Review: Franco Manca – worth the fuss?

Pretty much, really.

It probably is the best pizza in London. Apologies go out to the good people of Pappagone’s, which can’t be beaten for old style simple Italiano fare nor for its walls plastered with pictures of Rocky or children with bowls of spaghetti atop their heads.

No, but Franco Manca is pretty fantastic. I went today to the original Brixton store in a sneaky long lunch. Sourdough pizza dough. Need I say more? Yes? Fine. I understand we’ve not yet established ourselves as the papal-esque authority on all things edible. Fair enough.

The bread was chewy and light – perhaps slightly too thin and soft in the centre, if you want to be picky. With a short menu, staff weren’t precious about changing up the toppings, all of which were tasting fresh, seasonal and top quality. The pizza bianca with courgettes, two kinds of cheese and ewe’s milk was pretty spesh – particularly the ewe’s milk which curdled in a satisfyingly cottage cheese way around the edges of the puffed up crusts.

And, a great hearty lunch for £6. Don’t really have the right to complain, do I?

Plus, despite its uber trendy locale in Granville Market in Brixton, the vibe is chilled out and unpretentious. You’d hope so, really, sitting as it does opposite a Jamaican grocer and up against a (oft times pungent) fishmonger.

And, I’ll give these places a veggie rating. I’ve decided, so:

Kindness to veggies: 8/10

The ability to change up the menu without looking like a pain or prat counts for much here. But they make a point of having two menu items and one of the specials vegetarian. I’m happy.