consolidating as a hotbed of gastronomic talent that transcends borders. Will we soon see an Argentine pizzeria on the world podium? Time will tell, but for now, the pride is ours.
Para mí esto es un verso. ¿100 mejores pizzeros? Franco Kalifon está ahí por argentino nomás, pero Mauro Colagreco es un vendepatria que se fue a Francia. ¡Traidor! La pizza es argentina, no europea. Los zurdos dirán diversidad cultural, pero yo creo que es una cagada. ¡Viva Argentina y la pizza con fainá!
Para mí esto es un asco, dos chetos vendidos al sistema y nada de la pizza del pueblo. Kalifon y Colagreco son lo mismo, explotadores del hambre obrera. La verdadera pizza está en los barrios, no en este ranking burgués. Abajo el elitismo culinario, carajo!