Homeslice
Pizza
13 Neal's Yard, London WC2H 9DP
£
Homeslice started as pizza by the slice at food markets across London. Now it's known for its 20 inch wonders feeding the tummies of hungry Londoners everywhere. With its original topping choices and warm and friendly staff, it's hard to really find fault with this pizza palace.
Due to high popularity, all tables in the Neal's Yard establishment are on a first come first served basis. However, like many trendy London eateries, if you simply leave them your number they'll give you a buzz when your table is ready - meaning you can go and grab a drink nearby, or have a nosey around the hidden wonders of the gorgeous Neal's Yard. We went for a bottle of wine at the nearby Compagnie Des Vins Surnaturels - a snazzy wine bar with tapas options. The wine was lovely, but not cheap (£30 a bottle was our best option) so it might be worth finding a nearby pub for a pint instead.
Our table was ready after 45 minutes and we were welcomed by some young and cheery staff who showed us to our table, one of the many wooden benches in the place. The restaurant was packed and very hot, but I guess this is just a sign of it's popularity more than anything negative, besides, the table we got was slightly removed from everyone else so we didn't have any issues. There are also two further branches of Homeslice in Shoreditch and Fitzrovia, which take a limited number of bookings per night if you want to beat the queues.
There are many options of topping including: Margherita, Salami Rocket & Parmesan, Mushroom Ricotta Pumpkin Seed & Chilli, Aubergine Cauliflower Cheese Spinach & Harissa, Courgette & Artichoke, XO Pig Cheek with Collard Greens & Crackling Furikake, Spiced Lamb with Savoy Cabbage & Sumac Yoghurt, Caramelised Onions Kalamata Olives & Anchovy, Chorizo Corn & Coriander, and Caprese. On tap they have Camden Hells Lager, £5 a pint, as well as Frizzante Classico (Prosecco) £5 per 125ml. They also have a choice of wine £4 per 125ml and local craft beers in bottles £5.
The pizzas are thoroughly impressive - taking up the whole table. We went for two 20 inches - half and half of each, the choices being the Lamb with Pig Cheek and Anchovy with Salami. There are no knives or forks provided, just napkins and a paper plate to put your slice on. This adds to the relaxed atmosphere of the place, you aren't here to impress: you're here to have fun and get messy. The pizza is delicious, and the toppings are interesting without being overpowering or excessive. We didn't manage to finish them, but we did pretty well, leaving only 4 slices between 3 of us.
I would thoroughly recommend a trip to Homeslice Pizza - take a large group and order every topping half an half. Although, it might be worth trying either the Shoreditch or Fitzrovia branches and booking a table as you're unlikely to fit in the Neal's Yard location with more than 4 people. Homeslice wins a joint top place with Joe Public, for the best Pizza I have had in London.
OVERALL RATING: *****
http://www.homeslicepizza.co.uk/
