Greenhithe, Pizza Restaurant Guide

“A fabulous neighbourhood restaurant”… even more so given that the neighbourhood in question is Lee. “Kitchen competence far outweighs the modest location”, delivering high quality home-made pasta and wood-fired pizza. The Luciano in question is owner Enzo Masiello’s father.

“More hit ’n’ miss than they used to be, but still a go-to chain” – the Elliot brothers’ successful group is heading towards 20 branches in the capital, but “still producing quality dishes despite becoming quite a brand”: “lovely scorched, pillowy-based pizzas with plenty of power in the ingredients” and “reasonably priced for the quality!” Latest to launch, in June 2024, was a branch by Euston.

“Reliably excellent pizza” – “better than the other high street chains” – is what you’ll find at this growing Clapton-based operation, now with 12 sites from Balham and Crystal Palace in the south to Tufnell Park (which, as of summer 2024, is the latest to open). They’re perhaps “not smart as places to eat”, but that hardly matters – and the “toppings are interesting without being off-puttingly un-pizza-ish”.

“Every year I struggle to come up with new ways of saying just how wonderful this extremely underrated spot is”, say fans of this cherished local – a bright spark in the culinary void near Surrey Quays station. “They’ve been in situ for ages (thank goodness) yet the menu is always changing and continues to impress”: “sourdough pizzas are the main event – the pear and gorgonzola and the tiger prawn with chorizo are particular favourites – and it also has a modern European and grill menu”.

Just across the canal (technically the River Lea) from the Olympic Park, this Hackney Wick mainstay exudes vibey East End cred, especially when you can pose in summer on the large, sunny terrace. On the menu: funky pizza and brews from the right-side-of-grungy in-house microbrewery, at good prices. Unsurprisingly, it can be utterly rammed at peak times.

“Lush pizza” that’s reliably “top-quality” has driven the expansion of this Islington-based group that has developed four different 48-hour ferment bases – including gluten-free and ‘black vegetable charcoal’ versions to reduce stomach gas; so “everyone’s happy”. The eight-year-old group now has nine sites in the capital (including a new one labelled as ‘Chelsea’ but on Fulham Broadway) and one in Reading.

“Reliably excellent pizza” – “better than the other high street chains” – is what you’ll find at this growing Clapton-based operation, now with 12 sites from Balham and Crystal Palace in the south to Tufnell Park (which, as of summer 2024, is the latest to open). They’re perhaps “not smart as places to eat”, but that hardly matters – and the “toppings are interesting without being off-puttingly un-pizza-ish”.

“Top pizza and panuozzo with nice drinks” (from wines or slushy cocktails to pints for a fiver) put the crowd in a fun and easygoing frame of mind at this “relaxed and funky” little bar in Nunhead. (Their pizza is also a feature in The Perseverance pub in Bloomsbury).