Little over 25 years ago, William Thacker walked into Anna Scott off Portobello Road and spilled orange juice all down her white t-shirt. Turn a busy corner in London today and it won’t be a cup of juice, but a slice of pizza, and marinara sauce will do the sullying.
More than ten pizzerias have opened in the capital so far this year — high profile, or at least well trodden into London’s frenetic food-based discourse. Probably you’ll have seen Dough Hands, Napoli on the Road, Hot Saint, Pizza Nerds, Short Road, Weezie’s, Fresh Hot, Track’s, Connie’s, All Kaps… the list goes on and more are coming (like Carmy’s slice shop in Covent Garden, due this summer). Some are Neapolitan or Roman but most are New York-inspired or at least East Coast in style. Such as Bar Etna, the most hyped of the lot, which opened earlier in May and comes from the lads behind The Plimsoll, a pub best known for its burger.
Philadelphia pizza man Joe Beddia is involved and his place back home just won a Michelin Bib Gourmand. It won’t be long before London pizzerias are acknowledged too (Crisp should have one already). London’s love affair is in part down to the fact the concept is relatively low cost, but also because the city has woken up to the idea of the dish beyond Orange Wednesdays at Pizza Express, or some sweet, over-cheesed mess of bad meat and spongy happenings; preposterous that pizza was disrespected in this country for so long. When Notting Hill came out in ‘99, it was misunderstood almost entirely. In some quarters it still is. There’s always work to be done.
There are plans for Bar Etna to begin serving by the slice, and to do so until 1am. To that end, it might act as a cosseting pit-stop for anyone tipsy. Until then you can go and have a full meal on white linen at the back, or perch yourself on the chrome-topped bar and have excellent £5 negronis, a tomato pie — here, rich tomato sauce on soft focaccia — a plate of soft Judión butterbeans, a slab of superb fresh cheese in olive oil and coppa that melts swiftly in the mouth. Slice culture is coming to London. We’ve turned a corner.
47 Newington Green, bar.etna.london
Bar snacks
Langan’s
A lot of high-end bars and restaurants are putting on more affordable cocktails right now. Hide and Lilibet’s, two Mayfair haunts of repute, have recently added £10 serves to their menus, and now comes Langan’s Brasserie round the corner, which has just launched a new “Ruby Hour”. The aperitivo-style offer brings £12 drinks, from classics to Langan’s signatures, from Tuesday until Saturday, 5-8pm. There are light small plates to have alongside cocktails, too. Vodka martinis (three olives) and French fries for me.
Stratton Street, W1J 8LB, langansbrasserie.com
Bar Blondie
One way or another, you’ll have to journey up to Queen’s Park to try Bar Blondie, a new wine bar from Elliot Milne of Milk Beach, and Alexandra Price, an award-winning sommelier formerly of Bar Crispin and Plates. Blondie has replaced Milk Beach and takes its cues from French and Italian drinking and dining. Alongside all the Carricante and gildas (probably) there are also plans for DJ residencies, poetry readings, wine tasting and chess nights. Queen to NW6.
19-21 Lonsdale Road, NW6 6RD bar.blondie
