PIZZA is a food that many find comfort in as it comes in all shapes and sizes. With so many new chains and independent pizza restaurants popping up on high streets and food courts, it’s hard to keep up with pizza trends and tell what’s good and bad.
While many enjoy a simple Neapolitan classic, there is also a high demand for other styles pizza as restaurants introduce and follow pizza trends from around the world. So, whether it’s sourdough, deep dish or ginormous 18-inch pizza you’re looking for, we’ve compiled a guide pizza that allows you to discover each nook and cranny of London’s thriving pizza scene.
Yard Sale’s famous 18 inch pizza
Yard Sale
Best for: an 18-inch tear and share
With origins starting in a London back garden, Yard Sale has gone from its humble Homerton wood-fired beginnings to having 5 locations dotted across the city. Their wide selection of meat, vegetarian and vegan pizzas means there’s something for everyone on the menu, and vegans needn’t worry about having just one option. There’s plenty of dedicated vegan toppings to choose from including the America Hot, which is Yard Sale’s answer to a pepperoni topping with tomato sauce, vegan mozzarella, a signature vegan pepperoni and guindilla chillies.
In order to fully enjoy the Yard Sale experience, we recommend ordering an 18 inch pizza to share, as its impressive circumference will fill your tabletop and allow you to enjoy comically large slices of pizza. The half and half option allows you to try the best of both worlds, including our favourite, TSB, which challenges ideas of a conventional pizza topping with perfectly crunchy tenderstem broccoli paired with pine nuts and manchego cheese. For those who enjoy a white base, then The Popeye is a winner with roasted mushrooms, garlic, fresh spinach, oregano and pecorino cheese.
As for the crust, you have a good selection of dips to choose from as Yard Sale takes their sauces very seriously. Chimichurri, garlic & herb (which comes with a vegan version) and The Ribman Holy F**k Hot Sauce are the best options for dipping action.
54 Blackstock Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 2DW
Buratta on pizza
Pizza Pilgrims
Best for: a burrata on pizza
Two friends took a pilgrimage around Italy to learn the secrets of perfecting pizza, and soon after that, Pizza Pilgrims was born. With sites all across London, we visited their colourful Victoria branch to try it out for ourselves. The restaurant is colourful and relaxed yet, the service is fast service and the staff are extremely knowledgeable. With two floors of seating in their Victoria branch, guests can dine on the ground floor or a level below in the pizza-style speakeasy which boasts the extremely picture-worthy, cheese hall of fame which consists of rows of bright yellow wheels of parmesan.
Pizza Pilgrims will leave you spoilt for choice as their toppings are innovative yet authentic. Staples such as the Marinara and Margarita and there for pizza purists however, the Bufala D.O.P is a strong choice offering itself as the Margarita’s richer, creamier cousin, using certified Italian D.O.P imported cheese that melts seductively across the pizza. The Smoked Napoli is brilliant for something punchier, as natural salty flavours come from olives, capers and smoked anchovies which work in harmony to create Pizza Pilgrim’s self-confessed hangover pizza.
The real star showstopper is the basil pesto, yellow datterini tomato and burrata pizza which is a visually striking display of green, yellow and white. The creamy pesto base is the perfect foundation for a creamy ball of burrata, and the yellow datterini tomatoes offer a tangy hit of sweetness to round it all off.
If you’re in the mood to try something inventive and fun, then ask the staff about the guest pizza of the month as you might be pleasantly surprised. This month saw guests dipping their crusts into the cheese fondue pizza which consisted of a blend of Cornish Gouda, Cotswold Hard cheese, Italian mozzarella and ricotta. Having just opened a restaurant and Pizza Academy in Camden, it’s clear that Pizza Pilgrims have excelled from their street food origins into a much-loved pizza joint. If the authenticity of the pizza isn’t enough, then listen out for the chatter coming from the kitchen, as their staff are predominantly from Italy.
Unit 1a, 12 Piazza Walk, London E1 8ZH
The One With The Truffle
Purezza
Best for: vegan pizza
Plant pioneers Purezza have made a name for themselves through a fast-growing cult following however, if you take the vegan element out of the equation you’re still left with outstanding pizza. Having recently won an award at the World Pizza Championships, Purezza have moved out of their first humble space in Camden into a restaurant which is triple the size (staying in the same location).
With a sourdough, hemp flour and gluten free base to choose from, you can craft your pizza experience from the start. The hemp flour base works well if you’re after a fuller flavour as it has a rich nutty flavour that complements all the toppings on the menu. Of course being a vegan restaurant, there is no meat or dairy on the menu but this doesn’t stop Purezza from offering up Italian classics.
