How to host a perfect pizza picnic – by the Berberè brothers

“What is a perfect pizza?” Matteo Aloe, co-founder of the London- and Italy-based Berberè restaurants, asks. The answer lies on the red-and-white blanket in front of him: a base made with living sourdough, left to rise for 24 hours; a greedy helping of organic toppings; and a three-minute blast in a 360°C oven. “This makes ours crunchy on the outside but melt-in-the-mouth soft on the inside,” he says. Above all, however, pizza should be “shared with anyone and everyone”.

We’re not saying ours is the best. But it’s our way

This inclusive spirit is indicative, not just of Berberè’s pizzerias – fuss-free restaurants with colourful walls and stackable chairs – but Bologna itself. Here, the 900-year-old university is what the Vatican is to Rome: a central institution with a direct hand in the city’s culture and customs. “Bologna is very creative and known for its rebellious approach – the same can be said for the hosting style,” says Salva, Matteo’s brother and Berberè co-founder. “Parties are often impromptu, last-minute, and it’s always OK to bring a friend.”

Today’s lunch offers “a little break from work” among the lakes and cedar trees of Giardini Margherita, the city’s largest and most central park. Sixteen pizzas have been ordered for roughly the same number of guests, who run the gamut of Bologna’s social scene, from architect Giambattista Ghersi to Emily Clancy, the city’s vice mayor. Bottles of Galvanina Aranciata Rossa – a “nicer, Italian version of Fanta” – are handed out from a large ice box. For those not spending the afternoon at work (or just willing to chance it), there’s the brothers’ own red wine, made just outside of Bologna in Castel San Pietro Terme.

The pizzas arrive just after one o’clock. Matteo and Salva have catered to every dietary requirement, which they roughly divide into three categories – “vegan, meaty, spicy”. A popular choice is classic ’nduja, a hot sausage from Calabria, where the brothers lived until they moved to Bologna. But there are also un-Italian takes on offer, including a hummus option. One of the reasons the brothers started their empire in Bologna was because – unlike Naples or Rome – the city didn’t have a “strong pizza culture”; they were free to do what they wanted. “We’re not saying ours is the best,” says Matteo. “But it’s our way.” Besides, pizza tends to “put everyone in agreement because it’s easy”, adds Salva. “Everyone likes pizza.”