The Franco Manca brand has almost reached celebrity status down South London way due to the massive success of Franco Manca’s original branch in Brixton. Locals and weekend visitors would queue for hours to sample a taste of the delicious Neapolitan pizza at cheap as chips (or pizza) prices. So, without further ado, the owners have opened a follow up branch in the leafy, West London hangout of Chiswick.
The good news is there’s no more queuing. This larger, spacious restaurant can now be booked with tables inside and out meaning there’s usually a place to sit. If the Brixton branch screamed trendy, packed, pit stop for out of this world pizza then the Chiswick branch definitely speaks of a more peaceful meeting place for quality pizza at good prices.
The staff were immediately charm and warmth personified and we were seated in the delicious sunshine at a prime people watching table on the street. Bikini wearing months are upon us, so my girlfriend and I weren’t immediately going to jump for two pizzas, hoping to at least squeeze a salad in but alas, the menu is all pizza. There is a salad but it is merely a garden one to compliment your pizza as opposed to a meal in itself. This is me being utterly precious and fussy (you’re at a PIZZA restaurant you blonde) but some salad or other lighter option could be a helpful addition to the menu. The menu is definitely to the point: pizza. Saying this, we dropped our huffy faces and happily sunk our teeth into a sampling menu of some of their top choice selection.
Franco Manca undeniably know how to spin a crust, fire up a base and choose good ingredients. Pizza nowadays can just resemble thick bases laden with processed ingredients and half a ketchup bottle, so it’s good to be reminded of the quality recipe that first established them in Naples all those many years ago. Franco Manca does just this. The ingredients, sourced locally, are sparsely applied to a thin air whipped, wood fired base. The tomato sauce is mouth watering and the cheese is refined and flavoursome. My favourite was probably the simple Tomato and Mozzarella, these fine ingredients were delicious and ample for the palette. Although the jam packed Napolitano (oregano, capers, olives, anchovy) packed a bit more of a taste punch. The Meat Special of wild boar (wild boar!) was also just as exciting as it sounds, the thin base heavy with smoky mozzarella and wild mushrooms. There were limited wine options to wash it all down with (just one white and red option) but the white we did have was organic, simple and rustic. Surely, the best thing about this pizzeria is the prices. Around £15 per person at a London Restaurant? I had to lie down from shock on one of their wooden benches.
The restaurant doesn’t spring to mind as the setting for where you want to impress a business client or a potential mate. However, if you need a local hangout for relaxed good quality pizza, you’ve found your spot.