Franco Manca

Opened in 2008, the original Brixton branch of Franco Manca moved to brand new premises at the start of 2024. With its top-notch, UK-sourced (when possible) ingredients, speedy and friendly service, and rapid turnover, it remains, for our money, the best pizza joint in London. Here you can sate a craving for genuine, Neapolitan-style pizza, with a flavourful slow-rise sourdough crust and a variety of traditional and innovative toppings. Purists will prefer either the tomato, garlic and oregano or the tomato, mozzarella and basil, in season. The tasty chorizo pizza comes in two versions (thick-cut and thin-cut, dried) of the rich, oily Spanish sausage; it’s reminiscent of New York’s ubiquitous pepperoni pizza. Other menu choices and daily specials include a variety of seasonal vegetable and cured meat-laden pizzas that, while of top-quality, we find a little busy. Side salads and the restaurant’s unusual lemonade (murky brown and slightly like an Arnold Palmer, thanks to a tannic under-taste) are highly recommended, being thoughtful additions to the carb-heavy pizza. Wine and beer are also available.