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About Vittoria

Located in the heart of Savannah’s Starland district in the Starland Yard complex, Pizzeria Vittoria is a Neapolitan-inspired pizzeria showcasing naturally-leavened pizza from chef/owner Kyle Jacovino (The Florence, Five & Ten). At Vittoria, Jacovino draws from his nearly two decades of culinary experience and Italian-American heritage to craft pizzas that are an expression of regionality and his commitment to the Slow Food Movement.

Meticulously crafted with local organic grains sourced from regional millers such as Anson Mills and Lindley Mills, Jacovino’s prized dough ferments for up to 48 hours before being fired in a hand-built Neapolitan Giovanni Acunto brick oven. Baked for 90 seconds between 800 and 825 degrees.

 A focal point within the Starland Yard, Vittoria is the only brick-and-mortar space within the complex, conceptualized as a food truck park. Constructed out of a shipping container, the restaurant is a functional canvas for Jacovino’s talent and craft, mirroring the surrounding community’s creative culture. When operational, an adjacent patio invites guests to linger, sharing pies and tipping back glasses of wine and beer.


Chef Kyle Jacovino

@kjacovino 

Kyle Jacovino is the chef and owner of Neapolitan-inspired mainstay Pizzeria Vittoria in Savannah, Georgia. At Pizzeria Vittoria, he draws from his Italian-American heritage and nearly two decades of experience to fuse his nuanced, baker’s approach to pizza with regional Southern influences and pristine local ingredients. 

Born in Idaho and raised in Connecticut, Jacovino later moved to Pittsburgh where he began his culinary career during his teenage years, working in kitchens throughout the city. In 2005, a week after high school graduation, he accepted a position as garde manger at the AAA Five Diamond Nemacolin Resort where he refined his skills and continued cultivating his passion for the industry. That passion coalesced into a clear vision during Jacovino’s time as sous chef at the Mirbeau Inn & Spa in New York when he was introduced to former Empire State South executive chef, Ryan Smith. Smith became a mentor and the impetus behind Jacovino’s subsequent move to Georgia. 

In 2010, Jacovino headed south where he honed his talent further under the tutelage of celebrated chefs such as Linton Hopkins, Hugh Acheson, and Smith in the nationally acclaimed kitchens of Restaurant Eugene and Empire State South in Atlanta. During Jacovino’s time as executive sous chef at Empire State South, Acheson recognized his passion for the industry and unwavering worth ethic, ultimately giving Jacovino the opportunity to live and cook in Italy for six months. From an apprenticeship with a Venetian pizzaiolo to learning the pasta-making techniques of Puglia and studying under the famed culinary family, the Valdiserri’s, Jacovino’s stint in Italy inspired a deep connection with Italian cooking and Neapolitan culture. 

Upon returning to Georgia in 2013, Acheson appointed Jacovino to executive chef at his flagship restaurant, Five & Ten in Athens. One year later, they opened The Florence together in Savannah where Jacovino conceptualized the menu and led day-to-day operations. More recently, Jacovino was the opening chef-proprietor of the 1540 Room inside Savannah’s historic DeSoto Hotel. 

In 2019, Jacovino opened Pizzeria Vittoria Napoletana, his first solo venture where his deep appreciation for the Slow Food movement and Italian cuisine is on display in his prized naturally-leavened pizzas.