Pizza is the ultimate culinary people-pleaser. Too lazy to cook? Pizza. Celebratory dinner? Pizza. Children’s party? Pizza. It is the embodiment of versatility and the answer to all occasions. But is it posh?
It certainly has fancy origins. The modern pizza was invented in Naples. Legend has it that, in 1889, Raffaele Esposito, a local baker, was called upon to cook for King Umberto I and Queen Margherita. Feeling patriotic, he crafted a dish symbolising the Italian flag — with red tomatoes, white mozzarella and green basil served on a flat dough base. The queen was so enamoured by the creation that the dish was named pizza Margherita in her honour.
These days, classy pizzas are back on the menu. And it’s not just about smothering them with caviar (though there is certainly a bit of that). We have gone on the hunt for restaurants that transform the modest pizza into indulgent dining.
Bagatelle, Mayfair
The interior of Bagatelle is classic French bistro
It is not every day you eat a chocolate pizza — let alone an award-winning one. Bagatelle, the high-end restaurant chain, is famous not only for its fancy French-Mediterranean cuisine, but also for its pizzetta au chocolat Jivara. The perfectly proportioned dough is decorated with swirls of white and milk Valrhona Jivara chocolate, then sprinkled with crunchy caramelised Piedmont hazelnuts. It’s a chocoholic’s dream, for which the pastry chef Manon Santini was awarded world champion pizza dessert in 2019 — a competition I would like to volunteer to judge.
The pizzetta au chocolat Jivara from Bagatelle
With 15 outposts from Mayfair to Mykonos and St Tropez, Bagatelle aims to spread joie de vivre across the globe. The interior is classic French bistro, with dark wood, cane-backed chairs and navy cushioned benches contrasting with the modern artworks that decorate the walls. And the later you stay the more convivial the atmosphere becomes. From about 9pm onwards, a DJ comes on and a dancefloor appears — all the better to work off that pizzetta au chocolat Jivara.
Pizzetta au chocolat Jivara: £28; 34 Dover Street, W1, bagatelle.com
Alba, Knightsbridge
Pizza Alba is made with scrambled egg and caviar
The Alba is the perfect place to refuel after a shopping marathon at Harrods. And that is not just because of the dark-green plush banquette seating, the classic cocktails served in quirky “glasses” (be it a negroni in a shell or an Italian Riviera in a porcelain car), the lobster on the menu or the live music. It’s because of the pizza Alba. As the plate is delivered to your table, it will initially appear somewhat unassuming — a dollop of scrambled egg sitting atop a tomato-less thin-crust (Roman-style) base, decorated with a sprinkle of black caviar. But do not be fooled.
The Alba is the perfect place to refuel after a shopping marathon
The base, which is made from the pastry chef’s secret dough recipe (using premium Italian flour) and covered in fior di latte, blends naturally with the scrambled egg and is complemented by the salty taste of the caviar. Stefano Tortelli, Alba’s executive chef, had the idea after travelling to the Amalfi Coast, where he dined on a scrambled-egg pizza at a heritage restaurant. As an ode to the Amalfi spirit, he brought the idea back to London to serve at Alba, and now we are all smitten.
Pizza Alba: £60; 70 Brompton Road, SW3, alba-ldn.uk
Crazy Pizza, Knightsbridge
The pata negra pizza, featuring buffalo mozzarella and Joselito Iberico ham
Directly opposite the hustle and bustle of Harrods you’ll find Crazy Pizza, the home of signature Italian dishes such as spaghetti al pomodoro and bigne alla vaniglia, as well as its distinctive ultra-thin, cracker-like pizzas, inspired by those found in Rome. The sleek interior, adorned with portraits of celebrities enjoying a slice, sets the stage for its signature pizza show, where chefs expertly spin and toss their pizzas with pizzazz.
The sleek interior of Crazy Pizza
Guests can indulge in extravagant toppings, including generous shavings of truffle, but the fanciest pizza is the pata negra, featuring buffalo mozzarella and Joselito Iberico ham. There is also an excellent wine list, including a Masseto from Tenuta dell’Ornellaia at £2,655 a bottle — the perfect match for your pizza.
Pata negra pizza: £60; 32-34 Hans Crescent, SW1, crazypizza.com
Chucs, Mayfair
Chucs is inspired by the Italian and French rivieras in their 1950s heyday
Inspired by the Italian and French rivieras in their 1950s heyday, the interior of Chucs is a bit like a vintage yacht, with blond-wood panelling, sparkling brass details and marine-inspired artworks. The intimate ambience — there are just eight tables — is perfect for a romantic date night. Chucs has an array of restaurants and cafés dotted around London — Knightsbridge and Belgravia, for example — but the bustling Mayfair spot is the mother ship.
The pizzas are inspired from Italy and New York
The menu is full of seasonal Mediterranean goodness — including, of course, pizza. Benjamin Mellor, its executive chef, draws his pizza inspiration not only from Italy but also New York. A classic base is hand-stretched, loaded with a generous helping of toppings and stone baked, giving a crisp pizza with perfectly charred edges. The most decadent is the truffle pizza — truffle white sauce is blended with a mix of cheeses and spread on the base, which is then sprinkled with heaps of fresh truffle shavings. A glass of extra-dry Ca’ del Console prosecco (£12.50) makes the perfect accompaniment.
Truffle pizza: £38; 30B Dover Street, W1, chucsrestaurants.com
Tozi, Battersea
Tozi’s poached lobster pizza
On the ground floor of the Art’otel London Battersea Power Station — next to the building that once supplied a fifth of London’s electricity — is Tozi, with its olive-green armchairs and floor-to-ceiling windows to give that indoor-outdoor feeling.
Tozi is a Venetian slang term for a close-knit group of friends. This is the vibe that the restaurant hopes to create — a place that feels friendly and comfortable. Having opened in 2022, after the success of its first London restaurant in Victoria, Tozi has become known for its cicchetti but also for fancy pizzas. Its pizza of the moment is poached lobster, with roasted datterini tomatoes, gremolata and sea vegetables. A puffy-crusted base with sweet tomato sauce makes the perfect bed for chunks of juicy lobster and sea vegetables — namely seaweed. And it goes very well with a side of burrata and a negroni.
Lobster pizza: £30; 3A Electric Boulevard, SW11, tozibattersea.co.uk
