GOAT CHELSEA

London, UK

What I stumbled upon once as pure coincidence, has now become an all time local favourite on the corner of Fulham road and Park Walk in Chelsea. Once a traditional pub, Goat has been nipped and tucked into an uber chic gastro pub serving nothing of what one might expect by walking by. Abandoning the cliché of ‘reinterpreting’ traditional English pub cuisine, chef Marco Museli presents an array of delicious Italian dishes served to an impeccable standard one would expect from any top Italian restaurant. The chef does pay homage to the past life of the restaurant by serving one of London’s most delicious burgers which is topped with pancetta; a burger that every Londoner ought to try.  It has now been three times that I have been to Goat, and on all of my visits the consistency of the good food, great service and lively ambience has cemented it in being a local favourite perfect for a Sunday lunch in the sun, or a nice easy dinner any day of the week. When it comes to food, aside from the delicious burger, the pizzas are an excellent choice, which are wood fried and prepared with the simplest and freshest of ingredients. A favourite is the pizza with bresaola, rocket and parmesan, as well as the traditional margherita pizza. Both are fresh, and light, yet filling pizzas cooked to crispy perfection destined to please the harshest of pizza critics. With all the delicious food at Goat however, the smoking gun is the extensive cocktail list with cocktails rivalling London’s top bars. A must-order is the Earl Grey Martini, served in a bone china tea cup, and accented with flavours of lavender making it unparalleled in freshness and flavour. If ever in doubt of where to dine in Kensington and Chelsea, Goat is a definite choice that just keeps winning every time, and with a tucked away speakeasy style bar: The Chelsea Prayer room to its back, its also a solid choice for a night out in Chelsea.

www.goatchelsea.com

AL PARCO

London, UK

This pizza restaurant was recommended to me as being one of the best in London, but it is so far away from anywhere I would usually go, that I didn’t think I would ever make the trip there. I went online to check if they do delivery, but unfortunately they only do take away if you pick it up yourself. I ended up coming across Al Parco by chance one day, after I had visited the nearby Highgate Cemetery and I had started walking down the street looking for a taxi. When I suddenly saw the sign across the road, I had to go in even though I had a huge brunch just a couple of hours earlier. The décor of the restaurant is very unassuming, and looks like it could have existed in the same state for decades. I ordered a Capricciosa to take away. This is my favourite pizza, and the I usually order, so for me it’s a good gauge for the quality of a restaurant.  The crust at Al Parco is thinner than Firezza, but not too thin as in the Story Deli in Shoreditch. The textures were great and the amount of cheese and tomato sauce was perfect; juicy but not soggy. It was simply a very tasty pizza at a reasonable price. I don’t know any Italians who went there, so I’m not sure where it scores on the authenticity level, but I daresay this is the best pizza I’ve tried in London. It is a bit of a mission to make the trip there, as it is not near any tube stations, but I know I will go there again one day, it was really that good. 

2 Highgate West Hill, London, N6 6JS

JOE'S PIZZA

When in New York it is always essential to have a slice of classic New York pizza at one of the typical pizzeria landmarks. Such a landmark is Joe’s Pizza, which is as synonymous to Manhattan as the yellow cab. Joe’s is a force to be reckoned with among New York pizzerias, and pizzas come served by the slice or as a full pan. I made a quick stop at Joe's on my way to a house party by Union Square. The selection at Joe’s is simple, where you can choose from the classic cheese pizza, the mozzarella cheese or the cheese and pepperoni pizza. I opted for two slices of the classic cheese pizza with a soda. I cannot stress how simple and delicious the food is; what you see is exactly what you get and what you get is an amazing quality, deliciously tasting cheese pizza. The two large slices didn’t leave me bloated, but full enough to keep me going for a night out. Joe’s is the real deal, it’s simple in its menu and its décor and comes as no surprise as being as of the best pizzerias in New York. 

 

150 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003

ICCO

London, UK

Reminiscent of a proper New York pizza place in its image, this is arguably the best value for money pizza in London. I've been going to Icco since 2005, and I'm still not bored. The prices have barely gone up, starting at £3.90 for a Margherita that really fills you up. You pay at the counter and receive a little device that flashes and vibrates when your pizza is ready. The suspense of waiting for this combined with hanger is excruciating, but all the more exciting when it’s finally your turn to go to the counter. I usually go for the Funghi or Capricciosa, and add some chilli oil. The Pepperoni is also good, but they are rather stingy on the slices, only putting one on each slice of pizza. The crust is of a medium thickness, and the cheese-to-tomato sauce ratio is well balanced. I will always return to Icco, especially now that I got myself a brand new loyalty card. 

46 Goodge Street, London W1T 4LU