Neighbourhood: Various locations
Choosing which Pizza Pilgrims is all part of the fun. The brand has infiltrated some of London’s buzziest areas since first opening in the summer of 2013 thanks to its affordable prices, family-friendly ethos and faultless Neapolitan pizzas. Peckish creatives tuck in at cosy Carnaby, city slickers catch up in Shoreditch, while our Saturday visit to the London Bridge restaurant was soundtracked by glam girl groups and families sheltering from the elements after ticking off a local attraction. The classic Margherita is, of course, a winner and can be levelled up to a ‘Margherita extra’ (fresh buffalo mozzarella) or a ‘Margherita extra extra’ (datterini tomatoes, creamy burrata and our fresh basil pesto, doused in extra virgin olive oil). My double pepperoni and double honey pizza is the perfect winter warmer, topped with two types of cured meat and drizzled in hot honey, while my dining companion’s Fiorentina pizza was an indulgent delight – a white base topped with creamed spinach, fior di latte mozzarella, parmesan, egg yolk and crispy onions. Sides aren’t necessary, but the cacio e pepe balls caught our attention, crunchy fried balls of spaghetti in the popular sauce melting in our mouths. Pizza Pilgrims may be on the ‘chainier’ side of London’s pizzerias, but there’s lots to be said for these colourful dining spots, and the continued expansion and return customers inside is understandable after the first bite. Connor Sturges
What to order: The double pepperoni and double honey pizza – coat crusts in generous dollops of tangy garlic and herb sauce or nduja mayonnaise.
Address: Pizza Pilgrims, SU48, London Bridge Station, 2 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 2TF; check online for the full list of restaurants
Website: pizzapilgrims.co.uk
