For the last two years, this pizza spot in London has taken the internet by storm, landing titles as ‘the best pizza in London.’ After years of waiting, I was finally able to indulge
Pizza enthusiasts and food aficionados likely know about this London gem that has been nestled in a Hammersmith pub kitchen since its opening in 2020. Situated in The Chancellor’s pub, Crisp Pizza W6 has emerged as a favourite destination for many Italian food lovers, establishing itself as a must-visit fixture in the city’s vibrant pizza culture.
I have tried to get my hands on one of these renowned pizzas for more than two years now. Still, I’ve never been able to secure a pizza for pre-order, which goes live via StoreKit every Monday at 11 am.
Alternatively, for those who miss out on securing their pizza order for the week, Crisp will share their walk-in availability every day on their Instagram story, allocating a certain number of bases to specific hours throughout the day. I’ve tried to secure a walk-in pizza on many occasions, but after many failed attempts throughout the years, I began to lose all hope.
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Nevertheless, as the London Marathon took over London, I rallied my friends, telling them that this might finally be our chance. I knew that everyone would be so busy watching the London Marathon that we might finally secure one of the limited walk in pizzas.
The pub opened at noon, but we weren’t going to take a risk, so at 10:15, we made our way over, walking along the River Thames upstream from Putney Bridge. We arrived at The Chancellors by 10:50 am, and to our surprise, we weren’t the only group of people with this ingenious idea. Every single outdoor table was taken, except for one.
We ran over and secured the picnic-style table, then waited patiently until midday for them to open. By 11:30, a 30-person line had formed at the door, with families and couples vying for one of the 50 walk-in pizzas available.
Finally, at noon on the dot, a chirpy man appeared at our table, asking if we had ever been here before. We explained that we had tried, but he really wasn’t interested in our sob story. He ran us through the pizzas and we ordered four among the four of us.
We ordered two of their ‘Tie-Dye’ pizzas (one with a thin base and one with a thicker base), as well as a ‘Pepperoni Pie’ and an ‘Nduja Pie’. While I cannot comment on the meat pizzas as I am a vegetarian, I can confirm that the ‘Tie Dye Pie’ was the best pizza I’ve had.
The spicy tequila sauce is a flawless blend of marinara and arrabiata, neither too sweet nor too spicy, but perfectly balanced. At the same time, the pesto drizzle offered a contrasting flavour to the tomato base.
For the cheese, it was cheesy, providing an aesthetically pleasing cheese pull without being too overwhelming. However, it’s the base that people crave, and just as the name implies, they are crisp.
After demolishing an entire pizza, the waiter came back to clear our table, politely suggesting that we move our food coma elsewhere to free up the table. On our walk back home, we felt like we had achieved the impossible.
Now, would I go back? Yes. Would I exert energy and stress to secure the pizza? No. While it was undoubtedly a phenomenal pizza, earning its title as ‘the best pizza in London’ from me too now, the hoops I had to jump through to secure the crisp, tomato-y goodness was a bit of a deterrent.
However, the barriers that previously prevented me from getting my hands on a Crisp pizza explain why it’s so good. So, if you’re one for a gamble, go to Crisp, you might just be one of the lucky ones to secure the most exclusive pizza in town.