Manchester is synonymous with a lot of good things at the moment but one thing it’s safe to say the city isn’t known for is its pizza - but that's now set to change. In recent years areas like the Northern Quarter and Altrincham have seen a rise in places offering pizza to a much higher-standard than your local kebab shop, and now there’s reason to be excited again in Ancoats with the launch of Rudy's Neapolitan Pizza.
As areas go, Ancoats is full of promise; clean, spacious streets and attractive apartments are abound, but until recently it has been fairly quiet in terms of places to eat and drink. But now a new pizzeria is aiming to change that.
Kate Wilson and Jim Morgan (previously of Honest Crust) are bringing pizza made using traditional Neapolitan methods to Manchester. They've been involved in pop-ups and events previously but now they've set up their own permanent site in an area of the city known at one time as Little Italy.
Inspired by Jim's love of pizza, the duo came up with the concept of Rudy's while living in the capital a few years ago. 'London is blessed with so many good pizza places and we hope to bring something equally as good to Manchester,' Kate says.
Despite humble origins as peasant food, the craft involved in pizza-making is not to be underestimated. Cooked too slowly or at the wrong temperature and you can turn the best pizza into a greasy mess. The team at Rudy’s know their stuff and use only the finest ingredients which are either sourced locally or from Naples.
Rudy's Neapolitan PizzaThomas Ingham
Peruse the Rudy’s menu and you’ll see everything from white pizzas to classics like salame, Margherita, ice cream and regularly-rotated lunchtime specials. To wash down the dough you’ll also find some very reasonably priced wine from local supplier Reserve Wines alongside bottled craft beer from local breweries including Runaway and Cloudwater. The space is laid back and inviting to make sure you can really relax.
In an age where casual dining and eating out is becoming far more common, Kate and Jim aren’t taking liberties with their pricing: a simple, 14" pizza is under £5. This shows the spirit of Rudy’s – they want to make great pizza first and foremost with profit takings a secondary issue.
Rudy's Neapolitan Pizza, 9 Cotton Street, Ancoats.
See Time Out's guide to Manchester's best Italian restaurants.