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. So, without further ado, here are our favourite pizza places in London!
1. Napoli On The Road, Richmond and Chiswick
How’s this for a bit of prestige – Napoli On The Road is quite literally one of the top 5 pizzerias in the world. This might seem like a grand claim, but last year the pizzeria was recognised by Top 50 Pizza as the 5th best pizzeria in the entire world. This year, they were recognised as the best pizzeria in all of Europe (besides Italy…) for the second year in a row. Napoli On The Road’s innovative approach to toppings breathes new life into the traditional Neapolitan pizza, and if you haven’t tried their pizzas yet, what are you waiting for?
📍 12 Red Lion Street, Richmond, TW9 1RW & 9A Devonshire Road, Chiswick, W4 2EU.
🚇 The nearest stations are Richmond & Turnham Green.]
2. Paulie’s Pizza, Shoreditch
From the team behind London’s original Detroit-style pizza, Detroit Pizza (which also made our list) comes this faithful homage to retro New York pizza slice shops. Our Phoebe was utterly enamoured with it, describing the crust “WILD, crisp crunchy and then slightly doughy while still being NYC pizza thin”. In fact, she even went on to describe it as being “the Mary Poppins bag of pizza crust”. Do I really have any idea what she meant by that? No. But it was convincing nonetheless. Suffice it to say, you have to try the pies here to understand how good they are.
📍 144-146 Commercial Street, E1 6NU.
🚇 Nearest station is Shoreditch High Street.
3. Spring Street Pizza, Borough
Sure, a lot of pizza places serve up DELICIOUS slices of ‘za. But how many can claim to have Michelin-starred talent behind them? Because that’s exactly the case at Spring Street, where Michelin-starred chef Tom Kemble is sharing his “passion for pizza and relentless pursuit of achieving the perfect crust”.
📍 Arch 32, Southwark Quarter, Southwark Street, SE1 1TE.
🚇 Nearest stations are London Bridge and Borough.
4. Dough Hands, Hackney and Nunhead
This ultra popular pizza spot has developed such a cult following at its first location, Hackney’s Spurstowe Arms, that it frequently sells out or commands over-an-hour waits. The trick? Visit the second location at The Old Nuns Head pub in Nunhead, where you’ll hardly have to wait! Across both sites, the pie selection is ever-changing and often experimental, and Dough Hands founder Hannah is always inviting her cheffy friends into the kitchen to come up with collaborative specials. As ever, don’t skimp on the hot honey!
📍 Spurstowe Arms, 68 Greenwood Road, E8 1AB & The Old Nuns Head, 15 Nunhead Green, SE15 3QQ.
🚇 Nearest stations are Hackney Central and Hackney Downs & Nunhead.
5. Detroit Pizza, Spitalfields and Islington
Sometimes you just want a pie with some heft behind it. And when the craving for big ol’ slabs of pizza arrives, it’s not deep dish you should be looking for, but Detroit Pizza’s Detroit-style pies. Baked in authentic ‘blue steel’ pans, Detroit Pizza’s wares are almost akin to a pizza-topped focaccia, for the sheer air-y doughiness – but 100x better. Think rich sauce, crispy cheesy crust, and incredible toppings. Don’t get greedy when you order, one regular pie can easily feed two people – minimum!
Their second site in Islington sees the group expanding into hearty Italian-American fare, such as deep-fried lasagne, enormous meatballs, and more.
📍 75 Commercial Street, E1 6BD & 137 Upper Street, N1 1QP.
🚇 Nearest stations are Aldgate East and Liverpool Street & Essex Road and Angel.
6. Bad Boy Pizza Society, multiple locations
What started as a “parody University society, aiming to get discount pizza for all the crew” has evolved into multiple separate but connected venues all serving up unique styles of pie. You cna find Bad Boy Pizza Society’s unique pizzas at Vinegar Yard, Seven Dials Market, and The Railway in Tulse Hill. They’re set to open up their first proper stand-alone brick and mortar location this summer in Bethnal Green – and we can’t wait to visit.
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
7. 081 Pizzeria, Peckham and Shoreditch
These Peckham pizza legends are so good that they were once listed among the 50 best pizzerias in all of Europe (besides Italy, of course). Now they count two locations to their name, consistently pumping out some of the best Neapolitan ‘zas in the city. Keep an eye out for their regularly changing specials – they sometimes feature truly wacky toppings!
📍 66 Peckham Rye, SE15 4JR & 46 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3EP.
🚇 Nearest stations are Peckham Rye & Old Street and Shoreditch High Street.
8. ACE Pizza, Hackney
How much does ACE Pizza love pizza? As well as a regular reboot of the entire menu, ACE runs a monthly special with hugely imaginative pizza toppings and a once-a-month slice night where they offer up NY-style slices (or entire 20″ pies) with the absolute maddest toppings. Thanks to the Pembury Tavern’s super-local craft beer selection (they’re essentially a second taproom for the nearby Five Points Brewing Company), there’s plenty to choose from to wash it all down, too. They’ll soon be opening their first standalone restaurant right next to Victoria Park – amaking for the perfect spot to grab picnic pizzas this summer.
