The truth is that London is not exactly a pizza town. We know it, you know it, and we’ll admit it’s why it took us so long to actually make this guide. But a concerning number of slices and leftover-pizzas-for-breakfast later, and the day is finally here. From reliable Neapolitans in Camberwell to pillowy Detroit-style pies in Spitalfields, this guide has the best pizzas you can find in London.
THE SPOTS
The alley next to The Shacklewell Arms in Dalston isn’t somewhere that’s typically frequented in daylight hours (or sober). But All Kaps Pizza—the Sunday-only, pie pop-up at Papo’s Bagels—makes this small strip of concrete next to the bins, the place to be on a weekend afternoon. It’s takeaway-only, and you could take a New York-style, 16-incher home in a box, but it’s fun to stick around. Lean against the wall holding a paper plate with a floppy, spicy pepperoni slice, or rectangle of focaccia-like tomato pie. Eat, order another, repeat.
On a corner of Burleigh Street that feels removed from the tourist-filled, cobblestoned streets of Covent Garden, Italian restaurant Vasiniko makes some of London’s best pizzas. They’re Neapolitan-style, with the doughiest, charred crusts that would convert even a no-crusts kind of person to get involved. 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.
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Every part of London 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 cocktails is still the proverbial One for us. Their Neapolitan pizzas never disappoint, especially with their essential homemade chilli oil. The tiramisu for pud ain’t too shabby either.
There’s been a nasty rumour going around for years that eating pizza should be exclusively reserved for hangovers and meals with small children. Don’t believe it, London. At Elliot’s, the 10-inch sourdough pizzas are served alongside monkfish, bottles of natural wine, and importantly, candlelight. At the deeply charming restaurant in Borough Market, the wood-fired pizzas come topped with everything from octopus and artichoke, to a highly addictive brown butter. Our personal favourite is the ‘nduja and gorgonzola number, but it’s worth getting involved in one of the rich vegetarian options too.
True Craft is all about merry, brainless satisfaction and we wouldn’t have it any other way. At the great little neighbourhood pub in Tottenham, they serve a short menu of winning sourdough pizzas. You’ve got the spicy Nduja Like It, the parma-loaded Totten-Ham—see what they did there—and our favourite, the zingy Bang! Pepper. You simply can’t go wrong with sweet balsamic peppers and mascarpone, and you can also opt for one of their craft beer pizza pairings. Fun, very fun. Keep an eye out for their monthly specials too.
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. While 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, that we're willing to bet you'll want a whole pie. Because when they’re the kind of deep-dish pizzas that taste as good as they look, everyone’s going to want a slice.
Sourdough has a bit of a funny rep these days. It’s become the Coldplay of fermented breads. But 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.
Covent Garden’s Ave Mario is a Big Mamma restaurant. In case you don’t know what that entails, please see this quick cheat sheet for the Italian mini-chain: huge spaces, walls lined with limoncello bottles, big holiday energy, and desserts the size of a human torso. Importantly, they also serve some great pizza. Be warned that the white pizzas can be a little hit or miss, so you’re going to want to stick to the juicy San Marzano tomato options and always—whisper it—add the stracciatella.
We remember the times 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 kind of 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 spot in Chelsea for when you want rustic interiors and a solid margherita for around a tenner.
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, and you’ll understand why the original Naples spot made it to the big screen. With two levels and cushioned seating, it’s the kind of spot you’ll happily spend a couple of hours in.
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.
In this venetian-gothic building on the corner of Gloucester Road, with a homely interior, spacious downstairs room, and friendly staff, you’ll find some seriously great pizza. Da Mario has been serving Neapolitan pizza for the past 30 years. They’re thicker than your average sourdough, with a chewy but light base, and whether you go for the simple margherita or the meat-heavy pepperoni sausage number, they’ll come covered in a very respectable amount of cheese. Come in a group, mix it up with some quatro formaggi here, and a rigatoni da mario there, and finish it all off with a big slice of their excellent tiramisu.
Yard Sale is no secret. The big NYC-style, eat-in and delivery spot is all over London, from Hackney to Balham, all the way up to Walthamstow and down to Crystal Palace. There are things to know about Yard Sale though. The first is that 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’ve got some in the fridge to eat tomorrow morning. The second thing you should know is that the best thing you can order isn’t even their marvellous massive pies. It’s their cheese and Marmite garlic bread. A truly gorgeous, gooey umami-filled delight.
Zia Lucia is probably Islington’s best-known pizzeria—and for good reason. Your classic margherita is about a tenner, and a marinara is a bit less. 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.
