An authentic experience at Rudy’s Pizza Napolitana

There was once a time, when I was much younger than I am today, that pizza restaurants were few and far between.

Trips – mainly to either Pizza Hut or Pizza Express – were a treat, maybe at the end of the school week or for a birthday.

Now you can’t move for them. There are almost as many pizza restaurants in London these days as there are pubs – and far more than there are fish and chip shops – so much for the nation’s favourite dish.

Believe it or not, an eye-watering 288,000 pizzas are, on average, sold in the capital every single day, most from low-budget, low-quality shops which seem to disappear from our high streets just as quickly as they appear.

But one chain is bucking the trend, and focusing on quality, authentic Neapolitan pizza-making – which is renowned for its consistency and quality.

Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana already has four branches around London, in Soho, Shoreditch, Fitzrovia and Spitalfields – the latter which I visited with my wife and daughter last week to sample a little taste of Naples.

And you west London pizza fans are also set for a treat as Rudy’s in Queensway is due to open soon.

Enjoying a Sunday afternoon in bustling Spitalfields, we simply wanted a quick pizza and a cheeky pint to refuel.

The pizzas at Rudy’s were perfectly cooked and extremely tasty. Rudy’s dough is made fresh each day by their in-house pizzaioli, using Caputo ‘00’ flour, which is ‘proofed’ – that’s left to rise – for 24 hours, before being topped with the highest-quality ingredients from Naples. 

This includes San Marzano tomatoes grown on fields at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, and traditional Fior di Latte mozzarella.

Always attracted by anchovies on my pizzas, I ordered a Tarantina, a simple offering made up mainly of anchovies, tomato, mozzarella and basil. 

Hayley went for a Romagnola, that’s basically cheese and tomato with prosciutto, while Nellie opted for her favourite, Margherita – cheese, tomato, basil.

As you’ve probably noticed, the pizzas at Rudy’s are made up of simple ingredients, and while we were slightly daunted by their size when they were brought to our table, the light, airy consistency meant we gobbled them up comfortably. The emphasis is certainly on quality here, not quantity.

In another nod to Neapolitan tradition, each pizza is cooked for around 60 seconds at 430°C – resulting in a soft and light pizza with an airy and raised ‘cornicione’ crust. 

The service, in a relaxed atmosphere, came with a huge smile and was attentive yet unobtrusive – exactly what’s called for. Thanks Rudy’s. Charlie and his family were guests of Rudy’s

• Located in a former bank just a stone’s throw from Hyde Park, Rudy’s Queensway will be set over two floors with ample dining space including an intimate basement complete with original exposed brickwork arches, showcasing the history and architectural beauty of the area. Those who sign up at https://www.rudyspizza.co.uk/pizzerias/queensway will have the chance to claim one of 5,000 pizzas available on-the-house once the restaurant opens in April.

Pictured top: Rudy’s Spitalfields (Picture: Charlie Stong)