The R14 panoramic restaurant, renowned for its Neapolitan pizza far beyond St. Petersburg, joined the prestigious list of the TOP 50 BEST PIZZERIAS in EUROPE, according to the respected 50 Top Pizza Europe 2021 international award.
Here, in the highest pizzeria in Europe, on the 14th floor of a buzzying business center, stands a real Neapolitan oven, in which Manuel Suraci, the brand pizza chef of all Aram Mnatsakanov's restaurants, makes truly fabulous and utterly delicious pizza.
It took Manuel a long time to create the perfect pizza dough recipe, so that each and every pizza, which is baked in a wood-fired oven, turns out exceptionally light and airy. And it only takes a minute and a half to make one of this pizza masterpieces!
Thanks to Manuel’s brilliant skills, the pizza becomes airy and lush after only 24 hours of dough soaking. To knead the dough, we use only the original Italian flour, and we ensure the 70% dough hydration level.
R14 opened back in 2020 to replace Aram Mnatsakanov’s earlier project, Ryba, that had been running since 2005. The panoramic venue survived a fabulous transformation from a classical family dining establishment into a contemporary pizzeria, where Manuel Suraci thrives on tirelessly cranking out the most exciting pizza recipes.
What does R14 stand for?
R ыба – a reference to the original name of the restaurant, which was title Ryba (or Fish in Russian)
R iver House – is the name of the business center, where the restaurant is located
R14 – a reference to the radius of our pizza
14 – the restaurant is located high atop the 14th floor offering breathtaking views of the Neva River and St. Petersburg
The R14 menu always features at least 14 types of pizza, not to mention exciting seasonal specials. Right now, we suggest you should try pizza with broccoli flowers, smoked cheese and sweet pepper. Some of the long-standing bestsellers include mortadella&pistachios, ham&truffle cream, as well as pizza with eggplant, taleggio and nduya (the famous spicy and soft salami from Calabria).
The name of the R14 pizza chef deservedly appears on the list of European trendsetters, indeed: Manuel Suraci skillfully fuses bold innovations, contemporary techniques, personal touch, fresh perception, local and seasonal products, and genuine respect for the Italian traditions of pizza-making.
As Manuel Suraci believes, "The main secret to making the perfect pizza is to always remember to add a piece of your love into it, as this is the main ingredient! And you should always make pizza in a positive mood – do not forget that you are sharing your emotions with the diners!» This incredible positive attitude is exactly what everyone in the AM restaurants team loves about Manuel. And indeed, it has won him a dedicated audience of diners, who return to R14 over and over again.
Manuel holds an Italian degree as pizzaiolo (as well as gelataio) and is the chef-pizzaiolo of all AM Restaurants. This means you can try the award-winning pizza made according to Manuel's recipes at any of Aram Mnatsakanov’s restaurants in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
At the Maritozzo restaurant in the Patriarch’s Ponds area in Moscow, pizza is made in the same authentic Valoriani Forni oven as in the R14 panoramic restaurant (yes, it is one of those that you can find in the best pizzerias in Naples).
The Top 50 best pizzerias rating was established back in 2018 and is considered a gastronomic Oscar award for pizzaiolos. The rating identifies international trendsetters and the most creative chefs among pizza makers. Its results serve as highly valued reference points for everyone who appreciates a good pizza and strives to excel in the art of pizza-making. Thousands of pizza chefs around the world dream of entering the prestigious list and work hard to reach this ambitious goal. Every year, the award, which is headquartered in Italy, releases three independent ratings – for the USA, for Europe and a separate one for Italy, the host country of the competition.
Candidate dining establishments are evaluated not only in terms of skills and creative approach of the chefs. Experts take into account dozens of criteria, including, for example, the level of service, interior concept, atmosphere, waiting time for an order, wine list, etc.
R14
Address: 5, Akademika Pavlova street, St. Petersburg.
Working housrs: Monday-Sunday: 11.00-00.00
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/r14_rest/