The best pizza by the slice in London
Words and photos by Susie Sandford Smith
Making myself feel hungry
The other day I was thinking about my childhood in Antigua and about how we used to head to the US Naval Air Base (apparently, we were going to the cinema there but that’s categorically not what I remember about it), where we would have pizza by the slice. It was the biggest treat imaginable and they were the biggest slices of pizza - thin crusted and with just the right amount of tomatoey cheesy topping. And then one Christmas, after we’d left Antigua for Sierra Leone but had gone back for a holiday, I got a job wrapping presents at a boutique with my best friend A-J. One lunchtime A-J took me to Redcliffe Quay, which was a couple of streets away from work, to the newly opened ‘Pizzas’ which, joy upon joy, sold pizza by the giant slice!
Susie with an Aperol Spritz slushie and a slice of Pizza Pilgrims pizza
The best pizza by the slice in London
All this reminiscing got me hankering for a big slice (or two) of pizza but not the oily bread-y ones you can find in Camden but a proper pizza with a thin flavourful crust, light with a bit of bite on the edges but also a little bit of chew, and good quality ingredients on top. And, as luck would have it… Pizza Pilgrims, one of my absolute favourite pizza places in London had just opened Slice by Pizza Pilgrims, a pizza by the slice joint not far from me. So, I ambled down there to try it out. As Horatio was out and I didn’t need to factor feeding him into the equation I decided to sit in and make a meal of it and I’m rather glad that I did. I mean, my hands were tied somewhat as there was only one pizza I could have but as luck would have it, it was my favourite (so that’s okay). The pizza isn’t as good as you get if you order one in one of their pizzerias (unless you’re lucky enough to order a slice of one that has just come out of the over) as they cook them and then re-heat quickly but they’re pretty damn good and, more than that, they satied a hunger that clearly went deeper than just pizza.
They’ve got some interesting toppings – I must admit I quite like a Hawaiian (sorry world) anyway, but here they’ve made it slightly more sophisticated, and interesting, by using honey glazed pineapple and nduja. If you’re with a group you can buy a metre of pizza, perhaps split into a couple of topping options, and you can also order a metre of pizza to collect.
I had inadvertently matched my outfit to the décor which tickled me pink, and I felt very at home in this retro red and white homage to a traditional Neapolitan pizza place by way of a traditional New York pizza joint (a theme that’s applied to the pizzas too). As I was already some way down memory lane, I couldn’t resit having a go on the PAC-MAN arcade machine which, I gotta say, I was RUBBISH at. Such good fun.
A very grown-up slushie
Whilst there may not be any Nutella pizza, something I first had at their restaurant on Dean Street, they do have something that’s a new firm favourite – an Aperol Spritz slushie. I mean, seriously people, if for nothing else (and I actually think there are many reasons to go) you should pop by for this.
Surviving the pandemic
Pizza Pilgrims, like many companies over the past year and a half, have had to adapt to get through the pandemic. They now offer a pizza making kit “Pizza by Post”, which my daughter reported very favourably on, but I’m pleased to see them coming out the other side and managing to open a new place. I’m super excited to have them in my area and implore you all to go so that they stay!
I went to the new stand-alone Slice which is on Seven Sister’s Road just across the road from Finsbury Park tube, but you can also grab a slice at the Southbank Centre and Swingers Crazy Golf West End.