The wood-fired pizza’s served at Oakman Inns are crafted using traditional Italian ingredients and techniques, producing authentic Neapolitan pizzas. For everyone of our pizzas crafted by our expert pizzaiolos, the quality of the final dish comes from the attention to detail within the process that comes before the final cooking in our wood-fired ovens which are at the heart of our kitchens.

Every batch of dough, the foundation of the pizza, is made in house following a recipe that uses very precise measurements of temperature for the flour, water and air. Once combined, the dough is left to prove for a minimum of 48 hours.

Once proved, our pizzaiolos begin crafting the final pizza. Pushing out the dough, keeping the aeration in the rim which the extended proving time has developed, before adding the toppings. The pizzas are then cooked in the wood-fired oven, fuelled by logs made from sustainably sourced wood, the temperature of the oven pushes out the edges of our pizza, creating the perfect cornicione. Cooked for just 90 seconds until the pizza is charred to perfection. 

Flatbreads topped with simple ingredients, such as herbs and spices, have been enjoyed in one form or another around the globe for centuries, often by those who could not afford much. However, pizza as we know it today, can be traced back to the southern Italian city of Naples in the late 19th Century and a gentleman called Raffaele Esposito.

In 1889, Esposito, who was considered to be the best pizza-maker in Naples, was summoned to prepare a local speciality for Queen Margherita of Savoy who was visiting the city with King Umberto I. Esposito considered the traditional garlic topping to be unsuitable for the royal palate and so prepared three different pizzas, the third of which used a combination of tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil, emulating the red, white and green of the Italian flag. It is claimed that this was the first time that mozzarella cheese was served on a pizza.

Queen Margherita, who had never had pizza before, was said to have given the third of the pizzas her seal of approval and commended Esposito for the dish. This elevated the pizza from being suitable only for lazzaroni, the poorest people in the city of Naples, to food fit for royalty. Esposito used this recommendation to promote his restaurant and naming the pizza he had served to the Queen, Pizza Margherita.

Our Dough

Hand made in house, our dough is slow proved for 48 hours resulting in an irresistibly crispy base and lighter risen crust on all our pizzas. Verace Pizza Nepolitana Association certified flour helps give our pizza that true Neapolitan taste

Our Tomatoes

We use only the sweetest and juiciest tomatoes, grown between Naples and Salerno in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Packed with flavour and vibrant in colour, these tomatoes are the true pizzaiolo’s choice for a rich and tangy tomato sauce.

Our Cheese

Providing a delicate and subtle flavour, our Fior di Latte mozzarella is the perfect top to your pizza. Whilst produced in the same way as buffalo mozzarella, Fior di Latte is made from cows milk, resulting in a smooth and milky cheese that is firmer than regular mozzarella.