Pizza in London
Roman & Italian Thin Crust Pizza
Oliveto
- A Sardinian pizzeria on Elizabeth Street, known for thin bases and crisp edges rather than a raised Neapolitan crust.
- The unusually broad list runs to twenty-one pizzas, including bottarga, fresh crab and Sardinian salted ricotta.
- The relaxed room feels more like a longstanding neighbourhood Italian than a Belgravia occasion restaurant.
Great for:
Thin and crispy pizza, Belgravia lunches, Regular returns.
Order: Sarda, Granchio, Tartufo.
Share two contrasting pizzas rather than loading one base with extra toppings.
Marta
- A small Chelsea pizzeria that has helped introduce Roman-style pizza to a wider London audience.
- The pizzas are hand-rolled using a traditional mattarello rolling pin.
- The menu focuses on a concise selection of classic toppings.
- The restaurant seats around thirty guests, with several counter seats overlooking the wood-fired oven.
Great for:
Counter dining, Couples.
Order: Bufala Pizza, Margherita Pizza, anchovy-stuffed courgette flowers, pistachio ice cream.
Reserve one of the counter seats facing the oven if available.
Walk-ins only
Pizzeria Pappagone
- A busy north London institution serving broad, crisp Roman-style pizzas from a wood-fired oven.
- The long menu rewards restraint, with the simplest tomato, aubergine and cheese combinations working best.
- The sprawling dining room is loud, informal and built for tables that order far more than planned.
Great for:
Group dinners, Family tables, Roman-style pizza.
Order: Margherita, Parmigiana, Quattro Formaggi.
Stick to the classic pizzas before exploring the much longer pasta and secondi menu.
Book by phone
Short Road Pizza
- A London hybrid combining crisp Roman-style structure with the snap of Chicago thin crust.
- The no-flop base carries inventive toppings without losing its brittle edge.
- Both kitchens sit inside East London pubs, keeping the mood closer to a local than a formal pizzeria.
Great for:
Crisp bases, East London evenings, Pub dinners.
Order: Marinara, rotating seasonal special.
Check which pub is serving before travelling, as the residency schedule can change.
Florencio
- Forty eight hour dough baked into a fine, crisp base with an airy outer edge.
- Argentinian influence appears through bold sauces and toppings rather than a heavy crust.
- The candlelit Seymour Place room turns pizza into a quietly romantic dinner.
Great for:
Date nights, Crisp pizza, Marylebone dinners.
Order: Classic Muzza, Canchera, Stracciatella 2.0.
Save the crusts for the salsa verde rather than ordering an extra side.
Walk-ins only
Delfino
- A Mount Street pizzeria with roots stretching back to an Italian restaurant opened here in 1953.
- Thin, lightly crisp pizzas arrive with generous toppings and none of Mayfair’s ceremony.
- The narrow room remains busiest with local families and longstanding regulars.
Great for:
Mayfair lunches, Thin pizza, Family dinners.
Order: Margherita, Diavola, Zucchini Fritti.
Book lunch rather than dinner for the calmest version of the room.
Made in Italy
- A family run King’s Road restaurant serving crisp pizza by the metre since the early 1990s.
- Long wooden boards allow several toppings to travel across a single base.
- The covered roof terrace suits a pizza designed for sharing.
Great for:
Sharing pizzas, Chelsea groups, Roof terrace.
Order: Diavoletta, Ortolana, Burrata and Pesto.
Order by the metre only when everyone agrees to share the same pace.
Neapolitan Pizza
Napoli on the Road
- Cooked in a gas oven rather than wood fired.
- The Soho site on Wardour Street opened second and runs longer hours, from midday daily.
Great for:
Neapolitan pizza, Destination dinners, West London evenings.
Order: Ricordi d’Infanzia, Cheesewick, Provola e Pepe.
Choose Chiswick for the original room and book ahead at weekends.
50 Kalò di Ciro Salvo
- Ciro Salvo’s London outpost of the Naples original.
- Open late enough to make it one of the better post-theatre kitchens around Trafalgar Square.
Great for:
Neapolitan pizza, Late dinners, After the theatre.
Order: Margherita Scarpariello, Bufala with anchovies, Del Monaco DOP.
Book after an evening performance rather than joining the busiest pre-theatre sitting.
Santa Maria
- One of London’s longest-standing Neapolitan pizza spots.
- Wood-fired ovens imported from Italy sit at the centre of every restaurant.
- The dough follows traditional methods developed by the founders.
Great for:
Traditional pizza evenings, Family dinners.
Order: Santa Caterina, Santa Bufalina, San Rocco.
Choose whichever branch is most convenient. The menu remains consistent across the group.
Cinquecento
- Slow fermented dough baked at high heat in a dedicated Neapolitan oven.
- San Marzano tomatoes and Campanian ingredients keep the flavours close to Naples.
- The small Cale Street room gives Chelsea a dependable neighbourhood pizzeria.
Great for:
Chelsea lunches, Neapolitan dough, Easy dinners.
Order: Napoli, Diavola, Cinquecento.
Take an outside table on Cale Street when the weather is settled.
Walk-ins only
L'Antica Pizzeria
- An independent Hampstead pizzeria with Neapolitan origins and a wood fired oven.
- Soft dough and charred cornicione keep the focus on traditional Naples technique.
- The compact Heath Street room feels closer to a local trattoria than a pizza brand.
Great for:
Hampstead dinners, Classic toppings, Neighbourhood dates.
Order: Margherita, Diavola, Parmigiana.
Book before a weekend walk on the Heath, as the small room fills quickly.
