St James's, Pizza Restaurant Guide

“You can’t fail to impress with the food, vibes and service”, according to fans of this Moscow-based chain, whose Mayfair offshoot is not short on glam. It provoked less feedback this year, though, in our annual diners’ poll (too limited for a rating), but expansion is coming in the second half of 2023 with a new branch, below the Strand Palace Hotel.

Forget sourdough: the magic ingredient at this Neapolitan duo in Borough and St James’s is apparently pure Mediterranean seawater – whatever the formula, it results in notably tasty pizza, with a choice of Neapolitan and ‘Gourmet’ varieties (and there’s also a short selection of other main dishes, including pasta). “Service is very good”, too, and the ambience “enjoyable”.

This “lively family Italian restaurant in Soho” has a “lovely vibe”, “very authentic food” and a “brilliant vermouth bar” (‘vermuteria’) serving their own, home-distilled creations. It’s a modern place, founded by three brothers from northern Italy. Top Tip – “head down to the basement for the best atmosphere”.

“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.

“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 fresh pizza with Mancunian roots” – “so cheap yet utterly delicious” – is now available at seven locations across the capital (the majority of which have opened in the last 12 months) from this fast-expanding chain from Manchester’s all-conquering Mission Mars – “how can Pizza Express et al still serve the old stuff?”. Stablemate Albert’s Schloss bierkeller also arrived in London in summer 2024 – all 18,000 sq ft of it – just off Piccadilly Circus.

“Delicious pizza and pasta” at remarkably sensible prices for the area draw a steady crowd to this recently refurbished family-run Italian (est. 1953) on a Mayfair corner site.

“Very, very large… thin-based crust… filled with toppings… excellent tastes” – the pizza satisfies all-comers to this pair of outlets from the veteran Naples operation that became famous through Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 bestseller ‘Eat Pray Love’. The first London outpost, on the tourist beat near Madame Tussauds and Sherlock Holmes in Baker Street, has been joined by a second in Soho.

Despite its cosy and historic charm, it’s tempting to omit this cosy Soho landmark which dates from 1867. It once was a major West End destination, and still has a gorgeous Champagne bar, but Soho House (owners since 2016) seem to have been mostly interested in converting its upstairs event spaces into 33 bedrooms, leaving the downstairs dining room run to be run in partnership with a North London pub (The Clarence Tavern x Kettner’s): “the food is average but it has a nice setting”.

“The energy is fab” at this “busy and buzzy” Mayfair haunt, whose large central bar, pavement tables and green leather stools import a sense of chic Italian glamour to this corner-site a minute from Bond Street. The Italian food (cicchetti, risotti, pastas, traditional mains) doesn’t detract from the occasion, but is “highly priced for average quality”, albeit “all decent”; and “service can suffer when it’s over-busy”. Nowadays part of Soho House, its branches spread from Berlin to West Hollywood, via the City of London (in The Ned). Comments on the latter aren’t terrible, but less enthusiastic than those for W1.

“The pizza is so good! – with lovely premium ingredients for the toppings too” – at this showcase just off Trafalgar Square for Ciro Salvo’s Naples-based chain. The cavernous space is “very lively”… to the extent it can seem “a little bit too loud”. Top Menu Tip – “great supplí” (Roman-style rice croquettes).