Travel from Luang Probang’s centre five mines up to the hill on a skinny back road, you’ll find Secret Pizza with a wood burning oven.

The owner Andrea and his Laotian wife are very charming and smiling all the time. Andrea’s life centres on his family and life in Laos, and he says when he’s not baking pizza, he is operating a travel agency or making furniture.

His wife is responsible for the dough and as he sips his wine, the oven. She explains how she starts at 07h00 and finishes at 17h00. She makes everything fresh and handmade is something she prides herself. The dough all handmade, [no machines] and it is rolled out to a weight of 220g, just the right size.

We talk a little about the techniques and she smiles and says “my dough is a secret” guarding their skills. They admit that making pizza in Luang Probang is a little challenging due to the hot climate. A natural fermentation, no dry yeast, they use a ‘mother’ a started dough to get the ball rolling. There is no flipping the pizza as they do in Napoli, they roll it out as the dough isn’t as elastic.

The mood is hip, casual as the wine flows, clients are mixed between locals and some foreigners. The cold local beer helps the hot and spicy pizza go over more smoothly. A nice change, a twist in the backyard of their home and the atmosphere cozy and familiar.

If you are waiting for pizza, you can play billiards on his custom-made table. I asked Andrea, what about the table’s surface and he explains how he made it with concrete and board. A must visit!

Oh, Secret Pizza only opens two days a week and it’s always full, so call in advance and reserve a pizza.