A-Pizza My Heart, Tasting the UK’s Best Slices

The UK has witnessed an explosion of incredible pizza establishments in recent years, with new , authentic and innovative pizzerias popping up across the country. This surge in popularity has led to a deeper appreciation for international pizza styles and, most notably, the emergence of London-style pizza. In true London fashion, this style blends multiple influences, taking inspiration from traditional Italian, New York, and New Haven techniques to create something entirely its own.

At ItsFood our passion for food development and innovation drives us to uncover the stories behind these culinary movements. To understand the evolving UK pizza landscape, we embarked on a rainy tour to some of London’s most exciting pizza spots. Our visits to Breadstall (Soho), Japes (Soho), Alley Cats (Baker Street), Detroit Pizza (Spitalfields), and Lenny’s Apizza (Finsbury Park) provided us with valuable insights into the UK’s diverse and growing pizza scene. This might have to be a Part 1 as we found out we barely scratched the surface of the capital's best spots.

Dough matters and is the foundation of flavour and texture. Dough is at the heart of every great pizza. While the ingredients—flour, water, yeast, and salt—may be simple, the techniques and fermentation times create vastly different results.

Detroit-Style - Detroit Pizza, Spitalfields Square in shape, Detroit-style pizza uses a high-hydration dough that caramelises beautifully at the edges. Baked in deep, steel pans, the crispy cheese-laced crust is a defining feature. Detroit Pizza in Spitalfields is a must-visit for those looking for a true Motor City experience, with their perfectly caramelised crusts and bold topping combinations winning over pizza lovers. The 'Cadillac' was recommended - laden with deeply rich marinara sauce, and balanced with salty smoked bacon, sweet honey and roast banana peppers - every bite had intense flavour!

New Haven - Lenny’s Apizza, Finsbury Park This East Coast American style is traditionally coal-fired, giving it an intensely charred and smoky crust. Unlike traditional pizzas, New Haven dough ferments longer, resulting in a more complex, airy texture. Lenny’s Apizza is a hidden gem, priding itself on its commitment to the traditional process, creating a unique crispiness and char that keeps customers coming back. A dark friendly place where you can easily share a pint and a pizza with a total stranger, talking mutual love for the slice

Neapolitan Style Biga Dough by the Slice - Breadstall, Soho The second outpost from the team at Breadstall, these guys are making massive 20" pizzas which you can grab by the quarter slice, half or whole. The dough is Neapolitan in style with a deep airy, chewy crust and a crisp base . The result? A foldable slice, perfect for eating on the go that had a queue of people standing in the rain just to get a slice. We went for the New York Vodka Sauce which was superb and the pepperoni with candied jalapeños.

New York Style Alley Cats, Baker Street - Alley Cats Pizza, located in Baker Street, is a must-visit for lovers of New York-style pizza. With its exposed brick walls and classic pizzeria charm, (even having the Sopranos on the tv) this spot captures the essence of NYC’s vibrant pizza culture. Specialising in 14-inch thin-crust pies, Alley Cats offers a menu that blends tradition with innovation, featuring everything from a classic Margherita to bold creations like the Pepperoni with jalapeño and honey, or the Pulled Pork & Pineapple. Their dough is expertly hand-stretched for the perfect balance of crispiness and chew. We opted for the wonderful fennel sausage, aged mozzarella and pecorino although it was a tough pick between a truly delicious sounding menu.

Chicago Deep-Dish & London style - Japes, Soho  A stark contrast to the NY slice, Japes claims to have invented London style pizza using elements of deep-dish Chicago style, with elements of Detroit, Scillian and grandma style - to be honest we were a little underwhelmed - the dough was underbaked and a little chewy - we all have bad days... 

However, their Chicago Deep-Dish pizza uses a buttery, flaky dough pressed into a deep pan. It’s almost more pie than pizza, with a thick, layered structure that supports its generous fillings. 'Wicked Chickens' was an indulgent topping/filling of chicken, buttermilk ranch mozzarella style sauce, with mushrooms, sweetcorn and spring onions - rich, well balanced and messy!

Stretching, Rolling, and Pressing: Shaping the Pizza

Each pizza style has its own approach to shaping the dough, which influences the final texture.

Hand-Tossing -New York, New Haven Style The dough is stretched by hand, creating a uniform thickness while keeping air pockets intact for a balanced bite.

Rolling - Chicago Style Some thicker doughs, like Chicago deep-dish, are rolled out to ensure a consistent base for the layers of ingredients.

Pressing - Detroit The dough is pressed into deep, rectangular pans, ensuring the cheese can caramelize along the edges for that signature crispy bite.

Toppings & Techniques: A Flavourful Exploration

Beyond dough, the way toppings are applied—and even their order—affects the final experience.

Cheese First? Sauce Last? (Chicago, Detroit): Unlike traditional pizzas, both Chicago deep-dish and Detroit-style places cheese directly on the dough, layering sauce on top. This prevents the crust from getting soggy while baking.

Minimalist vs. Loaded (New Haven vs. Chicago): While New Haven apizza often keeps it simple with a focus on dough and sauce, Chicago-style is a celebration of indulgence, packed with layers of toppings.

Dips, Drizzles and Toppings - You're spoilt for choice when it comes to add On's - green goddess, ranch, hot, marinara, cacio & pepe, wild mushroom - never miss a chance for an up-sell and the sky's the limit when it comes to flavour combinations!

Building Our Pizza Expertise

As the UK pizza scene continues to grow, so does the diversity of styles and techniques. Our exploration not only deepened our appreciation for these variations but also reinforced the importance of dough handling, baking techniques, and thoughtful ingredient pairings. Our quest for the true London style continues so  look out for part 2 where we delve deeper into the wonderful world of pizza

Join the conversation—what’s your go-to pizza style, and where do you find the best slice in the UK? Drop your thoughts in the comments!