Pro tip: always add the hot honey to your pizza… Always!
📍 90 Amhurst Road, E8 1JH.
🚇 Nearest stations are Hackney Downs and Hackney Central.
9. It’s Not Big Dough, Walthamstow
Speaking of venues with delicious pies and tons of beer to choose from, It’s Not Big Dough’s perch right outside the entrance of Waltahmstow’s Pretty Decent Beer Co.’s taproom makes it a beer-and-pizza-lovers dream. Match your fluffy slices with a beer from the taproom’s whopping selection of twenty fresh beers on tap. You don’t want to leave it too late in the day to try out their pizzas, though, as they’re known to sell out pretty often!
📍 Blackhorse Lane, E17 5QJ. Outside Pretty Decent Beer Co.
🚇 Nearest station is Blackhorse Road.
10. Patio Pizza, Kingston
Found by the side of a busy road in Kingston, this delivery- and takeaway-only pizzeria is slinging pies that rival the best in the capital. Mashing up the worlds of New York slice shops and Neapolitan pizzas, the pies from Patio Pizza are crispy without sacrificing airy fluffiness and are always bursting to escape the confines of their boxes. Our pick is the eponymous Patio, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, pancetta, pepperoni, basil, whipped ricotta, parmesan, and chilli honey. They only make limited numbers every day, but you can pre-order up to 14 days in advance.
📍 53 Cambridge Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 3NS
🚇 Nearest station is Kingston.
11. Bing Bong Pizza, Hackney
If Detroit-style pizza is more your vibe than Neapolitan pies of super-thin New York slices, head to this spot, which serves up the Italian version of the thick, pillow-y pizza slabs. Bing Bong serves up “nonna-style pizza with a northern accent” at Hackney bar, You Call The Shots. They’re not quite as outrageously tall as a steel pan pie from Detroit; instead, they straddle the two worlds deliciously.
📍 13 Morning Lane, E9 6ND.
🚇 Nearest station is Hackney Central.
12. Slice Club, Hackney Wick
The first rule of Fight Club Slice Club is you don’t talk about Slice Club. But when the NY-style slices from this bar-meets-pizzeria are so delicious, how could we possibly keep quiet? Slice Club is an underappreciated gem of East London, quietly serving up delicious (and humongous) slices of ‘za alongside a banging selection of craft beer and cocktails. Oh, and they’re also massive footy-heads, so it’s the perfect place to catch virtually any match, knock back some pints, and munch on a few slices.
📍 East Wing Oslo House, 7 Prince Edwards Road, Hackney, E9 5LX.
🚇 Nearest station is Hackney Wick.
13. Sodo Pizza, multiple locations
Sodo loves 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 even got brunch at some of their locations, so you can stay all day…
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
14. Zia Lucia, multiple locations
All of Zia Lucia’s doughs – traditional, wholemeal, gluten-free, or 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 Sbagliata’ with mozzarella, gorgonzola, fresh sausage, honey, and truffle oil, and our Executive Editor Georgie promises you’ll be dreaming about it forever.
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
15. Well Kneaded, Earlsfield
If pizza is the thing you truly knead right now, check out this excellent spot. They originally started life in street food markets with their travelling pizza wagon, Wendy the Wagon. Now, they’re a social enterprise providing employment and skills training for vulnerable young people. Oh, and the pizzas are cracking, too!
📍 Well Kneaded Earlsfield, 414 Garratt Lane, SW18 4HW.
🚇 Nearest station is Earlsfield.
16. Rudy’s, multiple locations
Honestly, few new openings in London inspire quite the thrill in Secret London’s writing team as the recent influx of Rudy’s locations in London. Those of us who were lucky enough to try it out in Manchester before it arrived in London in 2021 were constantly preaching the Rudy’s gospel, and now it’s even easier to explain to everyone why we love it so much. That pillow-y dough; those delicious toppings (imported from Italy); right – we’re heading there for lunch!
📍 Find your nearest Rudy’s here.
17. Crust Bros, multiple locations
Crust Bros is, as the name suggests, 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.
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
18. Yard Sale Pizza, multiple locations
Yard Sale has achieved cult status in London, having started out serving stone-baked pizzas in one of the founders’ back gardens. That original service has since turned into a whole host of pizza shops across London. Head to any pub in East London and you’re sure to find a flier from them on the table!
Everything’s delicious, but we’d especially recommend the ‘TSB’ with tender stem broccoli, parmesan, pine nuts and garlic. Their regular collaborations are especially worth keeping an eye out for, with the pizzeria collaborating with the likes of Romesh Ranganathan, Amelia Dimoldenberg of Chicken Shop fame, and more. Yard Sale also delivered free pizza to NHS staff during the pandemic. As if they weren’t perfect already!
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
19. Theo’s, Camberwell & Elephant & Castle
A 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.
📍 2 Grove Lane, SE5 8SY & 17-18 Elephant and Castle, SE1 6TH.
🚇 Nearest stations are Denmark Hill & Elephant & Castle.
