This week sees National Pizza Day on Wednesday 9th February, but if you’re doing it properly – every single day should be National Pizza Day.
We’re literally spoilt for choice here in Manchester when it comes to pizza – with a dazzling array of different styles and some truly world-class pizzerias flinging them out. To make things easier when deciding what pizza to have – we’ve split it up into styles for you…
New York Style
Nell’s
Located in The Beagle down in Chorlton, Common on Edge Street and with their very own swanky restaurant at KAMPUS, Nell’s have absolutely smashed it over the last couple of years – and rightly so. There’s a massive selection of pizzas on offer, from the classic Cheese to a personal favourite of mine – the Cheese & Onion Pie with roast garlic cream, mozzarella, Lancashire cheese, burnt onion and Parmesan. Mega.
Nell’s New York Pizza & Bar, 20 Minshull St, Kampus, Manchester M1 3EF
nellspizza.co.uk
Crazy Pedro’s
One of the city’s greatest New York pizza experiences, Pedro’s pizzas are a whole new level of good – all helped by the mad array of toppings that you’re likely to find perched on top of ’em. If you’re someone that’s not impressed with Pedro’s coveted BIG MAC PIZZA then stop reading this now and don’t ever read this site again.
Crazy Pedro’s, 55-57 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BQ
Also Short St, Manchester M1 1JG
crazypedros.co.uk
BAKEHOUSE32
A relatively new addition to the streets of Stretford, BAKEHOUSE32 serve up delicious New York style pizza, loaded bagels, and they’re even getting involved in the Detroit-style action now too. A great addition to Stretford, these pizzas are thin, crispy and loaded with toppings; all you need is someone shouting “I’m walkin here!” and you’ll be right in Manhattan.
Bakehouse 32, 1116 Chester Rd, Stretford, Manchester M32 0HA
www.bakehouse32.co.uk
Voodoo Rays at Escape to Freight Island
Escape to Freight Island’s very own pizzeria, Voodoo Rays have an impressive range of New York style pies with some great toppings. There’s the Porky’s which comes topped with Cumberland sausage, Stilton and red onions, or the fiery Hot Mix 5 with pepperoni, jalapeno and red peppers. Enjoy alongside a selection of Mac & Cheese sides, ice cream, beers and cocktails.
Voodoo Rays, Escape to Freight Island, 11 Baring St, Manchester M1 2PZ
www.escapetofreightisland.com
Pickle Rick’s Pizza
A Rick & Morty themed pizza joint in Stockport? What? Well, yes it exists and yes – it’s brilliant. From the team behind the wildly successful Bun and Bones Club, you’ll find a host of impressive pizza concoctions including their 14-inch ‘Evil Mortydella Pizza‘ with mortadella, sweet drop peppers and parmesan, and their ‘Mr Meatseeks Pizza‘ which comes topped with Napoli salami and Calabrese sausage.
Pickle Rick’s Pizza, 162 London Rd, Hazel Grove, Stockport SK7 4DJ
Neapolitan Style
Rudy’s
Everyone knows about Rudy’s, they’re pretty much world-famous. Recent months have seen them introduce us to some new limited edition specials, and they’ve even managed to open up a new location down in Sale. All this while delivering to the masses and sending out their Bake-at-home pies, and still producing what many people believe to be one of the best pizzas in the entire world.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Considered by many to be “The Best Pizza in the World” – L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele arrived on King Street at the tail end of 2021 and has certainly impressed with their doughy Neapolitan beauties. The one in Naples has queues outside it pretty much all of the time, so don’t worry about that – not when you’ve got the same high-end Italian pies right on your doorstep.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, 53 King St, Manchester M2 4LQ
anticapizzeriadamichele.co.uk
I Knead Pizza
A Reddish staple for a few years now, I Knead Pizza have recently moved into their own shipping container in Hatch in the city centre – opening themselves up for a whole new wave of adoring pizza fans. Using their swanky new eco-friendly pizza oven, they’ve been bashing out the pies since the new year and, frankly, we can’t get enough of ’em – I’ve eaten about 6 already and I’m supposed to be on a diet.
