11 Top Spots To Get Stuck Into National Pizza Day
Cecconi’s Pizza Bar
A relaxed sister restaurant to The Ned’s Cecconi’s, Soho House Group’s Cecconi’s Pizza Bar opened on Old Compton Street last summer. Bearing the brand’s signature marble-striped floor, the interiors reference Italian landmark Harry’s Bar in Venice: picture a rosewood panelled bar and matching walls, brass fittings, and original Italian black and white photos and advertising prints from the 1950s adorning the walls. In its centre is a mid-century Venetian-style bar serving Negronis, Aperol spritz and prosecco on tap, while the kitchen serves simple Italian comfort food, including pizzas topped with the likes of bresaola, smoked burrata, rocket and cherry tomatoes.
19-21 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 5JJ
Visit CecconisPizzaBar.com
Lost Boys Pizza
Inspired by cult classic vampire movie The Lost Boys and famous for its black charcoal pizza, killer cocktails and a strictly-80s soundtrack, Lost Boys Pizza now has two sites in north London – the original in Archway and a second spot in Camden. On the menu expect to sample the likes of apple smoked ham, red chillis and spicy green pineapple relish; sausage, broccoli and parmesan; and kale, cherry tomatoes, caramelised shallots, lemon zest, oregano and nutritional yeast; plus a selection of vegan-friendly dips. After a night out? The Camden site has its own absinthe bar downstairs.
141 Junction Road, Archway, N19 5PX and 245 Eversholt Street, Camden, NW1 1BA
Visit LostBoysPizza.com
Pi Pizza
A hot favourite in Winchester, Pi chose Battersea Rise as the spot for its first London outpost. And we’re very glad they did – we were massive fans of its ginormous sharing pizzas, on which you can choose up to three combinations of bases and toppings: perfect for the indecisive, or for those plotting a party at this modern pizzeria. For a place that serves cheap eats, we loved the aesthetic: think yellow suede banquette seating, plenty of plants and a ceiling decorated with twinkling lights and flowers. South London pizza lovers, add this one to your list.
4-6a Battersea Rise, Battersea, SW11 1ED
Visit Battersea.Pi-Pizza.co.uk
Pizza Pilgrims
If you’re looking for something speedy and satisfying, you’ll be hard pushed to find anywhere better than Pizza Pilgrims. Serving up a heavy hit of deliciously addictive Napoli-inspired street food alongside zingy cocktails, pizzas are soft and chewy, Neapolitan style, with thick bases and scattered with on-trend toppings – think ’nduja, salsiccia and smoked chilli jam mascarpone. The calzone with Napoli salami, ricotta and mushroom, topped with tomato, fior di latte and parmesan is divine. Make sure to leave room for the Nutella pizza ring.
Locations in Soho, Exmouth Market, West India Quay, Covent Garden, Aldgate and Shoreditch
Visit PizzaPilgrims.co.uk
Radio Alice
Bologna-originated Radio Alice is known for its no-frills (in a good way) sourdough pizzas, and is an especially popular joint for veggies and vegans: brothers Matteo and Salvatore Aloe have always included a monthly-changing vegan pizza on the menu since they opened their first pizzeria in Hoxton. The kitchen’s dough is made every day using organic stoneground flour and wild yeast, before being fermented for 24 hours. Once risen, expect toppings such as speck, nduja, cavolo nero, garlic butter and butternut squash.
16 Hoxton Square, Shoreditch, N1 6NT and 67 Venn Street, Clapham, SW4 0BD
Visit RadioAlicePizzeria.co.uk
Sodo Pizza
If you haven’t yet tried the pizza at Sodo, you’re missing a trick. The Italian joint now has four sites across east London, but Clapton was the first, following a successful pop-up at E5 Bakehouse down by London Fields. The setting is simple, but that’s not what diners come for – here, it’s all about the pizza, which Sodo take seriously. All the dough is fermented for 48 hours and then baked at super-hot temperatures so it’s light and airy with plenty of sourdough tang. Our favourite is the ‘The Wicker Man’ – tomato, mozzarella, nduja, pepperoni, mascarpone and scotch bonnet chilli honey.
Locations in Clapton, Walthamstow, Hoxton and Bethnal Green
Visit SodoPizza.co.uk
Voodoo Ray’s
When the team opened its first site in Dalston back in 2014, Voodoo Ray’s became our go-to spot for a pre- or post-gig bite to eat. It may have expanded north and south, but its locations still pump out some of the best pizza in the capital. We love that it’s served by the (very large) slice too. With topping combinations such as salt-beef, sauerkraut, Emmental and Russian dressing (‘The Rubenesque’) and minced steak, pepperoni, ham, and smoked streaky bacon (‘The Meat Is On’), you’ll definitely be keen to try more than just one. Make sure to order a house frozen margarita on the side.
Locations in Camden, Dalston, Peckham and Shoreditch
Visit VoodooRays.com
Yard Sale Pizza
Another cult London pizza joint, Yard Sale started off in Clapton before demand saw it open a trio of sister sites. In this particular branch, there’s only a couple of tables – they focus on takeaway service – but if you can nab a spot (or are lucky enough to be a local) it’s worth it. Pizzas are wood-fired, with inventive toppings – the ‘TSB’, tenderstem broccoli, manchego cheese, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil – is an SL fave. And our top tip? Try the cheese and Marmite garlic bread. You won’t regret it.
Locations in Clapton, Leytonstone, Walthamstow and Finsbury Park
Visit YardSalePizza.com
Zia Lucia
Leading the charge in London’s pizza renaissance, Zia Lucia has become renowned for its 48-hour slow-fermented doughs: traditional, wholemeal, gluten free and black vegetable charcoal. New for 2019 is its third location at Boxpark Wembley, which features a new addition to the menu, the ‘Burrata Bar’, which showcases creamy burrata sourced from Puglia. Diners will be able to top their burrata with ingredients such as smoked salmon and avocado, spicy Spianata salami, or roasted peppers, and every last morsel of cheese can be mopped up with fresh focaccia.
Locations in Islington, Hammersmith and Wembley
Visit ZiaLucia.com
400 Rabbits
400 Rabbits’ pizzas draw influence from those found in Naples. Using a sourdough starter, organic British white and rye flour, the team ferment the dough for at least 48 hours, before cooking it at 400-degrees in a wood-fired oven. The result is a base with great flavour, a sourdough tang and a texture that is light but with a chew. The kitchen uses local ingredients (even the mozzarella is made in south London) – we like the pizza topped with basil, thyme, radish, courgette and pumpkin seeds best, with a side of chipotle chilli and sour cream for dipping our crusts.
30-32 Westow Street, Crystal Palace, SE19 3AH and 143 Evelina Road, Nunhead, SE15 3HB
Visit 400Rabbits.co.uk
Homeslice
Homeslice has gained popularity for its 20-inch wood-fired pizzas and banging playlists. With six sites, including this January’s opening just off Oxford Street, the kitchen’s dough is always made in-house, aged for 24 hours cooked in a custom-built wood-fired oven. Catering for carnivores, vegetarians and vegans alike, the pizza list at Homeslice is designed to share – all 20-inch pizzas can be split 50/50. Offering ten different pizzas a day, the menu balances classics such as margheritas with seasonally changing toppings including pumpkin, broccoli, pecorino and crispy onions; and its riff on a quattro formaggi: four cheeses, jalapeño salsa and rye crumb.
Locations in Covent Garden, Fitzrovia, Marylebone, White City, City and Shoreditch
Visit HomeslicePizza.co.uk
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