13 June 4 - 10, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents All the Sweet Treats Additional Syrup + Sno menu items in- clude warm cookies ($4), soft serve ice cream ($7, toppings extra), and macaron ice cream sandwiches ($9). For those seeking savory snacks, Derry notes that takeout sandwiches and salads will also be available soon. Syrup and Sno, 2951 S. State Hwy 161 in Grand Prairie (at Epic Central). Open Thurs- day-Sunday from 3-8 p.m. ▼ DESSERTS DALLAS PIZZA SHOP EXTENDS 6-YEAR RUN ON PRESTIGIOUS 50 TOP PIZZA LIST DON’T SAY THERE’S NO GOOD “REAL ITALIAN” PIZZA IN DALLAS. PARTENOPE SAYS OTHERWISE— AND THEY HAVE THE RECEIPTS. BY AAREN PRODY P artenope Ristorante in Downtown Dallas serves one of our favorite piz- zas in Dallas, and it’s no surprise that the Italians love it, too. 50 Top Pizza announced the results of its annual roundup of the best pizzerias in the U.S. for 2026, and Partenope was ranked at No. 18. This is the sixth year in a row that the Na- ples native and master pizzaiolo Dino Santo- nicola has been recognized on this list: No. 25 in 2021, No. 17 in 2022, No. 16 in 2023, No. 12 in 2024, No. 17 in 2025. This year, it main- tained its rank in the top 20. 50 Top Pizza is a team of more than 150 Italian food and beverage journalists who travel the world in search of the best pizza on all continents, so this award isn’t arbi- trary. These are professional pizza eaters, and their rankings are based on these cat- egories: pizza, service, atmosphere, wait times, wine, beer and other beverages of- fered. Partenope also received an additional award this year called the Salumi Coati Award, which Santonicola talked about on Partenope’s Instagram page: “This year’s recognition is made even more meaningful as we have also been awarded the ‘Made in Italy Award’ for 2026, an honor that celebrates our commitment to preserving and sharing authentic Italian culi- nary culture.” In the post, Santonicola expresses his gratitude for the recognition the restaurant is receiving again: “We are deeply honored to share that Partenope has once again been recognized by @50toppizza! To receive this recognition from such a respected organization is in- credibly humbling. Every dish we serve is rooted in tradition, passion, quality ingredi- ents, and the spirit of Naples that inspires everything we do.” Dino Santonicola opened Partenope Ris- torante in 2019 to share the flavors and gen- erous spirit of Naples. Partenope (“Par-TEN-no-peh”) is the original name of Naples, Italy, and it’s where Santonicola was born, raised and learned to cook. He owns and runs the restaurant together with his wife, Megan. “Dallas is the economic and cultural cen- ter of the vast Dallas-Fort Worth metropoli- tan area. While there is no shortage of good pizza in the area, when it comes to Neapoli- tan style, there is no doubt that Partenope Ristorante is the absolute reference,” reads Partenope’s Award page. “The dough is tra- ditional Neapolitan, soft and melt-in-your- mouth, with precise cooking techniques. We recommend starting with the eggplant par- migiana and meatballs in tomato sauce, two traditional dishes made with skill. Among the pizzas, the classic margherita and mari- nara are benchmarks for what a true Nea- politan pizza should be. Much of the East Coast swept the top 20 spots like they did last year, and Una Pizza Na- poletana in New York won the No. 1 spot again for the second year in a row. Again, Partenope was the only Texas pizzeria that made the list. Partenope Ristorante, 1903 Main St. Sun- day – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday/Sat- urday, 11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Partenope Ristorante, 110 S. Greenville Ave., Richardson. Monday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Alison McLean Partenope Ristorante is ranked No. 18 on 50 Top Pizza’s list of best pizzerias. D INTERESTED CANDIDATES PLEASE SEND YOUR COVER LETTER AND RESUME TO [email protected]
