When famed Naples restaurant L’antica Pizzeria da Michele appeared in Stoke Newington in 2016, it created quite the buzz thanks to the Naples original featuring in the film Eat, Pray, Love. Now, the first London site has changed its name (following a legal fallout with the original) to Pizzeria Stokey, but this Baker Street branch is still going strong.
The menu lists just two pizzas – margherita and marinara, in two sizes – produced by a chirpy brigade of chefs at the back of the simple, brick-and-white dining room. There are no starters, sides or even condiments, and you can expect pizzas with slightly sloppy toppings and a chewy-yet-moist, charred crust; from our visit to the Stokey site, we’d recommend the double mozzarella, a bella blend of tomato tang and fior di latte milkiness. To drink, choose Birra Moretti beers or one of a handful of Italian wines (including a Melizie dessert wine to match the cream-filled puddings). The restaurant doesn’t take bookings, so prepare to queue.