Eating and drinkingLocal

The best gourmet pizzas near Bow and Globe Town

Did you know pizza arrived in London in the 1950s? Luckily Bow is now surrounded by delicious pizza – here’s a round-up of some of our favorite gourmet spots in the area.

Unlock

BEST FOR ARTISTIC FLAIR

Small, long round plate with a pizza taco from Luna Unlock.
The Luna by Unlock © Unlock

Newcomers Unlock Pizza ambitiously combines gourmet pizza with a rotating art gallery and cocktail bar. Located on Fish Island, the restaurant prides itself on fresh, high-quality ingredients made in-house daily, and an artistic flair which ranges from the food to the decor.

Unlock is run by a brother and sister duo from Naples, chef Arianna and restauranteur Giovanni Izzo. It’s a full-fledged experience – we recommend dining in. 

Unlock’s selection of gourmet pizzas is refreshingly and inventive, such as the ‘Mare Viola’ with purple potato cream, burrata and deep-fried yuzu-drenched mussels. If it’s classic pizza you’re after, the homemade sourdough base and fresh ingredients elevate staples like the Margherita or ‘Quattro Formaggi,’ (four cheeses).

Foodies should also try Unlock’s new street-food dish, ‘Luna’ (meaning moon), inspired by a marriage between Mexican tacos and Neopolitan pizza. The half-moon-shaped Lunas are made of folded, lightly fried mini pizza dough rounds and creatively topped. Fillings range from pickled mango with feta to a modern take on a Genovese stew. They will be available at Unlock once their new menu is released on October 16th. 

Unlock’s cocktail list complements the food menus, with modern re-vamps on classics like a spritz or a negroni. For a quicker stop, try a ‘Luna’ with a drink and check out the new art in the gallery. 

1 Monkwood Way, Fish Island, London E3 2EG

Flat Earth Pizza

BEST FOR VEGANS

A selection of 3 Pizzas with different toppings from Flat Earth Pizza, Bethnal Green.
© Flat Earth Pizza

Flat Earth pizza is a little trek from Bow, but it’s more than worth the walk. The award-winning pizzeria on Cambridge Heath Road makes delicious, seasonal and eco-friendly pizzas, with a great wine menu to boot. 

What makes Flat Earth award-winning is attention to detail from farm to table – starting with the flour for the dough, which is unrefined and farmed responsibly to protect the soil. This gives the dough a great depth of flavour and also makes it much healthier than a standard takeout – a win-win. 

Because they prioritise eco-friendly ingredients and small providers, Flat Earth update their menu every few months with seasonal ingredients, meaning even the most loyal customers can expect something new when they visit. This autumn for new toppings we can expect pickled pears, homemade kimchi and harissa (yum). 

Flat Earth skips the meat but has plenty of cheese on their pizzas. You can make the whole menu vegan by swapping it out for high-quality plant-based cheese. 

Drinks are also eco-friendly – the restaurant drastically reduces its carbon footprint by having sustainably farmed wine on tap and reusing bottles. 

Flat Earth won Best Pizza in the UK in 2023 and was also ranked #3 for best vegan pizzas nationally. 

 288 Cambridge Heath Rd, Cambridge Heath, London E2 9DA

The Pizza Room, Poplar

BEST FOR HALAL OPTIONS

A man ready to tuck into a pizza with a Aperol Spritz next to it, from The PIzza Room in Poplar.
© The Pizza Room Poplar

Did you The Pizza Room in Mile End has a sister? Open late until the night, The Pizza Room on India Dock Road in Poplar is a local favourite for both take-out and dine-in. They are especially praised for their gluten-free and halal options. The Poplar branch has a full menu for halal diners, featuring speciality dishes like the chicken basil pizza with pesto, rocket and walnuts. 

The Pizza Room has fast service, a cosy atmosphere and reasonable prices  – it can also be booked out easily to host a larger group. For a lunchtime bite their Margherita pizza comes with a free topping from 12-3 pm. 

Their pizza dough is proofed for 72 hours before being stone-baked, creating a light and airy base. You can mix and match classic toppings with more creative ones like nduja, balsamic glaze, truffle oil and mortadella.

167 E India Dock Rd, London E14 0EB

Pizza Brixton

BEST FOR NEAPOLITAN PIZZAS

Pizza with mushrooms and basil from Pizza Brixton, on Roman Road, Bow, East London
© Pizza Brixton

Don’t let the name fool you. This authentic Italian gem can be found on the market side of Roman Road, though the first branch was indeed opened in Brixton. Upon entering their no-fuss, spacious restaurant, you are immediately greeted by cheery staff and smiling chefs, who know their dough. 

