At Via Napoli Pizzeria, the pizza that leaves our wood-fired ovens in Surry Hills and Lane Cove is made to be eaten fresh. But leftover slices are a fact of life — and how you reheat them makes a genuine difference to what ends up on your plate.
Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza isn’t built like a frozen pizza or a delivery box. The dough goes through a 48-hour cold fermentation, stretches to a hydration of 60–65%, and spends 60 to 90 seconds in an oven running at 450–480°C. That process creates an open, airy crumb inside the cornicione — the puffed, charred crust edge — and a base that is light rather than dense. Reheat it carelessly and that structure collapses. Done right, it comes back remarkably close to how it left the oven.
Why Wood-Fired Pizza Reheats Differently
Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza reheats differently from conventional pizza because its structure is fundamentally different from the start.
The 48-hour cold fermentation breaks down complex starches into simpler sugars, producing a dough that is lighter and more elastic than one made with a short, fast rise. The high-heat cook creates genuine air pockets inside the cornicione rather than the dense, uniform base of a conventionally baked pizza. That structure crisps back up quickly with dry, even heat — but it also dries out quickly if the heat is too aggressive or the method too slow.
Moisture balance matters too. San Marzano tomatoes and fresh fior di latte carry more water than processed pizza cheese. On a freshly baked slice, the oven’s heat has balanced that moisture naturally. Reheating needs to recreate that balance: enough heat to crisp the base and warm the toppings, without steaming the crust from the inside or scorching the cheese from above.
For more on what makes the cooking method so particular, see What Is Wood-Fired Pizza? The Neapolitan Method Explained.
The Best Way to Reheat Pizza: The Skillet Method
The best way to reheat pizza is in a dry skillet over medium heat — it crisps the base directly, uses trapped steam to melt the cheese, and takes under five minutes from start to finish.
For Neapolitan-style pizza in particular, the skillet is the right tool. Direct contact with a hot pan recreates something close to the conditions of the original stone oven floor, giving the base a proper crisp rather than the soft, steamed result you get from a flat oven tray or a microwave.
What you’ll need: a non-stick frying pan or cast-iron skillet and a lid (or a sheet of foil to cover).
- Take the pizza out of the fridge 10–15 minutes before reheating. Cold pizza straight from the refrigerator heats unevenly — the base can crisp before the toppings have warmed through.
- Place the skillet over medium heat. No oil needed.
- Add the pizza slice and cover with a lid. The trapped steam melts the cheese without drying it out.
- Heat for 3–4 minutes, checking the base after 2 minutes. Look for a golden, crispy underside.
- Remove when the cheese is fully melted and the crust feels firm. For extra crispness, take the lid off for the final 30 seconds.
How to Reheat Pizza in the Oven
Reheating pizza in the oven is the better approach when you have several slices to heat at once — it’s slower than the skillet but handles volume without needing much attention once the timer is running.
Preheat to 190–200°C. Place slices on a wire rack set over a baking tray, which allows hot air to circulate under the base and keeps it from going soft against the metal. Heat for 7–10 minutes and check at the 7-minute mark. The base should be crisp and the cheese fully melted.
If a rack isn’t available, a flat baking tray will work — but lay a sheet of baking paper down first. The base tends to steam against bare metal and loses some of its texture.
How to Reheat Pizza in an Air Fryer
An air fryer is an efficient option for one or two slices, and it produces consistently good results. Set the temperature to 170°C and heat for 3–4 minutes. The circulating hot air crisps the base and edges without overcooking the toppings from above.
Check at the 3-minute mark — Neapolitan-style pizza, which is thinner than deep-dish or New York styles, heats through faster than most air fryer guides assume. The cornicione in particular can colour quickly once it starts to warm.
Can You Reheat Pizza on the BBQ?
A backyard grill can produce good results, particularly for the cornicione, which picks up a light char that sits well alongside the original wood-fired character. Preheat to medium heat, place the slice directly on the grill, and close the lid. Heat for 3–4 minutes and watch closely — the thin crust of a Neapolitan pizza catches faster than thicker styles.
What to Avoid: The Microwave
The microwave produces the worst results for wood-fired pizza, and no workaround fully corrects this. Microwaves heat by exciting water molecules inside the dough, which converts to steam that makes the crust rubbery and soft. For Neapolitan pizza — where the open, airy crumb is the whole point of the crust — microwaving destroys the texture that the fermentation and high-heat bake worked to create.
If the microwave is the only option, warm the slice for 20–25 seconds at reduced power, then finish the base in a dry pan for 2 minutes over medium heat. It’s not the same as the skillet method done properly, but it’s significantly better than microwave alone.
One Last Thing
If reheating pizza has become a habit, it probably means you’re ordering the right thing. Via Napoli Pizzeria, a Neapolitan pizza restaurant with locations in Surry Hills and Lane Cove, Sydney, makes pizza worth coming back to — even the next day. The methods above make sure nothing goes to waste.
For more on what makes the original worth the effort: Why Wood-Fired Pizza Tastes Better.
Or browse the takeaway menu to plan your next pickup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to reheat wood-fired pizza?
The best way to reheat wood-fired pizza is in a dry skillet over medium heat. Place the slice in a non-stick pan, cover with a lid, and heat for 3–4 minutes. The direct contact with the hot pan crisps the base while the trapped steam melts the cheese. This method works particularly well for Neapolitan-style pizza because it replicates the dry, direct heat of the original wood-fired oven floor — producing a crispy base and fully melted toppings without drying the crust out.
Can I reheat wood-fired pizza in the microwave?
Microwaving wood-fired pizza is not recommended. Microwaves excite water molecules inside the dough, converting moisture to steam that makes the crust rubbery and soft. Neapolitan pizza — made with 48-hour fermented dough that has a light, open crumb structure — is particularly affected by this, as the steam destroys the airy texture the fermentation created. The skillet, oven, or air fryer are all significantly better options for reheating Neapolitan-style pizza.
What temperature should I use to reheat pizza in the oven?
To reheat pizza in the oven, preheat to 190–200°C and heat slices on a wire rack over a baking tray for 7–10 minutes. Placing slices on a rack — rather than directly on a flat tray — allows hot air to circulate under the base, keeping it crispy rather than soft. Check at the 7-minute mark: the cheese should be fully melted and the crust firm to the touch. For multiple slices, the oven is more practical than the skillet method.
How do I reheat pizza in an air fryer?
To reheat pizza in an air fryer, set the temperature to 170°C and heat for 3–4 minutes. The circulating hot air crisps the base and edges efficiently without overcooking the toppings from above. For Neapolitan-style pizza with a thin crust and light cornicione, check at 3 minutes — it heats through faster than thick-crust styles, and the edges can colour quickly once they start to warm.
Should pizza come to room temperature before reheating?
Yes — allowing pizza to rest at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before reheating gives better, more even results. Pizza taken straight from the refrigerator heats unevenly: the base can crisp or begin to burn before the toppings and cheese have warmed through. A short rest before applying heat helps the entire slice reach temperature at a consistent rate, regardless of which reheating method you use.
Why does wood-fired pizza reheat better than delivery pizza?
Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza reheats better than most delivery or frozen pizza because its dough is structurally different. The 48-hour cold fermentation creates genuine air pockets and elasticity in the crust that hold their structure under heat. Delivery pizza, typically made with a shorter fermentation and a denser crumb, tends to become dry or rubbery when reheated. The higher moisture content in San Marzano tomatoes and fresh fior di latte also means the toppings retain more flavour and texture through the reheating process.
