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This is the fourth Voodoo Ray’s in London, and the remit remains the same: enormous, 22-inch pizzas, available whole or by the slice. It also feels like the gazillionth pizza joint to have opened in Peckham in the past year, but hey, we’re not complaining – anywhere that has a £4.50 negroni on the menu is okay in our book.
The vibe is as fun and funky as at Ray’s other joints: a humming red neon sign out front, a counter covered in shiny tiles inside and a huge yellow menu on the wall listing the lip-smacking range of pizzas on offer. I went for a half-half combo: on one side Green Velvet, with juicy green olives and hunks of artichoke heart; on the other a supremely delicious King Tubby, with fennel and chilli sausage, crunchy kale leaves and splodges of caramelised onion. Both delightful.
If you’re not feeling quite so peckish you can order by the slice in true New York style instead. But here’s where you have to pay attention, because the choice is limited to whatever they happen to have just made, and it’s difficult to get a good look at each pie while they’re reeling off the flavours. Plus, depending on how fussy you are, you might find the already-cooked dishes a bit unappetising, but it’s ideal if you’re in a hurry.
If you do decide to sit in, make sure you throw a side of mac and cheese topped with smoked bacon onto your order. It was chewy and gooey and satisfyingly burnt around the edges. Also, do make the most of the extensive beer list – you’ll find a tonne of local options as well as some American standards from the likes of Founders and Pabst, which is enough to make you feel like you’re kicking back on the Lower East Side. Call the whole thing Voodoo magic.