Rome’s New Pizza Time‑Machine
They say the great 19th‑century Neapolitan, Raffaele Esposito, might be dreaming in the afterlife now that the capital has dropped an Italian pizza vending machine straight onto the arcades of Via del Corso. The sleek, blazing red “Mr Go Pizza” promises fresh slices to devour in just three minutes.
What’s on the Menu?
- Classic Margherita – €4.50 (≈ US$7.20)
- Spicy Pepperoni – €5.00
- Pesto & Arugula – €5.50
- Ultimate Four‑Cheese – €6.00
The machine handles the dough, kneads it, slaps the toppings on, and you can actually watch the pizza tingle away behind a small glass window. Not your traditional takeout, but say hello to instant gratification!
Customer Reactions
On Thursday, May 6, early test‑users dropped their two‑star flicks, ranging from “Good if you’re in a rush” to “I’d renounce pizza forever.”
Claudio Zampiga: “It looks good, but the portion is a teensy‑weensy‑smaller than a restaurant pizza, and the toppings look… less dramatic.”
The pizza‑genius may roll his eyes, but the question remains: Is Rome’s vending revolution the future of fast‑food, or just another culinary curiosity? For now, folks can enjoy a surprisingly hot slice without leaving the sidewalk. Bon appétit, and may the pizza gods smile upon this innovative splash of gastronomy!
<img alt="" data-caption="The machine is capable of kneading, seasoning and cooking the pizza in three minutes.
PHOTO: Reuters” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”81419d7c-609a-4136-8c8f-75ee2cc6fa2c” src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/20210507_machinekneadingdough_reuters.jpg”/>
Pizzaiolo Anxiety: Machine‑Made Pizza Fails to Warm Hearts (and Stomach)
Everyone’s dinnertime ritual in Naples usually starts with a hunk of dough dragged from a steady hand, seasoned with rosemary, tossed with tomatoes, then dropped into a blazing brick oven. The smell of charcoal and the sound of a “pizzaiolo”—the pizza maestro—turn a meal into a little theatre.
That tradition felt under threat when a snazzy machine promised to mass‑produce the historic Pizza Margherita. Tradition says it was baked by a cook named Esposito on June 11, 1889, to honor Queen Margherita of Savoy. He mixed ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil to spell the Italian flag: red, white, green. A plaque in Naples proudly declares, “Pizza Margherita was born here.”
Critics Take a Bite
- Fabrizia Pugliese—a Naples native now in Rome for studies—tasted the machine’s idea and was not impressed. “It feels more like a piadina,” she said, “an ultra‑thin, soft unleavened bread common up north. It’s okay, but it’s not pizza.”
- Gina, a pensioner who chose anonymity, was even more hostile. “Terrible. Pizza truly needs to be hot and eaten right away. This machine dish doesn’t do that.” She didn’t want the idea of a robotic kitchen.
For many Italians, the moment of true pizza magic lies in watching the dough rise under the hand of a master, flavoring it on the fly, and seeing it plunk down in a fossil‑warm brick oven. The machine’s attempt at convenience leaves a few locals short‑changed—as if a pizza had to be hurriedly tossed away to avoid watching its dough rise. The story reminds us that, when it comes to culinary sincerity, there’s no damage control for a pizza that must simply keep the heat.
<img alt="" data-caption="Fabrizia Pugliese poses with her order at the first automatic pizza vending machine, which is capable of kneading, seasoning and cooking the pizza in three minutes, in Rome, May 6, 2021.
PHOTO: Reuters” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”f1fd26ea-aaf5-4a0d-9da2-d3c48d7800ed” src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/20210507_fabriziaposeswithherorder_reuters.jpg”/>
The fight for the pizza crown
At the corner where the Mr Go machine sits, it looks like a tiny rebel trying to steal slices from the humble local boul. In its current spot, the vending robot is gunning for a share of the pie‑pie market.
Napolitano: The brick‑oven veteran
Right next door, a Napolitano restaurant keeps its rhythm on a real, roaring brick oven. It’s a place where dough leavening fills the air with buttery aromas.
“I wouldn’t even think about eating a pizza made by a machine,” said Giovanni Campana
He chomped at the last slice of a fresh pizza that feels like a key to preserving the hand‑fire tradition. He raised a skeptical eyebrow at the vending machine’s chip‑the‑fire.
Esposito’s legacy would be silent but loud
Speaking of old‑timing, Esposito – the pastry maker who made a pizza fit for a queen 132 years ago – would probably nod with the same literary but unheard‑of dough.
ItalyFood and Drinks Vending Machines – the real fuss behind the dough’s destiny.
