Pizza Pilgrims, Cardiff city centre review

Whilst I’m most definitely not the biggest fan of chains, things are undoubtedly more nuanced than the simplified view point that independent restaurants are good and chain restaurants are bad.

So, despite Pizza Pilgrims now having 26 restaurants across the UK, including a Cardiff city centre branch which opened just over 12 months ago, and having recently sold a majority stake to German Italian restaurant group L’Osteria, it’s worth remembering that they started out as an indie that helped popularise Neapolitan style pizza in the UK.

And unlike so many chains, it’s hard to deny that they’ve maintained their focus on quality ingredients. Caputo flour, Latteria Sorentina fior di latte and Solania San Marzano tomatoes are all name-checked on their menus. Pizza Pilgrims were also recently named the 6th best artisanal pizza chain in the world behind well-respected names like Da Michele and Big Mamma Group.

On a Saturday night in January, it was pretty much a full house in Pizza Pilgrim’s eclectically decorated dining room. Despite the bustle, the jovial front of house team provided swift service.

Pizza Pilgrim’s menu offers fifteen different varieties of Neapolitan pizza as well as eight different sides and salads. A kids meal option was very well received by a junior member of the group with its offer of a half-sized pizza, drink, scoop of ice cream and activities for a cut price £8.

On the booze front, there’s a compact wine selection of just two whites, reds, and fizzes, and one rose. A bottle of Ilauri Bajo Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (£32) was a delicious accompaniment to the pizza with its balance of red fruit, light oak and a bit of bright acidity.

Out of the two snacks we ordered, cacio pepe balls (£8) were the clear standout. I mean, what’s not to love about a turbo-charged mac and cheese ball? Stubby spaghetti coated in a runny cheese and pepper packed sauce were encapsulated in a deep-fried crumb.

Tender panko crumbed artichokes were good but a lot less exciting in comparison. However, an accompanying creamy garlic and herb dip was vampire deterring in its potency.

Onto the pizzas, and they all had well-mottled crusts with good aeration and a light chew.

The crusts were tasty on their own, but even better dipped in a trio of crust dippers (3 for £5) – a sweet and fiery hot honey, a fragrant basil aioli, and more of that honking garlic and herb.

The clear standout of the pizzas for me was the You’ve Got Maiale (£15.95), a classy yet filthy combination of potent ‘nduja, course ground Italian sausage, fatty pepperoni, thinly sliced red onion and a sweet yet tangy balsamic drizzle that delivered a similar effect to BBQ sauce.

An Aubergine Parmigiana (£13.95) was also very good with its combination of soft and meaty aubergine, smoked mozzarella and a good dusting of salty pecorino romano. But, I felt the topping was a bit sparse in places.

Finally, a simpler ‘nduja (£14.50) hit the spot, relying on the combination of fiery spreadable sausage with fruity San Marzano tomato sauce and creamy fior di latte.

For dessert they only had takeaway portions left of their enticing sounding Nutella tiramisu (£8). So, they kindly did us a two for one deal. I certainly wasn’t complaining as whilst it was served in a slightly unattractive carboard box, it was a mahoosive portion.

The delicious riff on the Italian classic combined light mascarpone cream and espresso-soaked sponge fingers with a thin layer of addictively sticky Nutella and a crisp biscuit crumb. Arguably it could have taken a bigger hit of bitter coffee to balance the sweetness, but it's a minor quibble.  

I really liked Pizza Pilgrims. It’s a fun and informal spot that serves good quality Neapolitan pizza. Despite its chain credentials, if you’re looking for a pizza in Cardiff city centre, then it’s well worth a visit.

The Details:

Address - Pizza Pilgrims, 1 - 4 High Street, Cardiff, CF10 1PX

Web - https://www.pizzapilgrims.co.uk/pizzerias/cardiff/
Telephone - 029 2002 8660

The Devonshire, Soho, London pub review

 

Is there a more hyped pub in the UK at the moment than the Devonshire?

Co-owned by landlord extraordinaire Oisin Rogers, Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll, and the former head chef of The Fat Duck, Ashley Palmer-Watts, it’s received rave reviews from national critics and food bloggers alike since opening in 2023. 

Pop stars galore like Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi have all played intimate gigs in their invitation only Green Room.

And judging by the perennial crowds of people drinking on the street, I can see why they’re widely touted as serving the best (and most) Guinness in London.  

If all these plaudits weren’t enough to get you frothing at the mouth, then just the other week they were handed the top spot in the well regarded Top 50 Gastropubs list. 

When I rocked up for my solo Friday lunch, I spotted Oisin Rogers checking in with the team at the front desk. Whilst he didn’t pull me a pint of Guinness, it was good to see one of top dogs putting in an appearance. 

With dining rooms spread across multiple floors, private rooms in an adjacent building and a roof terrace, The Devonshire must turn over a ton of covers a day. I was sat in a gorgeous claret coloured upstairs dining room with contemporary art bedecked walls. With its relaxed yet stylish vibe and friendly yet slick front of house team, it’s the kind of place where billionaire bankers and penny-pinching solo diners would feel equally at home. 

Whilst the Devonshire’s a la carte reads remarkably well with dishes like iberico pork ribs (£15), brawn toast (£12) and beef cheek suet pudding (£26), I couldn’t look past their no choice set menu, which offers three courses for £29. 

To drink, it could only have been a pint of Guinness (£7.20). Don’t get me wrong, it was very good but ultimately, it was still just a pint of Guinness and I didn't clock the higher nitrogen-to-carbon dioxide ratio they use that's supposed to make it a smoother pint. 

But now, the superlatives are going to start and won't let up.

A golden capped, salt dusted, soft and sweet crumbed warm white roll was carbohydrate royalty. I regretted having to say no to offer of a second as I had a busy day of eating ahead.

I’d expect a prawn cocktail on a bargain‑basement set menu to mean a mountain of lettuce and a token amount of crustacean. However, this was all thriller and no filler and in fact, there was only a scant sprinkling of crisp greenery. A partially shelled langoustine crowned the pile of small sweet-fleshed prawns coated in a tangy Marie Rose sauce. 

My skirt steak arrived quick smart from its brush with the Devonshire’s custom oak ember grill. 

Crimson fleshed with a wisp of smoke on its exterior and with a light chew and excellent beefiness, this was as good if not better than many more expensive cuts that I’ve eaten at lesser restaurants. 

Sides were bob on too. A thick and rich bearnaise had a compelling anise twang.

And duck fat chips were every bit as good as you’d expect from a chef who spent 20 years at the restaurant which invented the triple cooked chip. Compellingly ragged, golden and crisp with fluffy centres and a meaty twang, they were everything I want from a spud.

We’re long past the point of this blog post sounding a bit effusive, but a slab of sticky toffee pudding was an absolute bobby dazzler too.

Light, soft and squidgy with a lift of lemon zest, it was drenched in toasty toffee sauce. A dense scoop of vanilla ice cream was the ideal accompaniment... I’m sure the cream or custard that I was offered would have been too.

I had a brilliant lunch at the Devonshire and it fully deserves the hype. Their set menu is one of the best deals I’ve ever come across in the UK let alone London. It's just as well they're not based in Cardiff as you’d be rather bored of me reviewing the same three courses every week.

The Details:

Address - The Devonshire, 17 Denman Street, Soho, London W1D 7HW
Web - https://www.devonshiresoho.co.uk/