Pizza Maru: Bangkok’s Secret Slice of Neo-Napoli Bliss

Strolling past the luxurious Chalermnit Art de Maison residence building along Sukhumvit 53 road, one would think it’s merely an unassuming condominium with impressive architecture. But at the very front of the building, just beyond the architectural grandeur, lies a hidden gem of a pizzeria.

How does one find the pizzeria? At the front of the building is a small pathway leading to an unmarked door. Inside this door, lies Pizza Maru — a pizzeria serving Neo-Napoli pizza.

The pizzeria’s owners — Nanu Youttananukorn, Dhyan ho, and Himd Janthachotbutr – said that their intention to keep it hidden isn’t a mere gimmick.

“As new players in town, operation wise, it makes more sense to open once a week, just because of the labor costs,” Nanu tells Coconuts. “Also our clientele is still growing. The last thing we want is our staff to hang around, so if there is more demand then we will expand.”

The pizzeria is open from 5pm. Bookings can be made via their Instagram page and seats are limited. While that gives the pizzeria somewhat of an exclusive feel, it does mean patrons are served on a first-come, first-served basis.

Formerly an office space with a bar, the spot features a homey yet classy vibe, with a DJ booth opposite the open kitchen.

Nanu, a designer who took up making pizza during COVID, says the pizzeria relies on word-of-mouth marketing and Instagram. No doubt, the hidden entrance will surely make people talk.

When Coconuts visited the pizzeria, the owners shared their plan to utilize delivery via Line.

But how is the pizza? At the open tables, you can see Pizza Maru’s owners and staff hard at work baking fresh pies in an oven.

For those out of the loop, neo-napoli pizza utilizes lower temperatures and longer baking times, as well as the hydration in which the amount of water proportionate to the amount of flour used. More water is used for Neo-napoli, or contemporary Napoli, resulting in a fluffier and crunchier dough.

“Our dough is processed two days before use, spending 48 hours fermenting,” Nanu explains.

Pizza Maru offers some classic toppings including margherita, anchovy marinara, pepperoni, and four cheeses. All of Pizza Maru’s pies achieve a balance of fluffy and crispy crusts with soft and gooey bites in the center.

However, we must recommend trying one of their original pizzas, particularly the Kale Blue Cheese (THB420).

“It’s always been our intention to do something quirky and keep some of the things that people expect in a pizzeria but also something new,” Nanu said.

Apart from the pizzas, the pizzeria has a sizable collection of wine bottles ranging from THB1,790 – THB2,190. Hoping to have only one glass of wine? Well, you’re out of luck, as the pizzeria sells wine by the bottle at the moment, so be sure to come with a group. However, you can also order a bottle of Regency Thai brandy for THB850, sodas and sparkling tea. The latter comes in strawberry jasmine and passionfruit mango.

Once you’ve had your fill of pizzas, you can push it all down with a cup of ice-cream in either matcha or salted caramel flavors (THB120).

Initially only open one Thursday per week, Pizza Maru is now open for business Tuesdays through Thursdays. As of publishing, the staff is ready to serve customers for their ninth session.

Next time if you’re hankering for a more intimate pizzeria that doubles as a small home, take the sorta secretive beaten path in the front of the Chalermnit Art De Maison building.

Owners Nanu Youttananukorn and Dhyan Ho preparing pizzas before opening time. Photo: Nicky Tanskul / Coconuts