This has been the absolute best meal we have had in London during this year's trip. Let me just get that out of the way real quick.
We've been in town visiting a local convention at the Tobacco Dock, and have been staying in a small flat across the canal during the trip. Situated near the Thames and St. Katharine's Dock, we've got a fairly large selection of food choices within a 10 or 15 minute walk; super cool. After hitting up the convention for a bit, we were feeling a bit hungry and decided to venture out for some food. A restaurant right across the street caught our eye, but we quickly NOPED right on out after feeling very uncomfortable witnessing an awkward conversation between staff as we walked in. The nearest place was Pizza Express (aside from a McDonald's), so we quickly decided to walk the extra few minutes to grab some grub.
The walk was pleasant, and it seemed like we arrived at our destination much faster than anticipated. The building was pretty neat; just like most other structures we saw, everything was very rustic and had a historical sort of feel to it, but was super well maintained. This pizza place was sooo different than the ones back home!! I honestly was not at all expecting the rad interior we witnessed - brick work, vaulted ceilings, and a super spacious layout. So much yes.
Since it was lunch time, there really weren't too many people around, and we were seated at a corner table by a window. No occupied tables around us. It felt calm and relaxing to be able to talk at a normal volume and not worry about our conversations floating away into the ears of everyone around us. It wasn't too long before our waitress stopped over, brought us some water, and took our order.
The menu is pretty extensive, in my humble opinion, and that - coupled with my slow decision making problems lol - made it a little overwhelming to make up my mind in a hurry... especially considering my BF decided on his meal very quickly. He decided to try the Sloppy Giuseppe pizza and I chose the 'Njdua calzone. Our waitress triple checked with me that I was okay with spice, because this dish was apparently very spicy lol. I'm a fiend for spicy foods, and was happy to take on the challenge. We also ordered a couple beers and had them to sip on while waiting for our food.
I can't even stress how rad the place is. We absolutely soaked up the laid back and casual ambiance this place was oozing while we were waiting. I can imagine peak hours are a different story, but this was a great place to just kick back for a bit to get away from the hustle and bustle of London. The decorations are very elegant, but not so much so that you'd feel any bit out of place walking in with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on, which totally complemented the ambiance o mentioned before. The place was very clean and tidy, which also added to its inviting nature.
It wasn't long before our food made its way over. All I have to say is wow. The dishes were piping hot and steaming; total plus!! The presentation was gorgeous, and totally made us feel like completely devouring our plates. We were so excited to dig in.
After the first few bites, our waitress stopped back by to check in. She asked again if I was okay with how spicy the dish is lol. I certainly was. The flavors in my calzone were wonderful, and all seemed to go together perfectly. It was delicious! The dough was seasoned and cooked perfectly, and was fluffy, flaky, and crispy all at the same time. We ended up adding some of the garlic infused oil to our meals, because why not, and were both floored by how much MORE flavor it added to the dishes. Holy cow. He absolutely loved his pizza, too, and managed to eat the entire thing.
By the time we were done, our bellies were pooched, and we were beyond satisfied. I only wish that we would have found this place earlier in our trip! We will for sure be back the next time we find ourselves across pond. Thanks for the awesome meal and great service. read more