Cancún Festa della Pizza Debuts With Strong Turnout

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The first edition of the Cancún Festa della Pizza drew large crowds over the weekend as more than 20 local pizzerias and restaurants set up wood-fired ovens along Malecón Tajamar to compete for the title of best pizza in the city.

The free event, held from July 31 to August 2, featured restaurants including Rolandi’s, Leo Horno de Leña, and Pizzeria Positano, whose chefs cooked in front of Laguna Nichupté. Beyond the food, the program included a freestyle pizzaiolo show with Italian acrobats, master classes taught by pizzaioli certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, a children’s area, live music from local artists, and a public vote for the best culinary proposal.

The festival stems from the sister-city agreement between Cancún and Naples, signed in January at FITUR, Spain’s international tourism fair. It is part of the Benito Juárez municipality’s tourism diversification strategy.

Tourism Secretary Juan Pablo de Zulueta said the goal is to reduce Cancún’s dependence on sun-and-beach tourism and position the city as a destination for international events. “The bet is clear: stop relying solely on sun and beach tourism and position Cancún as a hub for international events that attract domestic and foreign tourists,” he said. “This type of festival has already proven to be an economic magnet, bringing a significant flow of diners to city restaurants and also contributing to hotel occupancy during each season.”

Inspired by the Napoli Pizza Village, one of Europe’s most important food festivals with around a million visitors, the Cancún Festa della Pizza aims to become an annual event in the Mexican Caribbean and a platform for showcasing local culinary talent internationally.

Pizza originated in Naples, Italy, between the 17th and 18th centuries as a simple, inexpensive food. Its evolution was marked by the addition of tomato, an ingredient native to the Americas. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Italian immigrants carried the recipe to the Americas, where its worldwide expansion began.