The Best Pizza in London - Pizza East

Pizza East

I recently came to this stylish new eatery in Shoreditch’s Tea Building, premises of the former T Bar. Pizza East has an elegant décor and subtle lighting, helping to create a warm and intimate atmosphere. 

 

 

The building’s industrial heritage has been intelligently maintained in the exposed bricks and pipes, with the large windows giving a trendy and sophisticated feel which is reinforced by the fashionable clientele.

 

We were greeted by the friendly front of house staff, but were asked to wait until a table became available for us as we had no booking. There is a waiting area with a large communal table by the restaurant’s bar where we sat and drank a 500ml carafe of their Prosecco on tap @ £19 and a few pints of Peroni @ £4 each.

It was a Thursday evening, the place was very busy and noisy, and it took them 50 minutes to seat us. I was pleased to see a short but eclectic menu showing some fine starters and desserts alongside the interesting pizze.

As a party of 5, we ordered a selection of starters to share and a pizza each. The “Sheep milk ricotta bruschette, lambs lettuce with honeycomb  and sea salt” @ £6 was delicious with the  ricotta and honey marrying beautifully together. The bruschetta bread was also nicely toasted and chewy.

The “Mortadella spread, pistachios, mostarda on rustic bread” @ £5 was also good, although the portion was not overly generous. Mortadella is one of the least popular of Italian cold meats in the UK but is one of my favourites. It can be rather fatty and goes very well in a simple sandwich of fresh baguette and butter.

The star of the evening however was the “Wood roasted bone marrow, radish, parsley, on rustic bread” @ £7. My last taste of bone marrow was at St John’s a few years ago, and I remember loving it then. I was not disappointed this time round either: the marrow had a deliciously concentrated meaty flavour and melted in the mouth. One of the best dishes I remember spending my £7 on.

I ordered a “Salami, tomato, mozzarella, red onion, and chilli flakes” pizza @ £10. The combination of toppings was simple but nicely put together and with good flavours. 

The most interesting aspect of the pizza however was the fine dough – the base was thin but had a great chewy consistency. It was beautifully charred giving a woody flavour to the dough. It was an excellent pizza, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The other pizze eaten by my dinner companions were “Veal meatballs, prosciutto, sage, lemon, parsley, and cream” pizza @ £12;

“Speck, tomato, mozzarella and rocket” pizza @ £11;

“Clams, tomato, oregano, garlic, chilli flakes, and pecorino” pizza @ £12 (apparently a speciality of New England, USA), it looked yummy, and I wished I had ordered that one myself!

The general opinion was that all pizze were good, toppings were simple and flavoursome although slightly ungenerous; the base was indeed the best part – chewy, fine and deliciously charred. We also felt that prices above £10 were a tad high.

 

We unfortunately did not have any of the desserts – although I heard that their “Hot cinnamon sugar doughnuts with Varlhona chocolate” @ £6 is to die for.

The total bill was £180 (incl. 12.5% service) among 5 people, or £36 each. In addition to the food, we also had three 500 ml carafes of Prosecco on tap @ £19 each, 5 pints of Peroni beer @ £4 each and a glass of Sauvignon blanc @ £8. This is more than I would normally feel happy spending on a mid-week evening – we spent more on drinks than we did on the delicious food. I will certainly be coming back to Pizza East for more roasted bone marrow, clam pizza and hot cinnamon doughnuts, but will stop at a local pub for a good pint beforehand!

 

Verdict – Trendy and beautiful decor, delicious pizza base and toppings at above average prices. The best roasted bone marrow on chunky toast in town and friendly, efficient service make Pizza East a fine place, and one to which I will definitely return.


Opening Hours
Sunday to Wednesday 12pm - Midnight
Thursday 12pm - 1am
Friday and Saturday 12pm - 2am