Top pizza independent Santa Maria has opened a new branch in Kew, taking over the premises long occupied by Bruce Poole’s The Glasshouse.

Santa Maria has expanded very slowly since its launch by Neapolitan-born founders in Ealing in 2010, with branches opening in Fulham, Fitzrovia and most recently Islington.

Combining “top-quality ingredients and fabulous bases”, according to the 2025 Harden’s guide, its ratings have risen steadily in our annual survey to achieve a rare 5 out of 5 score for food this year.

The Glasshouse closed down after 23 years in September 2022. Its successor, Hawthorn, lasted just 18 months before folding last summer in the face of “unsustainable market conditions”, even though it had won favourable press reviews and a strong first showing in the Harden’s guide.