Celsius 483

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, you can already spot it from the outside: the pizza oven by Stefano Ferrara, a piece of Neapolitan craftsmanship right in the middle of Graz. At exactly 483 degrees, several hundred pizzas are baked here daily at Pizzeria Napo. Dominik Flaßer's restaurant, located on Neutorgasse 22, practically right by the Kapistran-Pieller-Platz, has become the city's pizza hotspot. Not only does it serve what may be the best pizza in the city, but it also offers a taste of Southern lifestyle, especially in the summer. This is thanks in part to an interior that does not rely on clichés but rather consciously chooses its own path.

Originally, Dominik Flaßer never wanted to go into gastronomy. "Because it's a tough field," as he says. Especially when you have to "stand in it yourself." He does not see himself as a restaurateur. His role is that of the initiator, someone who deals with the big picture. He leaves the hospitality to those who are better at it: his employees. Flaßer's original background is in the hotel industry. At just 23, he became the director of a well-known hotel in Graz. He quickly saw the potential of the place and spent nearly ten years trying to convince the owner of a management buy-out.

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The fact that his hotel plan ultimately did not work out turned out to be a fortunate event for Graz's pizza lovers. With the pandemic, Flaßer found the right time for new ideas. Several concepts, which he had developed after studying marketing as a second career, were waiting in his drawer. "I’ve always traveled a lot," says the entrepreneur. "Wherever I went, I ate very good Neapolitan pizza. But not in Graz. There were some good pizzerias, but not exactly what I had imagined." A business idea was born. By 2020, he found the ideal location, and two years later, he was able to secure it.

It was clear from the very beginning that only genuine quality would do—pizza, staff, and interior. "I wanted wood, stone, glass, steel. Only high-quality materials. No cheap plastic," Flaßer explains. "I love reduced, Scandinavian design." That was the vision. A lot of wood, visually and tangibly valuable materials, and a very bright space were the result. A depiction of Michelangelo's "Fall of Man" behind the bar is the second striking focal point, alongside the iconic pizza oven. Together with the Josef Göbel team, led by Jürgen Kalcher, the entrepreneur developed an interior that serves as not only a stage for his concept but also the foundation of his brand. "Branding and corporate design," Flaßer explains, "were essentially developed from the interior." This branding and design will likely be seen more often in the future, not just in Graz. New locations are planned, with up to ten set to open in the next 15 years. The Napo brand has already been trademarked across Europe to ensure its protection.