Popular meaty toppings are cleverly interpreted into vegan versions using tofu, vegan cheeses and seitan. The One With The Nduja is a great introduction to vegan Italian pizza as it comes with a white base topped with crumbled a vegan sausage that mimics the texture of soft pork. The vegan Nduja offers the perfect salty bite alongside the creamy vegan mozzarella, chillies, peppers and tomatoes.
For a like-for-like classic, The One and Only, Parmigiana Party is a Purezza staple as it comes with a deliciously cheesy topping with the help of nutritional yeast and vegan mozzarella which sits on top of a deep red, tangy tomato base. If you enjoy a white base pizza, then The One With The Truffle is arguably the best option for you as a bed of creamy black truffle substitutes a tomato base and comes topped with smoked tofu chunks and mixed wild forest mushrooms.
Purezza, 43 Parkway, Camden Town, London NW1 7PN
The famous fluffy crust at Zia Lucia.
Zia Lucia
Best for: fluffy dough varieties
Zia Lucia uses 48-hour slow fermented dough for all their pizzas which guarantees that pillowy yeasty crust that so many pizza lovers adore. It’s hailed as one of London’s finest pizzeria’s from both Italians and London foodies, and this is simply down to the use of quality ingredients and their perfected dough recipe. Vegetable charcoal, wholemeal, gluten free and traditional are the dough options for each pizza, and whilst purists might order the traditional, the vegetable charcoal is equally as delicious with the benefit of being more digestible with its “gas absorbing capacities’.
When it comes to ordering, you can’t go wrong with The Parmigiana as it’s a classic Italian topping and a great option for both meat eaters and vegetarians as the pizza comes topped with generous flakes of parmesan which cover meaty slices of baked aubergine. Other options on the menu explore classic Italian ingredients such as smoked speck ham from the North, nduja and gorgonzola.
If you’re a cheese lover, then the most exciting element is the burrata, which you can add to any pizza for an additional £4.50. It arrives as a gleaming white centrepiece on the pizza, filled with fresh gooey cheese. The burrata offers an extra layer of indulgence and many pizza lovers will pilgrimage to their local Zia Lucia branch to enjoy this addition.
Many of us enjoy a drizzle of olive oil alongside a pizza so it’s worth mentioning Zia Lucia’s homemade chilli oil which comes with a spicy kick as opposed to the weaker pre-made sorts you might find at other restaurants.
Unit 1a, 12 Piazza Walk, London E1 8ZH
A pizza staple from Chucs
Chucs
Best for: a pizza staple
The menu at Chucs isn’t exclusive to pizza however, the 5 options they do offer stand as honest hearty options for those wanting a great pizza. Chucs use the finest Italian ingredients across all of their menu which means everything from the cheese to the tomatoes is authentic.
The pizza taleggio with truffle is unlike the others on the menu as it comes on a very thin and crispy crispy base which allows the flavour of the cheese and fresh truffle to speak out. For something more traditional, the other pizzas on the menu incorporate more dough and can be compared to a more Roman style pizza which consists of a thin base with a humble crust. The benefit of this style is that all focus is on the toppings and there’s no change of leaving any crust to leave space in your stomach.
Chucs have a Margarita pizza on the menu but in order to truly enjoy the fresh ingredients on offer, the Pizza San Marzano with black olives, sun blushed tomatoes and Nduja becomes an obvious choice. If you prefer a white base, the Pizza Bianca with creamy blue gorgonzola, pecorino and pickled pear is rich and creamy due to the combination of Italian cheeses.
The pickled pear pairs perfectly with the salty blue notes in the gorgonzola however, if the idea of pear on pizza sounds too adventurous then Chucs are brilliant at substituting out ingredients. For an all-round Italian feast, we recommend ordering the truffle arancini for starters as it’s a brilliant warm up for the tastebuds before a delicious pizza.
25 Eccleston St, Belgravia, London SW1W 9NP
The famous Napoli pizza
The world’s famous pizza from L’Antica Da Michele
L’Antica Da Michele
Best for: a taste of Naples
Napoli’s famous pizzeria, L’Antica Da Michele has made a name for itself for being the “world’s most famous pizzeria” due to its huge queues in Naples and cult fame from the film Eat Pray Love. Any Neapolitan pizza aficionado will tell you it’s the best in its category, so when it arrived in London their pizzas were very well received. Londoner’s no longer have to embark to Naples to enjoy this sloppy delight with their newest branch just opened in Soho, and a few more scattered across the city.
The pizza does not disappoint as they offer the exact same ingredients used to their site in Naples. Everything from the tomatoes used for the sauce to the mozzarella is exactly the same as the Naples pizzeria which means everything is imported from Italy. The pizza arrives colourful and thin, slightly overhanging off the already large plate. At first glance it looks intimidatingly big but after taking a bite you’ll realise it’s also very thin.
