WEST London’s Portobello area is not short of Italian cuisine, but if you’re looking for a no-fuss, yet stylish answer to casual dining, then this new branch of Pizza East should be the next restaurant on your list.
Don’t mistake the restaurant’s relaxed demeanour for laziness. Everything from the olive oil on the table to the pizza dough has a story, and the staff are more than happy to fill you in on its origins.
Pizza East is owned by the renowned Soho House Group, who are also responsible for the likes of Cecconi’s, Dirty Burger, Cafe Boheme and many more. What’s the one thing that links these eateries together? They’re all cool and they serve delicious food.
My guest and I sipped on some velvety red wine from Puglia upon recommendation, and it’s worth noting that the wine menu is far more advanced than your average restaurant. It boasts regional wines from across Italy, along with a few Californian numbers. Our bottle comes to an affordable £28, but their priciest one is marked at £175 for those extra special occasions.
The display of wine
A green spread of olives, butter lettuce salad and asparagus made its way to our table, and we enjoyed our starters with a plump ball of burrata, which came drenched in a herby pea & broad bean sott’olio.
The selection of small plates and salads were so interesting that I made a mental note to return and try some more off the menu. That’s the beauty behind the menu at Pizza East. Although the name suggests pizza is the main focus, you might easily find yourself ordering a variety of plates, followed by a main course from the wood oven.
Luckily, my guest had a strong appetite like myself, and we ordered a pizza to share along with an intriguing dish named ‘Johnny’s Lasagne’. “Who is Johnny?” we wondered.
We soon learned that Johnny is indeed an important character, and he is the father of one of the Pizza East staff members, and the inventor of the spectacular dish. As opposed to regular lasagne, Johnny’s lasagne is carefully layered with pasta and winter vegetables in a rich creamy bechamel sauce. Flavours of goats cheese followed through in each bite, and we understood why the dish has such a legendary status. The menu should have a note that reads “you must try Johnny’s Lasagne.”
Pizza East
The pizza lived up to our expectations, and the menu is very inclusive to all dietary needs. We went for a half and half split which had baby artichoke cauliflower, courgette, mint and chilli on one side and black truffle, fior di latte and parmesan on the other. The toppings worked well together and are fantastic choices if you want to adventure into less conventional toppings. For the purists, there’s always the buffalo mozzarella pomodoro and basil option. Each slice is supported by a handle of pillowy crust, and this is ideal for mopping up the leftover sauce from our lasagne.
Dessert lovers will be pleased to see limoncello meringue pie and a chocolate pot on the menu, but we were more excited by the idea of something cold. Gelato flavours come in mint & stracciatella and cookies & cream, and there are also two plant-based sorbets to choose from. My meal was concluded with a scoop of tart wild strawberry sorbet, my friend enjoyed a scoop of the Amalfi lemon.
By the end of the meal, we had already discussed our future plans to revisit, next time for a casual brunch before some vintage clothes shopping in Portobello Road. It’s no surprise why they’ve successfully opened their second site in another of London’s foodie hotspots, and everything from the food to the service was as stylish as its surroundings.
by Katrina Mirpuri