The original Story Deli was in Dray Walk off Brick Lane, and was a strong east London contender in our last knockout contest to find the London’s best pizza. Story Deli then left the Old Truman Brewery and relocated slightly north to a much smaller, more intimate space at the Bethnal Green Road end of Sclater Street – then again to this 'scout hut'.
The pizzas served in this minimally decorated, white-painted room aren’t strictly pizzas. If what you like about pizzas is the dough, then these wafer-thin bases won’t appeal. They’re nice enough (pleasantly soggy in the middle, matzo-like at the edges), but mainly they’re there to hold the super-fresh toppings. These are interesting without being outlandish. Fico (goat’s cheese, figs, parma ham, red onion, capers and salad greens) looked good enough for a photo shoot – served on a board, and a mass of glossy colours – and had flavour to match. Dora romero (chorizo, mozzarella, ‘smashed’ tomato, tomato passata, red onion, mascarpone, rosemary oil and basil pesto) had less visual impact, and little chorizo bite; not surprising, as we found only two slices – we resorted to chilli oil.
You’re not meant to linger – pizzas aside, the menu is limited; a small piece of mixed berry baked cheesecake was the only pudding available, and you’ll be lucky if there’s a choice of wines. Seating is on uncomfortable, own-made stools at long tables made for sharing. The bill will be surprisingly high (pizzas cost £17 and you’ll need at least one each) and you’ll have to pay in cash. An interesting one-off that could probably only survive in the trendier bits of east London.
