A GoGò Pizzabar, Palma
Plenty of restaurants and cafés in Palma offer pizza, but the quality varies, and some pizzas are bought-in as an easier option to cater for tourists seeking something familiar. For lovingly made artisan pizzas, head for A GoGò Pizzabar just off Plaza Santa Eulalia, where the welcoming business owners and life partners, Camilla Riccardi and Jerónimo Alonso, have been offering their authentic Italian pizzas and street food since the summer of 2024.
This is the second outlet for the couple’s popular artisan pizzas. The first, tucked away in Sa Gerreria, opened in 2019, where locals can watch the pizzaman at work. The larger A GoGò Pizzabar has a very small front terrace, a bar area and kitchen on the ground floor, and upstairs, tables in a cosy setting.
Where did the name A GoGò come from? Camilla told me it has nothing to do with dancing girls. A gogo means ‘in abundance’ – and that’s appropriate for the love and care that goes into the pizzas here. The couple originally thought of ten names, then surveyed fifty people to find the most popular. A GoGò was the result.
Camilla is from Rome and told us that her mother had had a restaurant for a while and was also a tour guide. Camilla’s trips with her resulted in an openness to Italy’s regional foods. Hence, you’ll find dishes from Rome, Tuscany, and Sicily.
You won’t find lots of pasta on the main menu, although it may feature on the weekly special. Instead, there are hot and cold antipasti – including popular street food dishes, classic and house pizzas, and the house lasagna.
Special here are the Tuscan gnudi (15€ full portion), similar to gnocchi, made with spinach, ricotta, and Pecorino Romano, cooked in sage butter and served with Parmesan. As we discovered when we shared a half-portion, these are delicious and could convert even those who don’t like spinach.
It’s said that nobody in Rome has pizza without also eating ‘suppli al telefono’ – something that was unfamiliar to me (3,80€ each). Like Sicilian arancini, it’s made from clusters of rice, stuffed with mozzarella, and fried. A GoGò Pizzabar offers two types: the Classico and Cacio e Pepe. The ‘al telefono’ part of the name is because when the suppli is opened, the resulting string of mozzarella resembles a phone wire (remember those?). Be warned: these could be addictive.
We also had melanzane alla Parmigiana (14,50€) – a personal favourite of Italian cuisine. Here, they bake rather than fry the aubergine, which makes for a lighter dish.
And so, to the pizzas, which are classic or house style. Roman pizzas have a thinner and crispier base than Neapolitan, with lower hydration and a lower cooking temperature. A GoGò Pizzabar uses four ingredients in their dough, which is rested for 30 hours. This results in an easier-to-digest pizza and, in my opinion, a more enjoyable one. We had a conversation about the tomatoes they use (Rosso Gargano from Apulia or La Torrente, Campania).
We shared one of their best sellers: the pizza Umbra, (17,50€) which is also vegetarian and doesn’t include tomato. White truffle oil gives this moreish pizza, topped with portobello, shiitake, and button mushrooms cooked in white wine, a luxury touch.
Lunch ended with the Sicilian pastry known as cannoli, filled with sweet ricotta cheese.
Wines are Italian (of course), Mallorcan, and from the Peninsula. The wine list – although not a long one – includes helpful tasting notes, and a few by the glass.
A GoGò is highly recommended for vegetarians and vegans, with a separate menu of appropriate dishes. Camilla took six months to perfect her vegan cheeses recipe, using fermented almonds and soy milk. This delightful place is also suitable for anyone who’s gluten or lactose intolerant.
If you’re a pizza aficionado, this is the place you mustn’t miss.
Photos: JAN EDWARDS
Prices correct at time of writing.