Pizzeria Mozza

Pizzeria Mozza is the first London site for celebrated LA chef Nancy Silverton, officially part of the Treehouse Hotel but actually found adjacent to it’s entrance. We were expecting an imposing, glitzy affair, but first impressions were underwhelming; the restaurant is on a rather drab corner of Regent Street, underneath a concrete office block that’s seen better days. Once inside though, things feel more appropriately stylish - the Mediterranean-inspired dining room features an open kitchen and chef’s counter, as well as an abundance of greenery.

From the antipasti, we enjoyed oven-baked meatballs, perfectly cooked and complemented by miniature toasted baguettes slathered in a freshly applied slick of oozing garlic butter. Elsewhere, a creamy ball of buffalo mozzarella was cleverly paired with Cantabrian anchovies to cut through its richness, a harmonious pairing of salty and sweet.

For pizzas, guests can choose between classics (margherita, bianca) or house signatures such as courgette blossoms with burrata. Our choice of fennel sausage, fior di latte and red onions impressed - the crust was golden, puffed up and slightly crisp and we loved the rustic, generally light feel of the pizza, a marked departure from the heavy, deep-pan American version you might expect.

For pudding, our eyes were drawn to the banana gelato pie - an iceberg-sized slice filled with gelato that is made in house and tastes purely of banana, rather than some artificial substitute. Throw in a Graham cracker base, candied hazelnuts, a dollop of creme fraiche and lashings of hot fudge sauce and you’ve got the kind of indulgent dessert that childhood dreams are made of.

To drink, try Italian-inspired house cocktails or peruse the extensive list of European wines, which range from budget to blow-out. We found the grand proportions and somewhat awkward layout of the dining room meant Pizzeria Mozza sometimes felt lacking in atmosphere, but the rustic-style pizzas impress and the restaurant makes for a nice change of pace from the chains of nearby Oxford Street - order just a pizza and a drink and you can easily dine here for under £20 too.

Celebrated Californian chef Nancy Silverton has chosen trendy West End hotel Tree House as the site of the first UK outpost of her famed Los Angeles restaurant, Pizzeria Mozza.

The restaurant is located adjacent to the hotel’s ground floor, boasting its own entrance on Regent Street. The dining room echoes the character of the hotel itself, complete with house plants and trees, plus trailing vines crawling up white plaster walls. The likes of terracotta floor tiles and iron garden chairs meanwhile, will transport guests straight to the Meditteranean.

As for Pizzeria Mozza’s menu, you can expect a range of signature pizzas (famed in LA for their well-structured crusts), alongside antipasti and meat and fish dishes. The menu is underpinned by locally sourced and seasonal produce - begin your meal with antipasti such as shrimp with melon, mint, and chilli lime vinaigrette or salt cod fritti with celeriac, remoulade and horseradish. From the selection of pizzas, choose between the traditional such as Margherita and Napolitana or the unconventional, including Silverton’s own take on a Haiwaiian, which features speck, pineapple, jalapenos, tomato and mozzarella. If you don’t fancy pizza though, you can instead opt for daily specials such as stuffed shells with spinach and ricotta.

To round off your meal, tuck into Silverton’s very own brand of ice cream - ‘Nancy’s Fancy’, which is available on the pudding menu, but also as a grab and go option, served in half kilo and full kilo tubs. If you prefer liquid afters, enjoy Italian wines of classic cocktails including Negronis and a Gin Fizz.

Silverton’s list of achievements include nine cookbooks, multiple awards and a stint on smash Netflix documentary series, Chef’s Table. Speaking about the opening, she said: “Opening here at the Treehouse in Marylebone is like a wonderful homecoming for me. In 1977, 44 years ago, I was a student at London's revered Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School, mere blocks away on Marylebone Lane and now I am back with my Pizzeria Mozza. It just feels right and I am determined to make my alma mater proud of their former student."