Franco Manca W4

Hey, speaking of tomato sauce, you want to come with me and George to Mario's Pizza?

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld quotes “The Frogger”)

If you have read my blog before you probably know that I love Neapolitan pizza, and one of my favourite places to get it is Franco Manca. As mentioned previously I’m impress that even they have had a massive growth in the number of restaurants they have been quite successful retaining the authenticity and quality of the initial small place in Brixton.

Pizza time

I have been many times in their restaurant in Chiswick that I decided to write again about them. So a week ago I came back with the family to enjoy their pizzas. As usual spot on in flavours and service. Highly recommended.

Franco Manca

T: 020 8747 4822

Pizzeria

Approx Damage: £15pp

Area: Chiswick

Borough: Hounslow

Twitter: FrancoMancaPizz

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The Pizza Empire

Hmm! I love this artificial flavouring. I like it better than butter. I think it's more consistent

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Stall”)

I love to see how an independent place grows and stay focus to their quality and service. This is probably the case of Franco Manca. I still remember when you had to go to Brixton in order to get their pizzas, a small, cosy, and busy place in the middle of at that time not that popular market. These days the story is completely different, they have opened several new places across London, but the beauty is that their quality is almost the same as that little family owned place in Brixton.

Pizza Time

Yes it’s obvious when you are growing your business you will lose some of the quality and control you have, but in the case of the Franco Manca family they have kept it pretty tight. 17 places and counting as they will open their 18 restaurant in Wimbledon soon. If you want a nice Neapolitan pizza then don’t doubt to choose them, as I did a few days back when I bumped into their place in Covent Garden, same ambience, same menu, and same consistent delivery.

You can go for any of their classic pizzas or if adventurous enough then get their special as I did. Lovely pizza, good flavours, good service, probably their recipe for success Mamma Mia!

Franco Manca

Pizzeria

T: 0207 240 8309

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: FrancoMancaPizz

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Franco gets to Balham

A slice of pepperoni pizza, and a large soda, and three times a week I will require a cannoli

Newman (Seinfeld episode “The Calzone”)

Franco Manca is expanding, the pizza empire is growing, those days of queuing in Brixton as it was the only one are over. These days with six restaurants across London, it’s easier to get their traditional Neapolitan pizza. I went this time to the one in Balham.

Balham place

Same concept as the original place in Brixton, authentic Neapolitan style pizza, my only worry was if they will be able to maintain quality despite growing.

Special menu 

Franco Add

I got the meat special, Franco & Lloyd's mozzarella, organic tomato, wild pig fennel salami, watercress, and goat's curd. It was amazing, the salami was perfect, and the pizza had a great balance, lovely flavours. I have to say Manca’s pie is still one of the best pizzas in London. 

Meat Special

No Logo beer

You will get fresh ingredients, a pizza made in a traditional oven, and a the same detailed train to their chefs. This is resulting in consistency and quality for Franco Manca.

Traditional ham & mushrooms with extra olives

Franco Manca

T: 020 8772 0489

Pizzeria

Approx Damage: £12pp

Area: Balham

Borough: Wandsworth

Twitter: FrancoMancaPizz

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The Pizza place in Northcote

I’m sure you know about Franco Manca. The place is one of the top pizzerias in London. Authentic Neapolitan style pizza. I still remember the days when you had to queue in Brixton to get a table for the slow rising sourdough pizza. Well those days might be over as the Manca’s empire is expanding, 4 locations in London, the original in Brixton Market, one in Westfield in Stratford, another one in Chiswick, and finally one in Northcote nearby Clapham Junction. 

The place

The oven

We went to the Northcote place, got a table quite easy, no fuzz, same friendly service, same produce quality, and same award winning pizza recipe. For starter we got a burrata Pugliese, excellent quality, fresh, great flavour, simply a creamier mozzarella. 

Burrata

Then the pizzas, we got a Meat special. Smoked buffalo mozzarella, spinach, Gloucester old spot pancetta, Kalamata black olives, and Marisol added some wild mushrooms. I got the cured organic chorizo, one dry the other semi, some mozzarella, and olives. 

Cured chorizo

Meat special

Both pizzas were amazing, the flavours were there, same consistency as the original place in Brixton. Just what you would expect. 

Excellent pie

Pizza reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Glasses” 

Jerry: Ah, see, they told me they'd be back in a minute and they lied

Amy: You can't thrust anyone

Jerry: No you can't. Now let's cut the ball, sister! You think I don't know about you swapping spit with somebody yesterday on Columbus Avenue?