The dough is carefully kneaded and stretched out for that ultra crispy edge but sloppy centre. Although there are a few pizza toppings to choose from on the Soho menu, the original L’Antica Da Michele only offers the Marinara and Margherita.
For a truly authentic experience, the Marinara is the best option as the tomato and dough are a pairing from heaven. Italian food is about simplicity and the Marinara is proof of how a simple classic can be the best option. Is there anything better than mopping up a tangy tomato sauce with a soft crispy crust?
44 Old Compton St, Soho, London W1D 4TY
Bar Story is Peckham’s pizza speakeasy
Bar Story
Best for: a casual pizza and cocktail
Situated minutes from Peckham Rye station, tucked under a railway arch is Peckham’s hidden pizza gem, Bar Story. Informal dining is hugely popular in the city, and Bar Story summarises exactly why we love it as it offers great food without the fuss of table service. From the outside it doesn’t look like somewhere that would serve up pizza but that’s why you should never judge a book by its cover. Not only is Bar Story Peckham’s hidden pizza speakeasy, they also boast a brilliant pizza menu supported by a selection of brilliantly unique cocktails.
The menu consists of 8 wonderful options that cater for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters however, they also do a weekly special which means you can have the chance to try something a little different. For those who don’t like a tomato base, the garlic bread pizza and the Bianca are great options. White base pizza is very popular at Bar Story as the ricotta cheese base is a great substitute for tomato, and creates an arguably creamier foundation for delicious toppings.
If cheese and tomato is a pairing you can’t resist, then the Goats Cheese pizza is highly recommended as it comes with crumbled goats cheese, baby spinach and caramelised onions on a rich tomato base. The vegan option needn’t be ignored as it’s a brilliantly light and nutty option as it comes with thick slices of meaty portobello mushroom, drizzled with a rich black truffle oil on a tomato base. Pair your pizza with the Bar Story Bonfire cocktail for the ultimate treat.
213 Blenheim Grove, Peckham, London SE15 4QL
The famous deep dish cheese pull
Japes
Best for: deep-dish pizza
Chicago-style deep-dish pizza has been sought after by many pizza lovers in the UK for years. You’ll have seen cartoon-esque cheese pulls on social media as Instagrammers seek out the best deep dish pizza to document and share to the world. Last year, Japes in Soho were the first to bring the famous deep dish pizza to the capital meaning it’s now the go-to place for a true deep dish treat.
Their menu has 11 deep dish toppings, all of which can be enjoyed with a dip for that crispy golden crust. For a classic experience or simply an introduction to deep dish, the Margherita is the one to go for however the Buffalla offers a richer cheese with a much bigger cheese pull. The Mediterranean is Japes’ answer to a four cheese as a mix of goat cheese, halloumi, feta and mozzarella all lie under a thick layer of tomato sauce.
There is also the self explanatory, Wild vegan, which comes with vegan cheese, wild mushrooms, courgette, fresh rocket and a few dried cranberries for good measure. The pizzas may look small however they make up in depth as they hold layers of toppings, cheese and tomato all within the sturdy walls of the pizza pie crust.
You’ll most likely be left with remainders of thick crust, so the Japes dips are very essential when ordering. Choose from smoked pepper dip, truffle mayonnaise, guacamole, blue cheese or cheddar cheese for some dunking action – you won’t want to waste that delicious crust.
22-25 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 3RY
Sourdough pizza
Sodo
Best for: a sourdough special
Sourdough pizza is not a food trend. It’s a way of life. Soft bubbling crusts have turned the pizza trend into a permanent staple for pizza lovers, and Sodo have become masters of the craft. They caught our attention with the launch of the innovative pizza brunch which consists of using classic breakfast foods on pizza but they also offer indulgent pizza toppings on their regular menu.
Not following conventional pizza topping names, Sodo uses kooky and witty names such as Jon Bon Chovi for their anchovy topped pizza or the Blue Art for their cheesy gorgonzola pizza. Their pizza celebrates Italian traditions whilst also honouring quality British produce as the ingredients used on their pizzas are sourced from the UK. The mozzarella is made in Essex using UK milk whilst their dried meats come from Cobble Lane Cured, which is an Islington based charcuterie business that uses free range grass fed animals.
As for the vegetables, Sodo uses fresh seasonal produce which ensures the best flavours, especially on their specials menu which has a fresh rotation of toppings. When it comes to the dough, Sodo has their own special blend of organic roller milled wheat and stone-ground heritage grains. This gives their dough that unique hearty taste that is both nutritious and mouth watering. Now with four locations in East London, it’s safe to say they’re one of the best sourdough pizzerias in the capital.
126 Upper Clapton Road, E5 9JY
by Katrina Mirpuri