Sights
Cocore Pizza revolution with heart in the ninth district
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Opening Times
Monday to Saturday: 11:30am - 9:30pm
Address
Cocore
Berggasse 14
1090 Vienna-district 9
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While more and more restaurants are opening up in this country, to serve authentic pizza Napoletana, the pizza wheel is already turning in Italy. In the north of the country, of all places, people started experimenting with the traditional way of making pizza about 15 years ago.
Gianluca Alfano, who opened Cocore in December 2021, also wanted to offer something new. So, in addition to classic Neapolitan pizzas - perfectly baked with an airy edge, thin dough and almost runny cheese heart - there are creations from the so-called Pizza Lab.
We opt for the vegan version, topped with artichoke puree, purple potatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Served on a pie stand, pre-cut into eight handy pieces, it's lovely for sharing. All pizzas are made with biga, a pre-dough that can mature for 24 hours, making it particularly aromatic, elastic and easier to digest.
Unlike the Neapolitan pizzas, the base of the Pizza Lab creation is higher, airier and particularly crispy because - says owner Gianluca Alfano - the dough is baked in small pans. Al padellino, as they say in Italy. Another notable feature: they are topped only after baking. This keeps the ingredients fresh and particularly aromatic.
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Most of the ingredients are organically grown. Many businesses are also members of the Slow Food network, true to the motto of Pizzeria Cocore, which is printed on large wall posters: People, planet, pizza. This means treating employees, the environment and food with respect. This includes looking for local businesses that produce authentic Italian products - the ricotta, for example, comes from Austria.
Seasonality is also important to the boss. Of course, ingredients like tomatoes will always be available - "an Italian pizzeria simply can't do without them" - but beyond that, there will always be seasonal specials. The idea of sustainability is also reflected in the furnishings: the old cupboards from the drugstore that occupied the corner shop for more than 100 years now serve as a smart sideboard for flour sacks and wine bottles. Likewise, the table we are sitting at is made from discarded shelves.
Until 3:30pm, Cocore serves pizza al taglio - square pieces, as they are known in Rome. Perfect for those who want to try more than one kind. Vegetarians and vegans will find what they are looking for, as will gluten-intolerant people, for whom there are alternatives made from rice and cornflour.
Owner Gianluca Alfano is convinced that pizza can be both: a quick midday snack for in-between and a fine dinner in the evening. The main thing is that it is baked with heart, con cuore. Soon he wants to offer pizza-and-wine pairings. So this, too, is a small pizza revolution.
