Updated
Updated · CNN · May 21
London Pizza Shops Expand as Breadstall Sells 10,000 Slices a Week
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 21

London Pizza Shops Expand as Breadstall Sells 10,000 Slices a Week

2 articles · Updated · CNN · May 21
  • Breadstall is selling about 10,000 slices a week at peak times and plans three more London openings this year, underscoring a broader boom in the city’s pizza scene.
  • That growth is being driven by a loosely defined “London pizza” style that mixes influences from Neapolitan, New York, New Haven and Roman traditions while giving chefs freedom to experiment.
  • Expansion is spreading across the market: Carmela’s is opening a second site in Covent Garden, Crisp has moved into Mayfair, and investors including Honest Burgers founders have backed Breadstall.
  • The surge contrasts with older chains such as Franco Manca, which reported a £3.2 million loss in 2024 and said it would close 16 unsustainable venues.
  • From pub-based slice operations to Michelin-noticed chefs like Michele Pascarella, operators say London is evolving from a pizza outpost into a contender among the world’s top pizza cities.
Can London's booming artisanal pizzerias permanently unseat the city's struggling, established pizza chains?
Beyond a 'no rules' approach, what truly defines the London pizza as a distinct, new global style?