LDNGuide
The Best Pizza In London
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
When we first wrote this guide some years ago, finding 10 pizza places to include was a mission. There was even a team meeting about Domino’s at one point. But thankfully, things have changed and London restaurants have seriously upped their pizza game.
From reliable Neapolitan pizza in Camberwell to pillowy Detroit-style pies in Spitalfields, and New York-style slices in Hammersmith—and a concerning number of leftover pizzas for breakfast later—these are the best pizzas in London.
Check out our guide to London's best Italian restaurants and our favourite tiramisus too.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Bar D4100 is the pizza party of our dreams. Specifically the dream where we have a pink-tiled kitchen in Nunhead and nearly-melted candles flickering on tables loaded with pizza and friends. This good-times pizzeria is the de facto meeting point for locals craving chewy crusts, creative toppings, and £5 spritzes. The Macgyver is the most-ordered pizza here for good reason—we’re big fans of how well the creamy whipped feta and spicy hot honey and chorizo play together. And even if you’re not local, it’s worth doing battle with a Thameslink train to dunk a charred slice in their incredible aioli.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
At Alley Cats Pizza, a walk-in only, NYC-style pizza spot in Marylebone, exposed brick and chequered tablecloths transport you to the streets of Williamsburg. Come evening, the industrial-looking room is busy with dates and mates, dimly lit table lamps throw shadows, and a projector plays The Sopranos—this place is a real scene. The pizzas here are thin and crispy, covered in a rich tomato sauce, and have toppings like vodka sauce or vegan ‘nduja which aren’t found in every pizza place in the city and are made to a high standard. Crusts are nice and chewy, and you probably won’t have any left over if you get the scotch bonnet dipping sauce.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
You’ll assume that this pizza pop-up inside The Chancellors pub is named Crisp Pizza W6 after its street in Hammersmith. But we think it has something to do with the fact that the base on the margherita is crispier than any we’ve ever had. The gravity-defying slices hold their own and the tomato sauce is rich and basil-heavy, with the perfect distribution of melted mozzarella and a sprinkling of parmesan. Don’t leave without trying the calzone. Filled with creamy ricotta and doused in plenty of that crimson-red tomato sauce, it’s our favourite thing here. Just remember to pre-order for weekend pies.
On a corner of Burleigh Street in Covent Garden, Italian restaurant Vasiniko makes Neapolitan-style pizzas, with the doughiest, charred crusts that would convert even a no-crusts kind of person. Don’t get distracted by specials like the creamy truffle-based tartufina, because the rich, basil-infused tomato sauce means that you absolutely cannot leave without trying the straightforward margherita. Enjoy it in Vasiniko’s bright and airy holiday-feel dining room, with cosy booths for groups that are going to regret agreeing to share their pizza.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
Every neighbourhood has restaurants that locals get a little doe-eyed and soft about, and Theo’s makes the list for the lucky folks who live around SE1 or SE5. Their Camberwell original, with its little garden out back, white marble-ish interior, lunchtime panuozzos, and £8.50 cocktails, is still the proverbial One for us. And the Neapolitan pizzas never disappoint, especially with their essential homemade chilli oil. The tiramisu for pud ain’t too shabby either.
photo credit: Pizzeria Pappagone
Old-school pizzeria Pappagone’s is big and shouty, full of staff buzzing around, and chefs rhythmically wielding pizza peels in and out of the oven like a team of Vikings rowing a boat. The Finsbury Park institution has been around since the late ‘90s and once you try one of their faultless wood-fired pizzas—we’re partial to a Hawaiian, just FYI—you’ll understand why.
photo credit: Zia Lucia
Zia Lucia is probably Islington’s best-known pizzeria—for good reason. Your classic margherita is just over a tenner, and the rest just a bit more. The Holloway Road restaurant is rarely without a hungry customer outside, especially on match days when Arsenal fans are looking for their fix of charcoal dough topped with buffalo mozzarella. The choice of doughs (charcoal, wholemeal, gluten-free, or traditional) aren’t something you see every day and make a midweek Neapolitan pizza feel a little bit special.
photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch
This big NYC-style, eat-in and pizza delivery spot is all over London, from Hackney to Balham, all the way up to Walthamstow and down to Crystal Palace. You should always order their ginormous 18-inch pizzas whether it’s for one person or for four. The crusts are crispier, the slices more satisfying, and that way you’ll have some in the fridge to eat the next morning. Also know that the best thing you can order is actually their cheese and Marmite garlic bread. A truly gorgeous, gooey umami-filled delight.
photo credit: Sodo Pizza
Sodo’s sourdough pizzas—found in Hammersmith, Hackney, Walthamstow, and more places—have been consistently delicious for years. Their crispy base and wholesome toppings (the Lorena, ft. roasted butternut squash, feta, pine nuts, and rosemary is a favourite) make a takeaway pizza something special. Even better, eat in and share a bottle from their well-sized biodynamic wine list.
photo credit: Lateef Photography
We remember when this King’s Road spot used to serve their pizzas on a wooden sharing platter that stretched all the way from one side of the table to the other. While we miss them, we’re also kind of grateful that we now don’t have to worry about sharing their delicious, now regular-sized pizzas with anyone else. Topped with everything from burrata to spicy salami, the pizzas here are thin with chewy sourdough crusts, making this the perfect place in Chelsea for when you want rustic interiors and a solid margherita for around a tenner.
photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch
If it’s good enough for Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love, then it’s good enough for us. This Soho restaurant is one of two London branches of the famous pizza shop in Naples, and serves tasty Neapolitan pizzas with the perfect ratio of marinara to cheese. You can get them topped with whole balls of burrata, or king prawns and fresh mussels, but our favourite is the margherita with buffalo cheese. The pizzas are simple, with lightly charred crusts and a puddle of tomato sauce in the middle. With two levels and cushioned seating, it’s the kind of spot you’ll happily spend a couple of hours in.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
This pizza spot on Commercial Street has exposed brick, American paraphernalia hung up around the place, and our favourite Detroit-style pizza in the city. An in-and-out kind of place, there are a handful of high tables and stools where you can perch, making this spot in Spitalfields a great place to hit up for a quick weekday lunch. They also have a roomier Islington location if you’re rolling with a group. A single slice of their Red Stripe is enough to fill you up—the dough is so chewy and so fluffy, with a layer of cheese and a river of rich marinara on top, but we're willing to bet you'll want a whole pie.
