thumb|right|Plaque in Naples remembering the centennial of pizza Margherita invention Raffaele Esposito () was an Italian chef and owner of a tavern in Naples called () in the 19th century that had been founded in 1780 by Pietro Colicchio. Esposito is often credited for popularizing modern day pizza. In 1889, pizza had not yet become a popular or well-known dish and was typically eaten by poor people as a way to utilize various ingredients that would otherwise be wasted.
At that time, Esposito was considered the premier () in the city of Naples. According to a popular (but questioned) legend, Esposito was requested to prepare a pizza for Queen Margherita of Savoy, who had traveled to Naples with King Umberto I. Esposito and his wife were admitted to the royal kitchens to prepare this dish as he saw fit. Deeming the traditional garlic topping to be unfit for the royal palate, Esposito instead prepared three different pizzas, the last of which used a combination of tomatoes,
mozzarella cheese and basil to emulate the red, white, and green of the Italian flag. It is claimed by some sources that this was the first time pizza was made with mozzarella cheese. Queen Margherita, having never had pizza before, enjoyed the dish so much that she had her head of table services send Esposito a letter to commend his pizzas, stating that they "were found to be delicious".
Esposito used this recommendation to successfully promote his restaurant, naming the pizza most enjoyed by the Queen, pizza Margherita.
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