Known far and wide for their hordes of pizza-loving punters fighting to the death for a slice (ok it’s more like heaving queues, but you get the gist), Homeslice has gained a reputation for serving up some of London’s best pizza. So when the chance came for me to skip the line at the pizza purveyors’ newest Marylebone digs, I just couldn’t say no.
Every day is a pizza party with Homeslice.
You’ll be forgiven for thinking you’re in east London, as the new spot feels more like Shoreditch even though it’s just seconds from Oxford Street. Spread over two levels, the restaurant evokes the chilled out vibes of E1; from the white-washed brick walls to the modern lighting fixtures. While pastel-hued tables and hand-crafted seats are a slick addition, it was the huge wood-fired oven at the back of the restaurant that really caught our attention.
Even more stripped-back than the interiors, the menu is simply split into drinks and pizza. No sides. No sauce. No fuss. There’s Frizzante and a couple of beers from Camden Town Brewery on tap, but it was a Homepour natural wine (£28 for 1 litre) for us. As for the main event, think dough made daily in-house and creamy mozzarella delivered fresh from Italy.
Bubbly on draught? Wine not.
Not usually ones for a veggie choice, we were impressed with the signature Pumpkin number. Opting for half and half, 50% of our pizza (£20 for 20 inches) was teamed with broccoli, pecorino and crispy onions on a pumpkin sauce base, bursting full of flavour. Piqued by the meaty options, we settled for a Love Child for the other half. A month-long special, this chermoula base was loaded with roquito peppers, tallegio, dollops of sour cream and beef shin ragu. A little lacking on the spice and ragu front (and beef in general), this paled in comparison to the veggie half.
The DesignMyNight Digest
Having a no-frills night out? Make Homeslice your first port of call. While I normally need a side or starter and some sauce to smother all over my crusts, the classic slices here are packed full of so much flavour that you won’t miss the extras. Plus a W1 location means that the bars of Soho and desserts of Chinatown are only minutes away. There’s a reason that this place forms queues every night. So what are you waiting for? Get in line and get ready to trust in the crust.
Love Child is available until 14th March. Grab a slice of the action at Homeslice Marylebone, 50 James Street, London, W1U 1HB.
