Marylebone favourite Alley Cats successfully brought New York-style pizza to a Neapolitan thick crust-obsessed London in late 2023, and now they’re heading west to a new outpost in Chelsea.
Visually at least, Alley Cats could be summed up in one word (acronym?) - ‘NYC’. The New York-inspired interiors are undoubtedly a sizeable part of the Marylebone joint’s viral success, with TikTok-friendly gingham tablecloths, exposed brick, and even Sopranos episodes projected on the walls.
However, of course, the real star of the show is the pizza - Alley Cats offers a simple, no-frills menu of 14-inch thin crust pies (unlike most NYC pizza joints, Alley Cats does not serve pizza by the slice) with a focus on quality Southern Italian ingredients, from the mind of Sicilian head chef Francesco Macri. Try the vodka sauce pizza topped with two kinds of mozzarella, or the taleggio and wild mushroom pie for a white base option, while vegans are well catered for via the ‘Vegan ‘n’ Fire’, featuring roasted bell pepper, vegan nduja, pesto, crispy potatoes, and Kalamata olives.
The pies might be the main event, but be sure to also leave room for the starters - look out for the lavishly greasy candied bacon, or the beef and pork meatballs lathered in a rich, slow cooked tomato sauce. Alley Cats also offer a revolving door of special pizzas; on the board at the time of writing was the ‘Mortadella Folder’, with the eponymous sausage, stracciatella, and ground pistachio. A limited range of wines (mostly, but not exclusively, Italian) and classic cocktails rounds out the offering.
The unabashedly retro feel of Alley Cats has led the way for NYC pizza in London, and promises all the same hearty pies and visual touches in its new King’s Road home. Beware though - it’s walk-ins only, and only open ‘until the dough runs out’.