Genaro Celia and Agustín Mikielievich, creators of Insurgente, launch Pizza Pagana in the San Leopoldo Market. A pizzeria with 72-hour fermented dough, homemade sauces, and a menu that includes everything from revisited classics to 'illegal' options like birria or tandoori chicken.
The San Leopoldo Market, in the Chamberí district, welcomes a new gastronomic concept this month: Pizza Pagana. Behind the project are Genaro Celia and Agustín Mikielievich, the same ones who started Insurgente, and who are now betting on a pizzeria that defines itself as outsider, where pizza is an open canvas for experimentation.
The dough, fermented for 72 hours cold, is the base of all the pizzas. A process that seeks lightness and flavour, as explained by its creators. The sauces are also homemade, including the tomato sauce, which serves as a starting point for many recipes. The venue, small and with an informal atmosphere, invites dining without too many rules.
Starters to share and classics with a twist
The menu starts with two starters designed for snacking: homemade smoked beef brisket empanadas, cooked at low temperature and served with fior di latte cheese; and a garlic roll with roasted garlic butter and spiced fresh ricotta. Two bites that set the direct and tasty tone of the house.
In the classics section, the Margarita is prepared with a mix of fresh tomatoes, tomato compote, gremolata, and grated fresh cured cheese. The Quesuda combines fior di latte, La Peral, provolone, and spiced homemade ricotta, topped with quince paste. There’s also Ham and Cheese, with cooked fresh ham and fior di latte, and a Hawaiian that joins the pineapple debate with homemade fresh pineapple compote with spices and panela, cooked ham, and lime zest.
This section is completed by the Salami, with black pepper salami, smoked chipotle honey, and fior di latte; and the Vegetarian, with seasonal roasted vegetables, roasted garlic, fresh fior di latte, and gremolata. Recognisable flavours, but with unique preparations and small culinary twists.
The 'illegals': birria, porchetta, huancaína, and tandoori chicken
The freest territory of the menu arrives with The Illegals, a selection of pizzas where Latin American, Asian, and European references coexist. The Birria features stewed beef with chillies, consommé, and melted cheese; the Porchetta incorporates marinated pork with fine herbs, crispy skin, and green sauce; the Huancaína is inspired by the Peruvian sauce with yellow chilli, fresh cheese, and egg; and the Tandoori is seasoned with marinated chicken in spices, yogurt, and mango chutney.
According to Genaro Celia,
“We wanted pizza to be a vehicle for flavours from around the world, but always with a culinary logic behind it. It’s not about putting things together randomly, but about making each combination work.”The result is a menu that invites trying several and sharing, in an atmosphere reminiscent of neighbourhood pizzerias but with a more gastronomic focus.
For the Chamberí local, Pizza Pagana offers another option within the San Leopoldo Market, which already has other food stalls. The venue has capacity for about 20 people and also offers takeout service. Prices range from 12 to 18 euros per pizza, depending on the ingredients.
The creators recommend starting with the empanadas and then ordering two or three pizzas to share. The menu will rotate according to the season and availability of products, so it’s likely that new 'illegals' will appear in the coming months. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM and from 8:00 PM to 11:30 PM.
In a neighbourhood like Chamberí, where the gastronomic offer is wide but often predictable, Pizza Pagana arrives with a proposal that does not go unnoticed. And as its owners say,
“pizza can also be a statement of intent.”So far, the first customer reviews highlight the light dough and the birria, which has become the most ordered. It remains to be seen if the pineapple on the Hawaiian causes as much uproar as on social media.
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