Stroud Green Pizza - Premier League Table

Brodiej

<div>Its taken me a while, but i've finally completed my Pizza monopoly board game mission and can now reveal the <u>current</u> league standings in my opinion. All of these places are excellent, and we should feel very lucky to have such choice on our doorstep. </div><div><br></div><b>1. Fabrizio</b><div>Its all about the base, and the tang of the cheese and tomato, and for me this is the closest i've got to Naples pizza bar one place in Islington. Nice location, not too expensive, neighbourhood feel, friendly owners......and authentic ingredients! No-one else has done a pizza with nduja on it. <br><div><b>2. Papagone</b></div><div>Fantastic atmosphere, and super quick service always make this a safe bet for me. Pizza Max is my favourite. Slight moans in recent years come about whenever they change their pizzaiolo and its not quite like the last one. You get used to it, and love it.</div><div><b>3. Porchetta</b></div><div>After living here for 7 years, i finally made it there yesterday completing my challenge. What a wonderful space for a restaurant! A bit corporate for my liking, but super clean, a lovely conservatory thing, and quite posh! Pizza was good, but just lacking the tangy tomato and cheese mix that you get in some places which pops out at you. A really good menu, although perhaps a bit pricey</div><div><b>4. Piccolo Diavolo</b></div><div>This used to be my number one, but i only ever ate the same pizza, and was a bit disappointed when i tried others. If you're having Pizza Buffalina, you're in for a treat. Proper Mozzarella, parma ham, rocket, cherry tomatoes. Get the right table and you can see the guys chucking it 4 foot in the air. </div><div><b>5. La Saporita </b></div></div><div>Perhaps their 16" might be a bit too much for the ladies, but definitely the biggest pizza available on the strip. Its a nice space, pretty modern, but rustic where it needs to be, and the Pizzaiolo gets centre stage again. I think had a Quatro Stagioni when i went last, and i think it took me so long to eat it that by the time i'd finished it'd almost turned into a frisbee. </div><div><br></div><div>In terms of Champions League pizza i'd invite everyone to try Saponara on Prebend Street in Islington, but i'm happy with my Premier League. </div>

kreuzkav

It is amazing how many quality pizza joints there are in Stroud Green. Saying that,  I've only ever been to Porchetta and Papagone.  I tend to prefer Porchetta as they were better in the past.  I find their sauce a bit better than at Papogone, but only indulge a few times a year and haven't been to Papagone for a few years. Must try Fabrizio at some stage.  I love Piccolo Diavolo's atmosphere and asthetic but have only been there twice, for lunch and not dinner.

ChangN4N6

Few ladies on here would be disappointed by 16" . So I expect La Sop to be full on weds which is when I go!! Chang

kreuzkav

Chang, it's not always about size.  Flavour is more important.  And the performance of the staff can add that extra dimension if eating in.

vetski

Will try Fabrizio. You had me at nduja!

Brodiej

@Vetski. It might have been a special, but ask him and i bet he can do it.<div>@Chang. Thanks for taking my bait, it was too good a statistic not to dangle in your face :-)</div>

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

kreuzkav

Venezia has a different name now, I think.

vetski

@Brodiej, have you ever been to Little Sardegna on Blackstock Road? They do this AMAZING pumpkin ravioli with nduja sauce which is so good that one time I ate it twice in the same meal!

vetski

Yes, Venezia is now called Hana Maria.

munwin

Am off to Fabrizio's again later this week but what a dilemma.  I want to confirm to myself that their pizzas are as good as I think they are (and v happy that Brodiej and others agree)  but also want to try the rest of their menu and their specials.  Oh happy days to have such problems...

yagamuffin

Controversial! Pappagone above Porchetta and no mention of Hanna Maria or Firezza!

Brodiej

Hanna Maria's and Firezza's a takeaway right? Not on my radar as a result......will go given good stories, to complete my journey. Eating more pizza is not a problem.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

ChangN4N6

Yes Chang

djmattyoung

I'd put the pizza at La Porchetta above Pappagone. I do think Fabrizio is the best pizza I've had in the area by quite some way. 

