Good pizza in Taipei can be hard to come by. But not now you know about Cura Pizza – a fantastic pizza in Taipei that won’t break the bank! Cura Pizza is located near Nanjichang night market in the interesting and under-explored Wanhua District of Taipei, a 20-minute walk or a 5-minute Youbike from Longshan Temple.
Cura, an Italian word signifying “care” and “healing,” is the philosophy behind this neighbourhood pizzeria. Italian pizza is rich in flavour, yet light and simple at its core. It’s oftentimes just dough, tomato, and cheese. That’s what Cura Pizza want to retain with every pizza that it creates. Their commitment to fresh and high-quality ingredients, honed techniques from their time practising in Italy, and the happy smiles on the faces as they manipulate the dough and then carefully slide it into the on-site pizza oven goes a little way to show why they have earned a place among Taipei pizza royalty.
You’ll get the classic pizza flavours here (although no pineapple in sight!), such as margarita, mushroom, ham and cheese, and seafood. You’ll also get some fancy creations with chorizo, and if you’re feeling ultra extravagant, you can even go all out with the Nutella and Taiwanese puffed rice combo.
Table of Contents
I like this approach to an outside area of a restaurant on the street, but not directly impacted by the traffic pollution or noise. The separation with the plastic divider keeps the elements out, yet allows for that outside feel, too.
Inside the restaurant, you will find decorations and certificates detailing the history of the restaurant and the professional development that the staff have undertaken to be experts in their field.
Not all pizzerias in Taipei can boast that they have been to Italy, learned from the best, studied to be the best, and have then been given a certificate to essentially qualify their consistency in creating delicious pizza after delicious pizza.
If you aren’t sure how to order or what to do when you arrive at Cura Pizza, then this is the post for you. See below for How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
3 Fast Tips on How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
The Menu at Cura Pizza
This is about as near to a perfect menu as can be for a pizzeria, in my opinion. The sides are easily put together either by arranging some cold elements such as salads or mousse on a plate, kept warm in the restaurant (the soup) and then served, or thrown into the pizza oven that remains on throughout service to consolidate the effort.
The pizza menu itself offers a great selection without going into too much detail, offering just enough for most people to decide on one or two options.
The ordering system here is via a QR code on your table. Contrary to what many believe to be a lack of human connection and an over-reliance on technology, I think for foreigners eating around Taiwan who aren't as confident in either speaking or trying to speak Chinese, the QR code ordering system is a blessing. It allows for immediate understanding of the dish via translation tools, and oftentimes comes with a picture to understand how it will be presented, too. This one is even accompanied by a dinosaur.
Not allowing myself to become too distracted by the dinosaur, I found myself wandering over to the preparation area to watch the skilled chef work on my pizza. I was greeted by a pizza laden with that delicious tomato sauce and plenty of cheese, being ceremoniously dressed with tasty olive oil.
It was then stretched out and put onto the pizza peel (yes, that's what that shovel-like contraption is called) and carefully slid into the oven. After just a few minutes in this scorching hot oven that had been specially created for Cura Pizza, it was pulled out, turned around, and put back in for a final scorching.
And, after what felt like an eternity but was probably only around 8 minutes, my pizza was ready! She looked beautiful, and I couldn't wait to tuck in. There are many restaurants serving pizza in Taipei, in fact, we are blessed with some awesome ones, and I am glad to add Cura Pizza to the mix.
Set Meal
For the set meal, you can add $268 to any pizza you have ordered and get a seasonal salad, rosemary roasted potatoes, and either a soup or a sparkling drink, followed by a panna cotta or a caramel pudding.
Seasonal Salad
Mixed leaves, shaved almonds, lots of crunch, and overall really tasty. It came with a passion fruit vinaigrette which was also delicious, and I enjoyed the whole plate.
Rosemary roasted potato
Wedged into an oven dish and then thrown into the pizza oven with some salt and rosemary, these roasted potatoes came out crunchy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. They are something I miss from the UK and something I relished inhaling here at Cura Pizza. Some would say carbs on carbs. I would say, and what?
Fiorentina
Smoked bacon, spinach, and a half-cooked egg come with the usual cheese and tomato pizza base here at Curra Pizza. The bacon doesn't taste like the low-quality bacon you're going to find at many restaurants dotted around the city but came with more flavour and texture to it. Lightly smoked, it went really nicely with the fresh tomato sauce base and the fresh spinach. But everything was brought together with the ultimate umami of a soft egg.
There's just something about a runny egg that adds quality to anything it's put with, especially when it's as fresh as this one is (freshness and high quality is usually characterised by the deep orange colour, not the insipid yellow colour of a yolk). The best part? If you finish your pizza and want something to dip the crust into, the yolk is the perfect dipping 'sauce'. Ideal!
The ingredients here were perfectly abundant to qualify the price, if anything it feels like you're getting quite a lot for what you pay for. Everything tasted fresh, and I wouldn't hesitate to order it again.
Serrano reserve con rucola
Serrano Reserve ham, rocket (arugula), padano cheese, balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. If you know all of those individual component ingredients, then you know that when put together on a pizza you're in for one hell of a good time. Expect the padano cheese to coat the top of your mouth and begin the salivation, which will then give way to a peppery rocket flavour balanced by a salty ham and fresh tomato base of the pizza. I can't recommend this pizza enough. Beautifully cooked, and presented, and I would order this again without a doubt.
Panna Cotta
A silky smooth panna cotta is served with seasoned millet here. The vanilla and egg flavours came through nicely balanced, and the seasoned millet added a texture and flavour that isn't traditional but was intriguingly tasty. I enjoyed it but didn't love it.
Caramel pudding
However, the caramel pudding at Cura Pizza is worth a shot. Smooth yet firm, the burnt caramel adds a sweet bitterness to the egg flavour of the pudding that hits the spot. Enjoyable.
The Bottom Line
Is it worth it? Cura Pizza could be exactly what you're looking for if you've been searching for a tasty pizza and want to branch away from what I consider to be some of Taipei's best. If you're in the area, then I would be confident to say that in this area it is the best Taipei pizza you'll find.
What is the best dish? The Serrano reserve con rucola at Cura Pizza was exactly what I wanted. It had salty cheese, rich tomato sauce, delicious serrano ham, and the rocket salad is always welcomed.
Are there other places like this? There are plenty of pizza restaurants in Taipei, some of my favourite and regular places to go to are:
Taipei Take Out – The Slice Shop Has the Best Pizza by the Slice in Taipei!
Taipei Restaurant – Pizza Has a Face 披薩有張臉, Top Quality Pizza!
Taipei Restaurant – PIZZAROUND 比薩斜躺,1 Of The Best Pizzas In Town