Pizza Brixton make traditional Neapolitan pizzas – thick, spongy crusts – made on the spot in their open-plan kitchen. 

Manager Giada Penisola explains that their vegan pizza is the most popular. It consists of tomato, chestnut and porcini mushrooms, artichokes, Leccine olives, oregano and basil. Usually though, ‘people add whatever cheese they want to it’. This restaurant prides itself on choice, allowing customers to choose a range of cheeses, to create a custom combination which speaks to them. They also have a daily special.

Pizza Brixton’s most unusual option is Pancetta e spinaci (that’s bacon and spinach). Unlike traditional pizzas that have a tomato sauce, this one has a ricotta base – covering the dough in a creamy, salty sauce that pairs nicely with the soft spinach and bacon pieces. 

494-496 Roman Rd, Bow, London E3 5LU (Deliveroo).

The Pizza Room, Mile End

BEST FOR ALL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS

Pizza with courgette and peppers from the Pizza Room in Mile End, East London
©Pizza Room Mile End

Stepping into The Pizza Room feels like going back in time, like walking into an Italian kitchen set among rolling Tuscan hills. 

Looking onto Mile End Park, this friendly establishment is a local favourite amongst Queen Mary University Students, who take advantage of their affordable lunchtime deal. 

Managing Director Pam Tironi walks through their extensive dough-making process, which involves making a ‘biga’, which helps the yeast to ferment, and leaving this to rest for 24 hours. The whole process takes about 72 hours, meaning that the pizza is easier to digest. They also offer gluten-free bases.

Their most popular dish is the Vegan Veggie with perfectly cooked courgettes and expertly chopped, rainbow-coloured vegetables. Cheese lovers have no fear, you can add mozzarella or vegan mozzarella aswell. Tironi’s main focus is making pizza that the community will like and be able to eat. 

Find The Pizza Room 2a Grove Rd, Mile End, London E3 5AX

Vicolo Romano

BEST FOR A ROMANTIC TETE A TETE

Pizza topped with broccoli and courgette at Vicolo Romano, Roman Road
©Pizza Vicolo Romano

Tucked away on Roman Road next to well-known cafes Mae + Harvey and Cafe East, is Vicolo Romano. Its exposed brick wall, hanging pots of lavender and matte-black pendant lamps give the space an industrial yet cosy feel. 

Pictured here is their Green Pizza which is topped with broccoli, spinach, courgette, chives and buffalo mozzarella. Surely that’s at least two of your five-a-day on a pizza? 

The dough is pillow-soft yet crispy on the outside. Manager Sandra Finez Gomez explains that they use semolina to give a slight crunch to the crust, as well as using organic flour and letting their dough rest for two days. 

Her favourite? ‘The margarita as you can really appreciate the flavour of the dough, tomato sauce and cheese; nothing else is needed. The customer fave is probably our Meat Feast but all of our pizzas can be made vegan.’

420 Roman Rd, Bow, London E3 5LX. Vicolo Romano deliver via UberEats and Deliveroo. 

Sourdough Salon, Lord Morpeth

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY

Pizza in a takeaway box on a table with candles and cutlery from Sourdough Salon at Lord Morpeth pub, Bow
©Pizza sourdough salon Lord Morpeth

Lord Morpeth may be known for being next door to the Suffragette headquarters – marked by the portrait of Sylvia Pankhurst and the Suffragettes on its wall. But they also serve up sourdough pizza in their cosy pub. 

It is classic thin, sourdough pizza – with an airy, puffy crust and thin base. Their most popular pizza is the Diavola, a very spicy pizza thanks to the addition of salami made with picante chillies, as well as other types of chillies scattered on top. 

With the Margherita at just £8.50 this is one of the best value options in the area and, with the option to order pizzas as take-out, you grab a few and enjoy them in Victoria Park just opposite.

 Find Lord Morpeth at 402 Old Ford Rd., Bow, London E3 5NR

The Florist

BEST FOR PIZZA AND A PINT

Pizza topped with peppers, olives ad mushrooms from The Florist pub, Globe Town, East London
©The Florist Pub

The Florist has retained all the charm of an untouched East End boozer. Both born and bred locals and the new incomers tread the worn floorboards and enjoy a chat with the landlady Emma Tarbard, who comes from a family of East End publicans.

They offer stone-baked pizzas with homemade passata sauce and a line of ricotta base pizzas as well as something with a twist: Old Boy Blue is an intriguing mix of Gorgonzola and kimchi.

With a range of East London Beer Company ales, this is a great option for pizza with real beer.

Find The Florist at 255 Globe Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 0JD

If you enjoyed this, you might like to read our guide to the best places for coffee and the best places for brunch.

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