Franco Manca

Time Out says

Tue Jun 26 2012

One of the originators of Brixton’s über-cool market scene, Franco Manca is a study in the importance of keeping it simple. Although no longer run by the original founders, the restaurant still pays homage to the best Neapolitan pizzerias, serving delicious slow-rise sourdough-crust pizzas that are topped with simple sauce, top-notch British-sourced, Italian-style cheese, cured meats and seasonal vegetables, and cooked for 40 seconds at high temperature in a brick oven.

The classic margherita – tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil – is perfectly executed. Alternatively, there’s a choice of five other standard pizzas, as well as two daily specials. Like the food, the drinks list is very well edited, and includes a handful of wines and beers along with Franco Manca’s own refreshing lemonade. Post-meal coffees are served Italian-style, without milk.

To our minds, this is the best – and the most reasonably priced – pizza in London. Many locals share our opinion, as evidenced by the frequent queues. Despite service that is friendly and knowledgeable, this is not a place for lingering, and the tables have a fairly rapid turnover. Franco Manca’s success has led to two other outlets, in Chiswick and at Westfield Stratford City, with many more in the pipeline from the investors.