Book by phone
Zia Lucia
- Forty eight hour dough offered in traditional, wholemeal and vegetable charcoal versions.
- The original Holloway Road restaurant established the formula before the group expanded.
- Closely packed tables and a visible oven preserve the energy of a neighbourhood pizzeria.
Great for:
Dough choices, Highbury dinners, Casual groups.
Order: Arianna, Andrea Pirlo, Burrata and Parma Ham.
Choose the original dough first before experimenting with charcoal or wholemeal.
Detroit-Style Pizza
Ria's
- A colourful neighbourhood restaurant specialising in Detroit-style pizza.
- Guests can order by the slice or share entire pies, making it one of the more flexible pizza restaurants in London.
- The outdoor tables in Notting Hill provide some of the better people-watching in the neighbourhood.
Great for:
Casual dates, Sharing with friends, Long afternoons.
Order: Detroit-style slices, Whole pies, Deep-fried Mars bar with soft serve.
Start with slices before committing to a full pie. The portions are larger than they appear.
Detroit Pizza
- One of the first London restaurants dedicated entirely to Detroit-style pizza.
- Caramelised cheese edges and a soft interior distinguish the square pies from both Roman and Neapolitan pizza.
- The compact Commercial Street room keeps the experience quick, casual and focused on the pizza.
Great for:
First-time Detroit pizza, Comfort food cravings, Walk-ins.
Order: Classic Pepperoni, Tuscan, Spicy Buffalo Chicken.
Order by the slice first if you want to compare toppings without overcommitting.
Walk-ins only
Japes
- A Soho deep-pan specialist whose house style borrows from Detroit, Sicilian and Chicago traditions.
- The defining feature is a tall, caramelised cheese edge around a soft, substantial centre.
- The playful room suits a late, casual dinner more than a purist comparison of regional pizza.
Great for:
Deep-pan cravings, Soho groups, Hybrid pizza styles.
Order: London Style Pepperoni, Original Deep Dish.
Choose the London Style pizza for the clearest Detroit influence rather than the deeper Chicago pie.
New York & Modern Thin-Crust Pizza
Crisp
- The central London outpost of one of the city’s most talked-about modern pizzerias.
- Located beneath The Marlborough, the dedicated dining room operates separately from the pub upstairs.
- Thin-crust New York-style pizzas with a concise menu.
Great for:
Group dinners, Mayfair weekends.
Order: Cheese Pie, Pepperoni Pie, Tie Dye Pizza.
Arrive at opening for the best chance of a walk-in table, particularly at weekends.
Paulie's
- Large New York slices served hot, foldable and wide enough to need two hands.
- Fourteen and eighteen inch pies share the menu with individual slices for walk ins.
- The Commercial Street room borrows its pace and graphics from a Lower East Side shop.
Great for:
Quick slices, Late lunches, Shoreditch.
Order: Classic NYC, East Side, Pepperoni Slice.
Order one slice before deciding whether an eighteen inch pie is realistic.
Walk-ins only
Alley Cats
- Fourteen inch New York pizzas with crisp bases, chewy edges and generous sauce.
- The original Paddington Street room pairs slice shop informality with table service.
- Projected episodes of The Sopranos give the dining room its knowingly theatrical character.
Great for:
New York pizza, Casual dates, Marylebone.
Order: Vodka Sauce, Green Goddess, Scotch Bonnet Dipper.
Choose Marylebone for the original room rather than a newer branch.
Lardo
- Wood fired pizzas shaped by the same seasonal produce as the pasta and small plates.
- Fermentation, smoke and pickling bring sharper flavours than a conventional pizzeria.
- The open industrial room has remained part of London Fields life since 2012.
Great for:
Seasonal cooking, Sharing plates, London Fields.
Order: Current Seasonal Pizza, Tiramisu.
Check the day’s menu before visiting, as toppings move with the kitchen’s produce.
Vincenzo's
- A New York-inspired slice shop bringing classic late-night pizza culture to East London.
- Large twenty-inch pizzas are sliced to order throughout the evening.
- Most ingredients are sourced directly from specialist Italian producers.
Great for:
Late-night pizza, Eating on the move.
Order: Pepperoni Slice, Vodka Slice, Burrata Slice.
Add burrata or hot honey to individual slices rather than an entire pie.
Walk-ins only
Dough Hands
- Known for inventive toppings and a dough-focused approach.
- The menu changes regularly throughout the year, reflecting seasonal produce and supplier availability.
- Pizzas are cooked in a deck oven rather than a traditional wood-fired oven.
Great for:
Seasonal menus, Food-focused dinners.
Order: OG Pizza, The Jode Pizza.
Check the blackboard for weekly specials before ordering.
Walk-ins only
Slayer
- A Notting Hill pizzeria combining New York-style slices with a full-service restaurant.
- The pizzas are known for their crisp base and foldable slices.
- The menu places emphasis on dough fermentation and texture.
Great for:
Notting Hill dinners, Pizza enthusiasts, Sit-down slice-shop energy.
Order: Spicy Pepperoni, The 226.
Add the hot honey to the Spicy Pepperoni at the table, a little at a time.
Walk-ins only
Sodo Pizza
- Sourdough pizza from the only London pizzeria milling its own heritage-grain flour on site.
- The crust sits between Neapolitan softness and the newer generation of crisp London pies.
- Each branch keeps the relaxed feel of an East London neighbourhood restaurant.
Great for:
Sourdough, East London dinners, Heritage grains.
Order: John Bon Chovy, White Goat, Cheesy Garlic Bread.
Choose Walthamstow for weekday lunch. The group closes on Mondays.