Amy: What are you talking about?

Jerry: Look, my friend saw you

Amy: Saw me? With who?

Jerry: You tell me

Amy: There's nothing to tell

Jerry: There isn't?

Amy: No

Jerry: Oh! All right, want to get some pizza?


Franco Manca
T: 020 7924 3110
Pizzeria
Approx Damage: £15pp
Area: Battersea
Borough: Wandsworth
Twitter: FrancoMancaPizz

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Sourdough Pizza

One of the best pizza places in London is Franco Manca. Their dough is made in a minimum of 20 hours with a slow rising sourdough, baked in a brick oven fired by wood specially made by an artisan from Naples. Probably the closest to a traditional pizza from Naples in London.

The Place 

Inside 

I loved the place since the first time I went but hate the location, just in the middle of Brixton, not fancy at all, and in top is a really small place so the queues are usually huge. But now they opened a new location in Chiswick so I decided to give it a try.

Menu

Pizza

Their new location in the high street, quite trendy area full of cafes and restaurants, so quite a good spot for a new venue. The offer basically the same quality of pizza and starters as in the original location. After a couple minutes I decided my daily poison, for starter baked aubergines with tomatoes and mozzarella, and the main a Gloucester old spot ham, mozzarella, buffalo ricotta, and mushroom pizza.

Aubergines

Pizza Time

Same old good flavour, same old good quality, not as good service as in the original Brixton restaurant where you feel part of the family, probably a bigger place effect.

Pizza close up

I see myself going more often to this new location to enjoy a traditional Naples’ pizza.

Pizza reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Frogger”.

Jerry: You know, I shouldn't go out with a friend of yours. I foresee messiness.

Elaine: Yeah, you're better off sitting around here, reading comic books, and eating spaghetti at two in the morning.

Jerry: Hey, speaking of tomato sauce, you want to come with me and George to Mario's Pizza?

Elaine: Your old high school hangout? Why?

Jerry: They're closing. We're going for one last slice.

You can always count on Zizzi

I’m amazed that one of my favourite pizza in London is a restaurant chain. I have tried different places, but I’m always ending in the same pizzeria. Don’t get me wrong, there are a bunch of good places such as Franco Manca in Brixton Market a really old school Neapolitan flavours, Story Deli in Brick Lane creative out of the box thin crust just an amazing concept, Soho Pizzeria in Soho with a great atmosphere having Jazz live music every night but Sundays, Arancina in Notting Hill the best one for a take away with a mix of flavours from Rome and Sicily, and finally Italian Graffiti in Soho good flavours but they could be a little bit more generous with the toppings.

Great options, actually love them all. On the other hand big Italian restaurant chains such as Pizza Express, and Strada in my opinion just failed to execute. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, if you don’t want to think too much Zizzi is a great option, I’m addicted to their Pizza Rustica, big thin and crisp dough topped with great ingredients, my favourite one the Trentino (smoked ham, buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, rocket, and grana padano cheese). The best about Zizzi is that they are everywhere, really everywhere I think they have more than 20 restaurants in London so is really easy to spot, that reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Maid” when Karmer is lost downtown New York after he  broke up with his girlfriend.


Kramer: I think it's over, we had a big fight, she threw me out, I started walking, and now I'm lost downtown! I don't recognise anybody. I miss home, and I don't even know how to get there.

Jerry: What’s around you?

Kramer: I’m looking at Ray’s pizza. You know where that is?

Jerry: Is it Famous Ray’s?

Kramer: No, it’s just original.

Jerry: Famous ORIGINAL Ray’s?

Kramer: It’s just original, Jerry!

Jerry: Well, what street are you on?
Kramer: Hey, I'm on first and first. How can the same street intersect with itself? I must be at the nexus of the universe.
Jerry: Just wait there. I'll pick you up, and Kramer, stay alive no matter what occurs, I will find you.
Kramer: Aah!

Trentino Pizza Rustica

I do have to warn you, the pizzas are really good but I did try some of the antipasti (bruschetta, calamari, and tricolore) and didn’t convince me at all, so my suggestion is to stick with the pizza and stay away from the antipasti. Also be prepared to pay between 16 and 20 quids for a pizza rustica and a peroni gran riserva.

Antipasti: Calamari