25 Incredible Pizza Restaurants In London To Grab A Slice Of The Action

Ah, pizza. You’ve helped us through a lot. Hangovers, break ups, everyday carb-cravings. Is there nothing you can’t cure? Thankfully, London is properly spoilt when it comes to slices (or entire pies, we’ll never judge), and so we’ve taken on the daunting task of rounding up the best spots in the city. And, today just happens to be National Pizza Day (not that you ever need an excuse, right?).So, without further preamble, our favourite pizza places in London!

Best pizza restaurants in London

1. Zia Lucia, multiple locations

We’re starting with a bold claim from our UK/IE/AUS Editor Georgie: “Okay, I’m just going to say it: Zia Lucia has the best pizza in all of London.”  Cat amongst the pigeons in the very first entry, right? All of Zia Lucia’s doughs – traditional, wholemeal, gluten free or a witchy vegetable charcoal – are fermented for 48 hours and baked inside hand-crafted wood-fired ovens, and you can really taste the special treatment. Try the ‘Arianna’ with mozzarella, fresh sausage, goat’s cheese, pecorino, and truffle honey, and Georgie promises you’ll be dreaming about it forever. Find out more here.

2. Santa Maria, Ealing, Chelsea, Fitzrovia, and Brentford

Originally named for its location on St. Mary’s Road in Ealing, Santa Maria is amongst the first names on the list when considering the best pizza joints in town. The owners, ingredients, and wood fired oven have all come over from Italy, giving their pies an authentic Neapolitan taste. Fun fact: their Brentford location is actually found inside a luxury car dealership! More info here.

3. Lost Boys Pizza, Camden

Inspired by the 1987 cult classic The Lost Boys, this oxymoronically (self five for the excellent word) friendly pizzeria boasts a killer 80s soundtrack, a vampire-themed cocktail menu, and some seriously spooky black dough pizzas. We’d recommend the ‘Paps Goes To’ pizza, topped with sausage, broccoli and parmesan, and don’t forget to dip that charcoal dough into their spicy pineapple relish (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it). Don’t skip the cocktail menu either – and once you’re done, pop downstairs to the quirky absinthe bar hidden beneath (temporarily closed) the restaurant. More info here.

4. Manifesto, Clapham

An unassuming spot tucked away in Clapham Junction, Manifesto gambles that sourcing the very best ingredients will result in the very best pizzas. Having eaten here before, we can tell you it’s a gamble that pays off handsomely! See more here.

5. Pizza Union, multiple locations

Pizza Union is the perfect place to go if you’re craving pizza, but you’re a little strapped for cash. A proper, human-sized margarita costs just £3.95, but, if I were you, I’d opt for the ‘Romana’ for a modest £6.50, topped with goat’s cheese, pancetta and wild broccoli. If you like it spicy, go for the ‘Calabria’ with mascarpone, n’duja sausage and rocket. It’s proper Italian pizza for proper cheap prices, and they also do a cracking gluten free pizza. Find out more here.

6. Well Kneaded, Earlsfield

If pizza is the thing you truly knead right now, check out this excellent spot. The highlight here is a toss up between their whimsical pizza slide, and the fact that they’re a social enterprise who provide employment and skills training for vulnerable young people. Pizzas are cracking, too! See more here.

7. Homeslice, multiple locations

This almighty pizza joint allows you to buy pizza by the slice but, also, you can get a whomping great 20-inch pizza for £20. Their flavours are so diverse – for example, kimchi, porcini cream and basil or aubergine, cauliflower cheese, spinach and harissa – so you’re bound to want to mix and match. Their branch in Neal’s Yard is especially cute, but they have a load of restaurants across London. Find your nearest Homeslice here. 

8. Crust Bros, Waterloo

Crust Bros is, unsurprisingly, all about that perfect crust. Their dough is left to rise for up to 48 hours before being cooked in the 500 degree wood-fired oven for just 60 seconds. Topped with ingredients that have been handpicked from Italy, the result is a delizioso pizza Straight Outta Naples. See more here.

9. Street Pizza, St Paul’s, Camden, Battersea and Southwark

Did you know Gordon Ramsay had a pizza restaurant? Thankfully there’s not an idiot sandwich in sight here, but you will find bottomless pizza and bottomless Negroni ice cream, which is why we’re making a beeline here as soon as possible. More info.

10. Yard Sale Pizza, multiple locations

Yard Sale started out serving stone baked pizzas in one of the founders’ back gardens, which has since turned into five restaurants across London. When they launched their first in 2014, they had Macaulay Culkin’s band, The Pizza Underground, play an unannounced UK debut in the kitchen (watch it here). It’s worth trying everything on the menu, but I’d especially recommend the ‘TSB’ with tender stem broccoli, manchego, pine nuts and garlic. Their regular collaborations are especially worth keeping an eye out for, and Yard Sale also delivered free pizza to NHS staff during the pandemic. As if they weren’t perfect already! Discover more here.

11. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Marylebone and Soho

The original Naples restaurant is famous for having “the world’s best pizza” (seen/read Eat, Pray, Love? Yeah, it’s That Pizza Restaurant), so understandably Londoners were pretty excited when it opened here. Queues for the much-hyped margherita have died down a little since then, but it remains a must-visit. More info.

12. Circolo Popolare

This bougie restaurant in Fitzrovia is an excellent choice, particularly for those intrigued by one of their specialities: truffle pizza. Circolo Popolare are part of the Big Mamma Group, and their interior – as well as their pizzas – happens to be a sight for sore eyes. Find out more.

13. Pizza Pilgrims, everywhere

I’m only half-joking: Pizza Pilgrims are literally everywhere in London these days. What started as a six-week pilgrimage to Italy to learn about all things pizza has since grown into one of the capital’s best-loved chains – and crucially, remains an excellent spot for a slice. Find out more here.

14. 400 Rabbits, Crystal Palace, Elephant And Castle, Nunhead, West Norwood, and Herne Hill

North Londoners may not be au fait with 400 Rabbits – and to those North Londoners, I say this: you are seriously missing out. First of all, the restaurant is named after the 400 Rabbit Gods of Aztec folklore, which is just fucking cool. Second, they love their craft beer as much as they love their pizzas, so you can bet the drinks are top-notch. And third, they’ve got easily some of the best vegan pizzas in town. Try ‘The Clean One’ (tomato, courgette, piquillo peppers, pine nuts, and chimichurri) for plant-powered perfection. See more here.

15. Voodoo Ray’s, Dalston and Peckham

Gigantic, 22-inch NYC-inspired pizzas virtually guaranteed Voodoo Ray’s place on our list, and a scroll through their Instagram is enough to get me drooling. Famously, their Full Moon slice – bacon dust, Japanese mayo, mozzarella, tomato sauce, and vine tomatoes – was for a time only available after midnight. Worth waiting for, IMHO. More info here.

16. Theo’s, Camberwell and Elephant & Castle

Another South London gem (honestly, come at us rest of London, we’ve got pizza FOR DAYS SON!), Theo’s more than lives up to the hype. Grab yourself a Negroni, settle in, and whatever pizza you get, add ricotta to it. Sheer, unbridled food joy awaits you. More info here.

17. Pizza East, Shoreditch and Portobello

Produce-led pizza, quality wines, and banging cocktails means Pizza East has the big three covered, although they also serve a proper cooked breakfast if you’re somehow, inexplicably, not in the mood for pizza. Find out more here.

18. Joe Public, Clapham

A combination of being a) right next to Clapham Common and b) serving takeaway pints meant this place was insanely busy during summer 2020. Their slices are ginormous, the entire 20-inch pizza even more so. We’d recommend the native mushroom, crispy shallots, truffle oil, parmesan, and cream chive base for a treat. See more here.

19. Mamma Dough, multiple locations

Our next South London institution is properly keen on locally sourced ingredients (their coffee’s roasted in Shoreditch, the craft beer is brewed 5 miles away) and it shows in their delicious sourdough pizzas . The ‘Beatrice’ comes recommended, but those who love a challenge can tackle ‘The Devil’. Find out more.

20. Sodo Pizza, Bethnal Green, Hoxton, Clapton, Hammersmith, and Walthamstow

Sodo love a witty pizza name as much as the next person – see the ‘Jon Bon Chovy’ for more evidence of this – but they also pride themselves on producing a dough that is light on the stomach, thanks to a 48-hour fermentation and baking at 450 degrees. They’ve also got brunch, so you can stay all day! More info here.

21. O’Ver, Borough and St James’

The secret to O’Ver’s lighty and fluffy crusts is a left-field one: purified seawater (don’t worry, it’s sourced from the purest waters of the Mediterranean rather than anywhere around London). Authentic ingredients from Italian producers do the rest, and the wood-fired oven adds the final touches. See more here.

22. Pizzeria Pellone, Lavender Hill

The first Pizzeria Pellone outside of Naples (side note: how many world-class pizzerias does Naples actually have, and why aren’t I there right now?) is found in Battersea, and they’re justifiably renowned for their calzone fritto. Find out more here.

23. 50 Kalò di Ciro Salvo, Trafalgar Square

Another pizza joint that’s become wildly popular in Naples and expanded into London, 50 Kalò is the restaurant of acclaimed doughmeister Ciro Salvo. A massive pizza menu means you’re spoilt for choice, but when in doubt, head straight for the true test of a pizzaiolo’s talents: the margherita. More here.

24. Berberè, Clapham

The artist formerly known as Radio Alice has been reborn as Berberè after the founding brothers bought out their UK investors and brought it under the same umbrella as their Italian pizzerias. Expect a little menu change, without losing the light and wickedly inventive pizzas that made Radio Alice such a hit. See more here.

25. Franco Manca, multiple locations

Ok, I know it’s cool to scoff at chain restaurants, but give a Londoner the chance to grab a bite at Franco Manca, and you’ll rarely find the offer turned down. It’s one of those London-centric chains that has kept the same winning formula despite rapid expansion. If you’re dead set on authenticity, head to their original Brixton Market location to see where it all began. More info.

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Also published on Medium.