Papa

Porchetta pizza beats Pappagone for me, I think the base is a bit hit and miss in Pappagone.<br><br>I am going to go eat at or from Fabrizio this weekend before I deliver my league table.<br>

Ali

Not so sure about  Porchetta now they have stopped doing the Gorganzolla and Pear pizza althought I am allowed to take my own pears if it iws a takeaway !

miss annie

Oh my sweet lord, I thought that pineapple on pizza was peculiar, pears on tomato and cheese is just bizarre. With the exception of tomatoes, (that noble and sociable fruit), I do not hold with fruit in savoury food. No raisins in curry, apples in salad and certainly no oranges on ducks! I love fruit but it has no business in my dinner.

vetski

Annie, how remarkably untraditional of you! *shocked face*

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Mirandola

Pineapple on pizza is a hanging offence. Pears might be ok.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

krappyrubsnif

Visited Fabrizio for supper. Charming and welcoming staff, clean, brisk and comfortable ambience if a little austere. Not sure about the mustard coloured paint and the decor is quite spare, which makes it feel a bit cold IMHO. In Italy of course they'd have the TV on. I'm no pizza expert but on the basis of our visit I couldn't join in the overwhelming Fabrizio pizza-worship expressed here. Nice enough, but we thought the base was a bit soggy and the topping was OK but not spectacularly good. I like the by-metre delivery though. Three and a half stars.

Brodiej

<P><B>1. Papagone</B></P> <DIV> <DIV><B> <DIV><B> <P><B>2. Fabrizio - <EM>Down a place. Recent visit was good, but i went off the standard menu rather than the special, and i came across "standard" cheese. Enjoyed the pizza, and the base, but felt it wasn't worthy of top of the table status. </EM></B></P></B></DIV>3.</B><B> Porchetta</B></DIV> <DIV> <DIV><B></B> </DIV> <DIV><B>4. <B>La Saporita - Up a place. 16" for £10 on a Saturday lunchtime made this an outstanding value offer. Pizza is good, not amazing, but for a nice quiet ambience and good value, its a solid choice.</B> <DIV></B><B>4 joint. Piccolo Diavolo - Haven't visited, so can't make them go to the bottom of the table</B></DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV></DIV>

Papa

1. La Porchetta - still the best pizza in Stroud Green. Good size, generally crispy base, generous but not overwhelming toppings. Consistently good, even with the odd blemished occasion.<br><br>2. Fabrizio - Very good. Crispy and nice thin base. On paper could beat La Porchetta, but the latter still edges it for me. Couldn't put my finger on why, potentially because Fabrizio didn't quite fill me up (disclaimer I am greedy).<br><br>3. Piccolo Diavolo* - A really great little neighbourhood Italian restaurant. Perfect for lunch, great atmosphere when I last ate here of an evening. Love the staff and owner. Could do with more choice of pizzas but what is there is good. The rest of the food is so nice I actually ordered something that wasn't a pizza last time I ate there. (This felt a little wrong).<br><br>4 Papagone - nothing really wrong with it. If it I lived anywhere else I'd rave about it. Think pizzas feel a little stodgy sometimes. Haven't eaten there in a while, should go back.<br><br>La Saporita - need to try it, but should I really eat a 16" pizza to myself?<br><br>* Piccolo Diavolo may do the best carbonara I have eaten in this country, in fact, some of the best I have eaten anywhere. Only one I can think of that was better was made by friend's Italian dad and that was in Italy and his signature dish.<br>

Brodiej

I should point out i shared my 16" pizza and that i'm not a fat biffer

skev303

Had a pizza from Firezza last night, was delicious, not too much cheese, nice salty tomato base with a smokey taste from the wood fired oven. The base was a bit chewy but I didn't mind as the pizza was perfectly cooked. Yum!