The new Pizza Pilgrims is not like the others…
Rather than just getting a pizza the action, Pizza Pilgrims Victoria is giving you the whole pie with the launch of their new restaurant – and it begins, somewhat intriguingly, with the words “immersive pizza experience”. Now, my first thoughts on this conjured up the image of rolling oneself up in a pizza as if it were a blanket and then eating one’s way out. Sadly, I was wrong, but the reality is still pretty cool, for the restaurant will provide a visual representation of all things pizza.
Inspired by the pilgrimage which Pizza Pilgrims’ founders Thom and James took through Italy, Pizza Pilgrims Victoria purports to be its own pizza pilgrimage, and a delicious one at that. Each of the rooms at the new restaurant – which opens on January 13th – has been inspired by a different region of Italy, with a certain foodstuff informing the decor.
For instance, witness the bar, for which the inspiration is Amalfi and the beautiful lemons which are grown there. Decor in the bar will reflect the breathtaking coastline of the region, and drinks will focus heavily on Italian spirits, with the limoncello-forward Pococello Spritz and the Pepegroni – an intriguing riff on the Negroni which uses bourbon and caramelised pepperoni – drawing the eye.
The restaurant itself is set to invoke the sights and sounds of Naples, and takes the form of a cobbled piazza where you’ll be able to tuck into Pizza Pilgrims’ famed slices. Alternatively, book in for the Tuscany-inspired private dining room, which is modelled on a traditional wine cellar, and offers the chance to sample a range of interesting Italian wines.
Perhaps the most hype-worthy part of Pizza Pilgrims Victoria, however, is the parmesan corridor which links the restaurant to the wine cellar. Filled with rows and rows of Parmigiano from the Emilia-Romagna region, it’s something that, quite honestly, I’d very much like in my flat. Clearly, you need to schedule yourself in for a pilgrimage, because if a cheese corridor doesn’t have you immediately pencilling in a visit, then we can’t be friends…
Find Pizza Pilgrims Victoria at 32-34 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0QP, from January 13th.