After three years of pulling pizza fans to Bushey, Hertfordshire, the much-loved Vincenzo’s pizzeria is finally opening in London, the Standard can reveal.
Founder Tom Vincent confirmed he will open a restaurant in Shoreditch in November, bringing his New York-inspired slices to the capital for the first time.
Vincent opened Vincenzo’s in 2022 and quickly garnered fame and rave reviews. Many have suggested it serves the best version of New York pizza this side of the Atlantic.
The new site, on Bethnal Green Road — opposite Dumbo, arguably home to London’s best smashburgers — will serve pizzas whole (16 and 20 inch) and by the slice, either to grab-and-go or eat in.
The menu will include classics such as the margherita, tomato pie, sausage and onions and pepperoni, while the vodka special, only served occasionally at the original restaurant, will be a permanent fixture.
Vincent also said he’ll be serving new pizzas created just for the Shoreditch venue, including a spanikopita pizza made with creamed spinach, feta, and hot honey. Slices will start at £5, while whole pies will start at around £23.
Vincent told the Standard: “I’ve been looking for a site for a long, long time, and I’ve finally found one. I’m really excited to open in Shoreditch. It feels like the right place for our pizzas. There’s a huge pizza revolution happening in London and it’s good to be a part of it.”
For many years, pizza in Britain was limited to Pizza Express or the odd Italian-British trattoria, and most only really served Roman-style pizza.
In the last two decades, Neapolitan pizzerias have opened apace, but New York-style pies have only been available in the last few years, with Vincenzo’s joined by the likes of Gracey’s, Paulie’s and Carmela’s.
Vincenzo’s was among the first to open and is known for its crispy, thin and foldable pies — it's not hugely dissimilar to Scarr’s or Joe’s in Manhattan — selling out every day and capturing interest on social media.
Vincent creates his dough using flour from Molino Casillo in Puglia, his tomato sauce is made with San Marzano tomatoes, and he sources cheese from Latteria Sorrentina, used by numerous pizzaiolos in Italy.
He said he’s glad pizza is given more respect in Britain today: “There’s definitely a scene now. There are some great slice shops in London now, people are doing some good things, and it’s taken a while.
“London is a proper pizza city now. There’s a culture. Pizza is a simple thing but a slice shop is about more than that. Pizza is an art. We’re not chasing hype, we’re creating something timeless. A slice shop London can call its own.”
Vincenzo’s in Bushey is a small space, with a red tiled floor, exposed bricks and Sopranos memorabilia. The London outpost will be much bigger, across two storeys, with green and white mosaics, stone tiles and marble countertops.
The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner until late.
It’s a world away from the first iteration of Vincenzo’s, which Vincent started in lockdown as a way to make money.
A chef since the age of 14, and with numerous trips to New York and Naples behind him, he built a brick oven in his back garden and sold pizzas out of a hatch, soon realising the potential such was the demand.
If there was any doubt that London was mad for pizza, there shouldn’t be now.
Vincenzo’s will open in early November at 122 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E2 6DG, vincenzospizzas.com
