Cherry Sbagliatos And 'Nduja: A Slice Of Napoli At Rudy's Albert Dock

You could go to many cities in the country and never be too far from a Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana. As a Scouser, I can smugly say that Liverpool has three of its own, so we booked a table for two one Sunday afternoon at the newest Albert Dock location. This venue has the same signature stripped-back interiors as is synonymous with the restaurant, landmarked by instantly-recognisable monochrome signage. We settled into the small but bustling space and got straight down to business with the drinks list.

The babies on the Rudy's Pizza menu cook in only 60 seconds.

I toyed with the idea of an espresso martini, but spotted a cherry sbagliato (£7.90) on the special drinks list and thought it would have been Rudy not to. It did indeed have plenty of prosecco in it (alongside cherry, Campari and Martini Rosso) and was stunning. Not normally my drink of choice but delicious nonetheless. My guest sipped an Italian prosecco rosé Ca Belli (£6.50 a glass) as we deliberated the menu, deciding to forgo starters and skip straight to mains, in favour of dessert.

Rudy’s has a roster of specials that rotate regularly (try saying that five times fast), so I always like to catch ‘em while I can. I had my sights set on a mortadella and pistachio pizza, only to have my hungry eyes wiped when we were told they didn’t have the ingredients to make any of the special pizzas off the list. Fortunately, my plan B Calabrese (£10.90), topped with tomato, fior di latte, basil, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan and spicy ‘nduja, turned out to be a heavenly consolation. The twice-fermented dough, which was made on-site and baked in traditional ovens from Naples, scratched an itch and then some.

Munch slices and sip delish drinks here.

I added some smoked mozzarella (£2.50) from the extra toppings menu and let me tell you, it was true pizza perfection. I also endowed myself with a stellar lineup of dipping sauces (£2 each or £5 for all three) for my crusts: homemade garlic aioli, 'nduja aioli, and a sticky chilli honey I could drown in and die happy. The other half of my party was equally as enamoured with her traditional marinara (£6.50), embellished by adding caramelised onions (£1) and smoked mozzarella (£2.50). While she ate hers with a knife a fork, I chose to fold and scoff. That’s the kind of chill, laidback vibes you get in here.

Pizzas demolished, we were ready for dessert. Having passed up starters in a bid to leave space for pud, “we haven’t got any tiramisu” were not the words I longed to hear. In its absence, I went for the affogato (£4.50) alongside a shot of amaretto (£2.50), while across the table settled on two scoops of gelato (£4): chocolate and vanilla. Our desserts took a little while to arrive and when they did, it became apparent why… The kitchen's scoop was out of action, leaving us with two small mouthfuls that had been chiselled away by a spoon. For the best part of a fiver each (and a little more for my booze too), dessert was a miss.

This perfect pizza always makes a make.

The DesignMyNight Digest 

I’ll wrap it up by saying that despite this particular experience being as divided as opinions about pineapple on pizza, I remain a loyal Rudy’s evangelist. If you’re sick of eating pizza in your pyjamas on the couch but still want a laidback dining experience, this place is just the ticket. Cocktails, beers and wines are all charmingly authentic, while you know the huge floppy slices are going to hit the spot every time. It’s just all so effortless here—that being said, more effort to keep the menu fully stocked wouldn’t have gone amiss on this occasion.

Hungry for more of the best pizza places in Liverpool? Check out this guide. Then sign up to our monthly newsletter and stay in the know.