Homeboys Pizza
This lot have taken over and absolutely dumbfounded the people of Eccles and its surrounding areas with their absolutely brilliant Neapolitan pies and eccentric toppings. They’re currently only available for collection or delivery but will very soon be opening up a new space upstairs, complete with chairs and a bar so you can sit in. Even better.
Homeboys Pizza, 171 Monton Rd, Eccles, Manchester M30 9GS
Tre Ciccio
Located in both Altrincham and Ramsbottom, Tre Ciccio is an Italian restaurant with a difference. They don’t concentrate on pasta, no, it’s all about their outstanding wood-fired pizzas and Pollo Arristi e Patate – or roast chicken and potatoes to us non-Italian speakers. The pizzas are super traditional, cooked in seconds in their huge pizza ovens and topped with a variety of fresh ingredients. No visit is complete without one.
Honest Crust
A staple of Altrincham Market and Mackie Mayor, Honest Crust are always a safe and delicious bet when deciding what to eat in these places. You’re never going to be disappointed with chewy, fluffy dough topped with signature tomato sauce and mozzarella are you? Simple and delicious – how all good Neapolitan pizzas should be.
ciaooopizzamcr/Instagram
Ciaooo
If you’ve never been to Ciaooo – you really need to sort yourself out. Even if you just go for their really rather inventive and impressive weekly specials, that’s enough for you to have a truly outstanding pizza experience in the city. And that’s not counting their selection of vegan and gluten free options either. They’re open for collection and delivery every Wednesday to Sunday.
Ciaooo, 62-64 Swan St, Manchester M4 5JU
www.ciaooopizzeria.co.uk
proovepizza/Instagram
Proove
We sometimes get a lot of flak for not including places outside of the city centre and most of the time it’s actually not that justified. Most places that deliver pizza in the suburbs are just kebab shops, offering up dense discs of dough that are topped with half a bag of flavourless cheese and half a donner kebab. Great for 3am but rubbish for your tea. West Didsbury’s Proove though are beautiful Neapolitan creations that give all the city centre pizzas a run for their money.
Proove Pizza, 160 Burton Rd, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 1LH
www.proove.co.uk
Noi Quattro
A picture paints a thousand words. That’s what some bloke said all the way back in the 1800s when he invented the camera and wanted to sell it to people. Well, he didn’t see that picture above because the only words it seems to be painting to me are “Fuck, I want that.” And that’s only 4 words. Idiot. Noi Quattro, rather new to the NQ, have been smashing out the pizzas this lockdown and they’re excellent. They also do a DIY kit too.
Noi Quattro, 120 High St, Manchester M4 1HQ
www.noiquattro.co.uk
Double Zero
A Chorlton classic and somewhere that is always busy – mainly due to the winning combination of fit Neapolitan pies and BYOB – a recipe for excellence. They pride themselves on an extensive menu of pizzas, plus some really rather excellent Italian starters and sides – including a cracking Antipasti Platter that is the perfect pre-cursor to the main, pizza-orientated event.
Double Zero Neapolitan Pizza, 368 Barlow Moor Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 8AZ
www.pizzeriadoublezero.com
Cugini Pizza
Three cousins in Bolton got together to create Cugini Pizza, taking over their auntie’s back yard and firing pizzas out to locals every single weekend. Inspired by their ‘Nonno’ who came over from Italy in the 60s, the lads have been creating some truly spectacular pizzas from the garden, and have more recently expanded and now operate out of Edgworth Cricket Club on the weekends.
Purezza
100% plant based Neapolitan pizzas right in the heart of the Northern Quarter. Purezza took over the old Dough unit a while back and have been impressing vegans and meat-eaters ever since. Vegan cheese can sometimes be a struggle to get past – but the quality of their dough, and toppings mean that these plant-based offerings are some of the very best in the city.
Leopard Pie
Currently only available for takeaway, Leopard Pie have plans to open a new 50-seater restaurant in their Worsley home – fantastic news for their throng of supporters in the suburb. These Neapolitan pies are exceptional, and very, very popular – so you’ll be best pre-ordering them in if you fancy one, they tend to sell out pretty quickly indeed. Go for their Nduja Pie and get a ‘Crust Enhancer’ homemade dip too.
