A decade ago, a compilation of the top pizzas in London could have been hilariously shorter. “Pizza came to the USA along with spaghetti, which was brought into the country by immigrants in the beginning into the 20th century and later, it was brought to Britain but it was sadly lost its most authentic taste throughout the process,” writes Anna del Conte in her 2013 revision of Italian Gastronomy which is a book of classic Italian cuisines across Piemonte and Puglia. However, in recent times the capital city has seen an increase in pizzaiolo serving Neapolitan-inspired pies that confirm the accuracy of the timeless 1873 description of the Italian dish: “Pizza is a sort of flat dough… It’s at first, it looks easy, but upon closer inspection , it’s revealed as a bit complex.”
Pizza has been around in various forms for at least 100 years, it was the first pizza to be made BC however, it’s the version that was developed in Naples during the 18th century when tomatoes were first utilized to make sugo di pomoro. It’s a form of pizza it’s considered the standard for pizza today. (There’s even a special Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana that defines the strict criteria that must be met for pizzas to be described in the sense of being Neapolitan.) The margherita specifically was first introduced in 1889 in the year 1889, when an italian pizzaiolo invented the distinctive mix of mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, a reference to the colors of the Italian flag in honor of the queen Margherita from Savoy’s travels to Naples.
While it’s tough to beat the Neapolitan classics, a new generation of London pizzerias are committed to reviving their tried and true recipe. Mike’s Pizza at Peckham as well as ASAP Pizza in Borough Market are trying to change people’s minds on the controversy surrounding pineapple’s position in Italian food, while Pizza East continues to dish delicious pizza inspired by LA, and Hackney iconic Lardo is trying its best to prove that vegan-friendly pies can compete with their fior di lattes-covered counterparts. Do you want to make your own pie? Register for any of Bread Ahead’s fantastic pizza-making workshops or keep reading for our tips on the top pizzas in London to sample today.
Big Jo
Best pizza in London for… just about everyone.
Big Jo is more of an eatery than a bakery , and specifically, an establishment that promotes sustainable agriculture and heritage grain. It was founded by the same team that created the brands Primeur, Westerns Laundry as well as Jolene The menu at Big Jo can change daily, but it always revolves around pizza on the slices (or pizza al taglio according to Italian). The most recent toppings added on its menu boards that are constantly changing (ahem, Instagram): wild garlic and anchovy Nduja, ricotta and honey; and mushrooms along with summer truffle. Also, there’s the pizza frita and yes, it can be translated as pizza that’s fried and just as tasty and satisfying as it does sound. Be aware that even if the top button on your jeans is set to pop when you take the pizza fritta to go then it will but there’s a moral requirement to eat a pudding during your visit. The ice cream made with burnt honey and peaches roasted to perfection is like summer in the form of a bowl.
Santa Maria
The best pizzas to eat in London in London… when the idea of a trip to Naples is not in the cards.
Santa Maria became an important place of pilgrimage for Italian expats after it launched its first restaurant with 16 seats in Ealing in the year 2010. the food quality has been consistently excellent as it has been expanded to other neighborhoods. It’s about the closest thing to the authentic Neapolitan pizza as you’ll find on the other part of the Vesuvius. (The Santa Maria team even supplied the clay needed to make their wood-fired pizza oven in W5 from an area near the volcanic.) Amazingly, for a restaurant committed to authenticity, there’s an array of delicious vegan options that are available. There’s not only a homemade vegan mozzarella to choose from, but you can also get the “Sant’Alba” which is where truffle puree substitutes for the pomodoro as well as”San Diego” with pumpkin cream sauce “San Diego” which comes featuring pumpkin-based cream sauce.
Theo’s
Best pizza in London for… south London diehards.
With the help of Franco Manca and Mamma Dough and Mamma Dough, south London gained a reputation for being the best pizza spot as the sourdough revolution first began in the decade of 2010. Then was Theo’s and the other pizzeria that was located south of the river was forced to take place in the back of. The menu is fantastic, not least their famous panuozzo which is served in the lunch hour however if you’re only going to order just one item you should go for the Calzone. The word calzone comes from “trouser leg” in Italian, calzone was originally used to refer to mortadella or another type of sausage wrapped in dough that was ideal for an 18th century Neapolitan to take at the go. It’s still served across Italy (and on Theo’s) as well as packed with and decorated with tomatoes cheese, salami, mozzarella ricotta and basil.
