Bite Me!

Franco Manca has been one of Brixton’s best-kept secrets for so long that it’s not really a secret any more.  Despite living here for years, I only recently heard about it (there goes any pretence at being “in-the-know”) so it was with a slight sense of having missed the boat that I wandered down there this lunchtime.   I had heard terrible things about the size of the queues but I only waited for about ten to 15 minutes after ordering, which was fairly speedy, I thought.  I imagine Saturdays are rather busier.  Or perhaps there’s some new place down the road I haven’t heard of yet where all the cool kids are going for lunch.

The premise of Franco Manca is simple – they do pizza.  Really, really good pizza.  The oven was shipped over from Naples,  the bases are sourdough, and the toppings are hand-picked to be the best of the best (the ham, for example, is Gloucester Old Spot and the cheese is from an award-winning organic producer.)  Even the wood in the ovens is sourced from the Forestry Commission.  The premises are equally simple – spartan, even, which is perhaps not surprising given their location in Brixton Market, and the menu is equally pared-down, with a choice of only 6 different pizzas.  I went for the special of the day, the Bianca, topped with radiccio, spinach, mozzarella and gorgonzola.  This was the most expensive pizza on the menu, but at £6.50 I thought I could probably afford to treat myself.

Since this place is only a few minutes’ walk from my house, I thought I’d get a takeaway, but it took a good deal of self-control to try and stop myself tucking in on the way back.  It was worth the wait though – definitely one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had.  The crusts were almost the best bit - crispy and squidgy at the same time – and the mozzarella actually tasted of mozzarella and not like melted plastic, which was nice.  The gorgonzola was strong and creamy and the radiccio was crunchy and bitter which set off all the gooey cheese nicely. 

I had half the pizza for lunch and the other half for dinner.  A healthy day, I think.

Franco Manca, Unit 4, Market Row, London SW9 8LD.  Open 12-5 Mon-Sat.

And now also in Chiswick: 144 Chiswick High Road, London W4 1PU. It looks as if they've gone all upmarket at this branch - you can even reserve a table.  And it's open in the evenings.  Reservations here.