Detroit Style
Ramona
Newest of the newest when it comes to pizza joints in the city, Ramona is that weird looking white building opposite Mackie Mayor on Swan Street. They’re offering up the flavour of the month – Detroit style pizza – which is thick, crispy and totally loaded with all manner of delicious toppings – including around half a block of cheese per pie. They’re absolutely fantastic and you NEED to get one. NOW.
Ramona, 40 Swan St, Manchester M4 5JG
www.takemetoramona.com
Four Side
Now in the kitchens over at Electrik in Chorlton, Four Side are serving up massive Detroit-style pies – which are also totally VEGAN. They use their unique focaccia-like dough, top it with fresh tomato sauce and then vegan cheese, plus an impressive array of toppings; from miso-buttered spinach and tofu to house-made vegan ‘Nduja’.
Electrik Bar, 559 Wilbraham Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 0AE
www.electrikbar.co.uk
Corner Slice
Available for delivery, takeout and collection, Corner Slice in Failsworth are well known throughout the land for their unique ‘Detroit-style’ pizzas. These beauties are fantastic and the best news? They’re set to open up a new dark kitchen VERY soon in the city centre – meaning you don’t need to live in some random OL postcode to get one delivered.
Follow Corner Slice
Roma Style
Lucky Mama’s
One of the best things about this place is that they serve their food from the back of a truck in their back garden in Eccles. But the real best thing is the pizzas that they serve up – delicious slabs of dough, sublime fresh tomato sauce and loads of cheese – plus, an impressive range of traditional toppings of your choice. Special MCR Finest tip; go for the DIAVOLA with spicy Nduja sausage, pepperoni and hot chili peppers.
Vero Moderno
Available on Deliveroo and Click & Collect, Vero has established itself as one of the best Italian restaurants in the (two) cities – and their pizzas are refreshingly authentic and delicious. There’s a ton of options here, but the winner must surely be the Pizza Vero Moderno (£14) which comes topped with a WHOLE buffalo mozzarella wrapped in Parma ham!
Vero Moderno, Unit 4 Vimto Gardens, Chapel St, Salford M3 5JF
www.veromoderno.co.uk
Slice
After years blazing the trail of pizza goodness on Stevenson Square, Slice was, unfortunately, forced to move out, but – they’re BACK and their traditional Roma-style slices are just as good as they’ve always been. Served in the proper way – in squares – these thin crust beauties are truly exceptional pizzas, baked fresh every single day at their new location just at the entrance of Oxford Road Train Station.
Cibo
Recently opened in a swanky new location on the ground floor of the Great Northern Warehouse, Cibo has become one of the city’s most impressive Italians, and their pizzas are truly excellent. There’s a huge, long list of them on offer and if you’ve got your head screwed on you’d order their biggest Margarita, a huge bowl of Spaghetti Carbonara and some wine and have the best meal since lockdown.
Cibo, Unit 4, Great Northern Warehouse, Manchester M3 4EN
cibo.uk.com
Other styles…
Dokes Pizzeria
Dokes deserves to go into the ‘Other’ category here because there truly is NO pizza like it in the city. From Michael Clay, Head Chef and owner of Ancoats’ Elnecot comes Dokes – which is essentially an ‘ANGLO SAXON PIZZA’ – using the very best in local, British produce. So you’ll find Welsh Chorizo, British Burrata, Saddleworth Hot Honey Butter and loads more of the highest quality British produce on each one. They’re spectacular as a result.
American Pies
Chicago style excellence from the team behind the wildly successful Brewski – what could go wrong!? Nothing – because these pizzas are the BEST – made to the rather upside-down way of The Windy City. The deep pan is first filled dough, then loads of cheese, and finally – tomato sauce is added on top. These beauties are really big too – so I implore you to share.
American Pies, Unit 1, 58 W Mosley St, Manchester M2 3HZ
americanpies.co.uk
Tariff & Dale
Offering up a range of excellent Sourdough pizzas every day – Tariff & Dale is a no brainer for pizza excellence, and it all gets even better on a Friday. You see they offer up a ‘Pizza Giro’ offer where you can can 2 hours of all-you-can-eat pizza for £15! They have a regularly changing menu of toppings and flavours that are all lip-smackingly good. Trust me.
Tariff & Dale, 2 Tariff St, Manchester M1 2FN
