At the Pizza on the Rocks Masterclass, Pasquale Salzano, Operations Group Manager at Quentin’s American Bar, teamed up with Antonio Naranjo, a Cuban bartender based in Barcelona, to explore the exciting and evolving world of pairing cocktails with pizza. What once seemed like an unlikely combination is now becoming a trend, as pizza continues to evolve into a more sophisticated dish, opening doors for innovative pairings with cocktails. “Pizza is no longer just street food; it’s evolving, and cocktails are becoming a key part of that experience,” Salzano remarked, highlighting how pizza and cocktails are now coming together like never before.
Antonio Naranjo, who began working in bars at the age of 16, shared his extensive experience with cocktail pairings. „The real question we face is: when do we drink a cocktail with pizza?” he said. „Pizza is easy to pair with a cocktail, but it’s also complex in its own way.” Naranjo emphasized that cocktails aren’t just for aperitifs anymore; they are now becoming an integral part of the dining experience, enhancing the flavors of pizza.
The masterclass focused on four key principles when pairing cocktails with pizza: contrast, harmony, freshness, and warmth. Naranjo explained the first principle, contrast, particularly for pizzas with rich, fatty ingredients. A cocktail with a bitter profile, like a Negroni or an Americano, works perfectly to balance the richness of the pizza. “Bitter cocktails cut through the heaviness of a pizza and offer a refreshing contrast,” he explained. For example, pairing a Negroni with a pizza topped with rich ingredients like salami creates the perfect balance of flavors.
The second principle, harmony, was also key. Naranjo demonstrated this with a smoky cocktail made with mezcal, lime, and mango, which pairs beautifully with the spicy „Diavola” pizza. „The sweetness of the cocktail helps to tone down the heat from the pizza,” Naranjo explained.
Freshness was another important theme. Naranjo presented the „Wasabi Smash,” a cocktail made with basil gin, wasabi, and Mediterranean tonic water. „This cocktail works as a palate cleanser, much like a sorbet between courses,” he explained. Its fresh basil and wasabi flavors make it ideal for pairing with lighter pizzas like Margherita, where fresh basil is a key ingredient.
Finally, warmth played a role in the pairings. Naranjo discussed how a dry martini could be the perfect match for aromatic pizzas topped with anchovies and lemon zest. „The technique of throwing, which is a Cuban tradition, is used to mix the cocktail without breaking the ice. It creates a lightness that complements the pizza,” Naranjo shared, referencing the Cuban bartending technique that he is a mentor for.
The masterclass concluded with Salzano and Naranjo reflecting on how both pizza and cocktails have evolved over the years. “Pizza has grown beyond just being street food, and the cocktail world has grown alongside it,” Salzano said. “It’s all about creating an experience, a harmony between the pizza and the cocktail that enhances both.”