20. Circolo Popolare, Soho
This bougie restaurant in Fitzrovia is an excellent choice, particularly for those intrigued by one of their specialities: truffle pizza – a mainstay of their monthly changing menu. Circolo Popolare is part of the Big Mamma Group, and their interiors – as well as their pizzas – are truly spectacular.
📍 40-41 Rathbone Place, W1T 1HX.
🚇 Nearest station is Tottenham Court Road.
21. Unlock, Hackney Wick
This exciting new addition to Hackney Wick fuses the worlds of pizza, cocktails, and art into one bumping spot. And even in a multi-disciplinary spot, they’re not just pushing out forgettable food. Napoli-born siblings, chef Arianna and restaurateur Giovanni Izzo, bring a wealth of experience and knowledge and a dedicated pursuit of the perfect Neapolitan pizza. At Unlock, they’re so proud of their pies that they even have a tasting menu that allows you to try a slice of each artisanal pizza topping paired with cocktails.
📍 1 Monkwood Way, E3 2EG.
🚇 Nearest station is Hackney Wick.
22. Pizza Pilgrims, everywhere
We’re 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. Keep an eye out for their ever-changing, and ever-delicious, specials.
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
23. Four Hundred Rabbits, multiple locations
North Londoners may not be au fait with 400 Rabbits – and to those North Londoners, we 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.
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
24. Fatto a Mano, various locations
With an already stellar reputation in Brighton and Hove, it was only a matter of time until Fatto a Mano brought their delicious pies to London. And what an addition to the capital it is: fast and friendly service and supremely affordable pizzas. We’re loving it!
📍 Find your nearest site here.
25. Mamma Dough, multiple locations
Our next South London institution is properly keen on locally sourced ingredients (with small batch, local coffee, and craft beer brewed just 5 miles away) and it shows in their delicious sourdough pizzas. Mamma Dough’s ‘Beatrice‘ comes recommended, but those who love a challenge can tackle ‘The Devil‘. They also do Two-For-One Margherita Mondays so take a mate, or three!
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
26. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Marylebone and Soho
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele is the original Naples restaurant is famous for having “the world’s best pizza” (seen or 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.
📍 44 Old Compton Street, W1D 4TY & 199 Baker Street, NW1 6UY
🚇 Nearest stations are Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road & Baker Street.
27. ‘O Ver, Borough and St James’
The secret to ‘O Ver light 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 touch.
📍 44-46 Southwark Street, SE1 1UN & Unit 2, 1 Norris Street, St. James’s, SW1Y 4RJ.
🚇 Nearest stations are London Bridge & Piccadilly Circus.
28. 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. When you inevitably fall in love with their pizza, you can even order ready-to-bake pizzas from them to cook at home!
📍 148 Northcote Road, SW11 6RD, London.
🚇 Nearest stations are Clapham Junction or Clapham South.
29. 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. They’ve also got innumerable awards to their name, in case you need convincing…
📍 7 Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5BY.
🚇 Nearest stations are Charing Cross and Embankment.
30. Berberè, Clapham, multiple locations
Self-described as “friendly people serving delicious pizza in lovely places” – who can resist such a charming introduction? Berberè serves up pizza that takes inspiration from ancient bread-making techniques when making their doughs. Their ‘living sourdough’ pizzas are light and soft with noisily crunchy exteriors.
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
31. Franco Manca, multiple locations
Ok, we 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 Brixton, where their flagship location can be found just down the street from the original shop that started it all!
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
32. Pizza East, Shoreditch
Produce-led pizza, quality wines, and banging cocktails means Pizza East has the big three covered at their California-inspired pizzeria. They also serve up a full Saturday brunch if you’re somehow, inexplicably, not in the mood for pizza.
📍 56A Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JJ.
🚇 Nearest station is Shoreditch High Street.
33. Voodoo Ray’s, Dalston & 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 anyone drooling. They’re also perfectly situated for late-night slices after a night on the town. Delicious, convenient, and hefty – what more could you ask for?
📍 95 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB & 285 Rye Lane, SE15 4UA.
🚇 Nearest stations are Dalston Kingsland & Peckham Rye.
34. Santa Maria, multiple locations
Originally named for its location on St. Mary’s Road in Ealing, Santa Maria’s prestige comes from the fact that the owners, ingredients, and wood-fired oven have all come over from Italy, giving their pies an authentic Neapolitan taste. They promise that their Neapolitan is “exactly the same as the pizza you can eat on the streets of Naples”.
📍 Find your nearest location at their website.
35. 67 Sourdough, Highgate
Another hidden secret, this pizzeria is tucked away in distinctly more flashy environs. 67 Sourdough is found inside a classic car dealership that’s full to the brim with stunning vehicles. But it’s not just eye candy here, because the pizza pies are banging too.
But, hey! Watch the car interiors with those greasy hands!
📍 82-92 Great North Road, London N2 0NL.
🚇 Nearest station is East Finchley.
So, there you have it: a nifty little list of the best pizza spots in London. Is anyone else hungry, now? Well, at least you know where to go!