Spend any amount of time covering the Las Vegas dining scene, and one thing becomes clear: this city takes pizza seriously. That passion stretches from neighborhood slice shops and family-owned pizzerias to internationally recognized pizzaioli competing on the world stage. This week, one of our own gave Southern Nevada another reason to celebrate.
At this year’s The Best Pizza Awards in Milan, Signora Pizza’s Floriana Pastore was named 2026 Best Street Pizza [Chef] in the World.
Yes… the world.
For a city that continues to make its mark as a global culinary destination, it’s another reminder that some of our biggest food stories aren’t unfolding inside luxury resorts. Sometimes they happen in the parking lot where a food truck serves authentic Neapolitan street food.
Just hours after the announcement, I caught up with Chef Floriana while the news was still fresh, as she was still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened.
I expected to talk about an international award. Instead, we ended up talking about resilience, tradition, community and the unexpected road that led a Las Vegas food truck to one of pizza’s biggest stages.
An emotional surprise
Floriana admitted she had no idea she was about to win.
Organizers invited her to Milan and hinted they “had something” for her, but never said what. Surrounded by some of the biggest names in pizza, she sat through the ceremony (remotely watching from her upcoming storefront in Las Vegas) with no idea her name was about to be called.
“I always get emotional,” she told me. “I was almost happy I wasn’t there [in person] because I probably would have cried.”
That’s not false modesty. It’s someone who still seems genuinely surprised that a dream built one pizza at a time has taken her this far.
From Salerno’s Streets to Ours
Originally from Salerno, just south of Naples and near Italy’s Amalfi Coast, Floriana fell in love with Las Vegas after competing here years ago. In 2020, she launched Signora Pizza as a food truck during a global pandemic. While much of the restaurant industry struggled, she built an audience one neighborhood, one catering event, and one customer at a time. Six years later, that same truck has earned international recognition.
During our conversation, Floriana explained that street pizza isn’t simply pizza served from a truck. It’s a tradition rooted in Naples, from folded “wallet pizzas” to pizza fritta, a fried pizza born from necessity after World War II. Her mission has always been the same: bring an authentic taste of Naples to Las Vegas.
We also talked about something that deserves more attention: women in pizza.
When Floriana began nearly three decades ago, seeing a woman behind the pizza bench was uncommon. Today, she says more women are finding success in the industry, proving great pizza has everything to do with craftsmanship and nothing to do with gender.
What struck me most, though, wasn’t the award.
It was how often Floriana shifted the conversation away from herself and back to Las Vegas.
She talked about learning from other pizzaioli, wanting more collaborations and celebrating the camaraderie within Southern Nevada’s pizza community.
Defining “best”
When I asked what the best pizza is, she refused to name one.
Her answer?
That’s the wrong question.
There isn’t one “best” pizza, she said. There are different styles, different traditions and different cultures. Detroit. Sicilian. Neapolitan. Roman. Fried pizza. Every style has its place—and every style has people who love it.
Asked her own favorite?
She didn’t hesitate.
A classic Margherita.
Simple ingredients. Great dough. Let the ingredients speak for themselves.
More Milan Winners
Floriana wasn’t the only Las Vegas connection celebrated in Milan.
Vegas was represented throughout this year’s rankings. Chris Decker, well known to Las Vegas diners for his years at Metro Pizza and now a partner at Truly Pizza in Dana Point, California, finished No. 32 in the world. Just behind him at No. 35 was Tony Gemignani, whose Las Vegas footprint includes Pizza Rock and Slice House.
Together with Floriana’s Best Street Pizza honor, the recognition reinforces something those of us who cover the local dining scene see every day: Las Vegas isn’t just a great place to eat pizza. It’s a city where some of the people shaping pizza’s future choose to cook, compete and create.
Hear More
The best interviews are rarely about what they’re supposed to be about.
This one starts with an international pizza award. It ends as a story about perseverance, tradition, community and the simple idea that if you do something well enough—and long enough—people eventually notice.
That’s why I wanted to share Floriana’s story.
Because every once in a while, Las Vegas reminds the culinary world exactly who we are.
In our full conversation, we talk about the centuries-old traditions behind Neapolitan street food, what this international recognition means for Las Vegas, why collaboration is strengthening the city’s pizza scene, and what’s next as Signora Pizza prepares to open its first brick-and-mortar location, Signora Pizza Lab.
Listen to the full interview on the Friday, June 26 episode of Food & Loathing.
Until then… stay hungry.
