Authentic brick oven imported from Italy — Pizzeria Oggi’s wood-fired pizzas exude “Italian flair”

Text & Photos /Mi’er

%Nannai?na???80 NTD, with its thin and crispy Roman crust and rich fillings, topped with dried pear slices after baking, this pizza completely redefines your impression of Hawaiian pizza.

Pizza, pushed by some chain stores, has almost become one of Taiwan’s national foods — whether for family gatherings, karaoke nights, late-night office work, or birthday parties… you name it, pizza is always an option. But truly delicious wood-fired pizza is something you can’t wait for. Baked for just three to five minutes in a high-temperature, specially made kiln, that first bite — scalding hot, soft and chewy, with the smoky aroma of wood — is instantly addictive.
That’s why, after trying out various hotels and facing setbacks with a small Italian eatery, Chef Hsieh Yirong opened Pizzeria Oggi with a do-or-die determination. Even before the opening, he worked hard to secure Taiwan’s first certification for Neapolitan pizza. For this certification, Chef Hsieh meticulously attended to every detail — from the flour and dough-kneading techniques, to the oven and ingredients — which quickly made his shop highly visible in Tamsui shortly after its launch.

Mi’er has known Chef Hsieh for many years and is thrilled to see him finally carve out his own niche. After the success of his first shop, she recently heard that his second shop, co-created with Taiwan’s largest flour mill “Lian Hwa,” not only offers more space but also fully embodies the spirit of “wood-fired Neapolitan pizza.”

Starting with the wall of longan wood at the entrance, the shop features hand-painted murals specially commissioned from a designer, clearly illustrating the process of making wood-fired pizza. Especially amusing is the real longan wood decor placed beneath the hand-painted oven.

Chef Hsieh, who is currently actively training pizza chefs, says that all the ovens used at Pizzeria Oggi are imported as whole units from Italy. Nearly 100 kilograms of longan wood are used daily to maintain the high temperature and woody aroma inside the ovens.


▲ Pizza Burger — originally a flatbread like a regular pizza, it quickly puffs up in the oven～

The pizzas here are divided into Neapolitan and Roman styles. The Neapolitan ones come in both red and white variations with a rich variety of fillings. In addition to classic flavors, Chef Hsieh also draws inspiration from certified Neapolitan restaurants abroad, adding his own creativity to develop even more new flavors.

Best of all, Chef Hsieh travels abroad every year to learn and then returns to research and launch special new pizzas — like star-shaped pizzas, and the Pizza Burger he accidentally invented. I especially love the arugula pizza here because the fresh arugula is even grown by Chef Hsieh’s family. The soft and chewy crust paired with the crisp, fresh arugula and plenty of cheese is simply spot on.

If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the chocolate pizza made with premium chocolate bricks and hazelnut sauce. On a slightly salty crust, the rich, smooth chocolate sauce is especially soft, sweet, and indulgent. Among the thin and crispy Roman pizzas, the pineapple slices on the Hawaiian pizza are actually self-dried organic pineapples, making it completely different from the usual versions — plus the added richness of black olives, mushrooms, and oregano leaves makes every bite deeply satisfying.


This requires some skill — it’s very easy to mess up and end up with a pizza that doesn’t puff up.


Parma Ham Pizza Burger, 450 NTD. Baked in the wood-fired oven until it puffs up into a hollow burger shape, this is a pizza that really tests the chef’s skills. After baking, it’s topped with slices of prosciutto — a unique pizza rarely seen elsewhere.


Buffalo Mozzarella Arugula White Pizza, 600 NTD. The shop’s most popular white pizza, called “white” because it doesn’t use tomato sauce. Refreshing vegetables paired with freshly shaved cheese make it a perfect match.


Hazelnut Chocolate Pizza, 600 NTD. Made with self-made hazelnut sauce using rich 72% chocolate and hazelnut paste, it’s brushed onto the baked pizza and sprinkled with crushed hazelnuts — sweet, tasty, and super satisfying after a hearty meal.


Marinated Onions, 80 NTD; Marinated Artichokes in Acidic Sauce, 80 NTD; Semi-Dried Tomatoes, 80 NTD; Neapolitan Vinegar-Marinated Vegetables, 50 NTD. Pair your pizza with these homemade Italian-style side dishes — their refreshing acidity cuts through the richness perfectly.


Seasonings on the table can be paired with your pizza.


The stretched pizza dough goes into the wood-fired oven and is ready in no time, so the chef has to keep a close eye and rotate the dough as needed.


The shop uses 100 kilograms of longan wood every day to bake pizzas.





【Pizzeria Oggi】

Address:No. 124, Section 3, Minquan East Road, Taipei City

Contact Number:02-2718-3200

Business Hours:11:30–14:30; 18:00–22:00
 

Article by: Mi’erA graduate of National Chengchi University’s Chinese Department, Mi’er dove into food journalism and, having been raised under the guidance of her chef mother, has a keen sensitivity to food. She loves eating and cooking alike. Her profession often takes her across the country in search of great eats, which she shares on her blog and through group food outings. She is also the author of the book “Group Food Tasting Reports.”

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