Brooklyn Bite, Chelsea

In all of my travels, sadly I have never been fortunate enough to visit New York (unless you count a six hour layover in JFK airport. I don’t). However thanks to the smug generosity of a lucky friend who seems to hop over there as often as I pop to my local Tesco, I do own more than my fair share of ‘I heart NYC’ t-shirts. On her return, I am always reduced to a drooling mess, as she regales me with stories of the amazing food that seems to find her wherever she goes; namely pizza. As I understand from her emphatic hand gestures and exasperated recounts of the ‘best meal of my life’ I am assured that pizzerias are everywhere in New York. Whether from a vendor on the street corner, a well know chain or a one-off family joint hidden away from tourist’s prying eyes, you can pretty much get pizza 24/7. Now I know why it’s called the city that never sleeps; half the night-shift workers are kneading dough and making up batches of tomato sauce.

Yet still that characteristically large, thin, foldable base of a classic NYC pizza has eluded me. Until now that is, thanks to Brooklyn Bite. Sitting pretty on the popular King’s Road, this is the real deal for pizzerias and in my opinion, home to the real deal Bronx base. With a casual, laidback vibe, sofas lining the restaurant, stools, tin cans on the table holding cutlery (trust me, you won’t be using any!) and effortlessly cool graffiti splashed across the walls, this is as close to NYC as I’m getting any time soon.

The brainchild of bonafide New Yorker Ilias Nathanial, a renowned restaurateur across the pond, he has brought the concept to London after failing to find anywhere that he believed offered ‘both the quality and authenticity’ of a real New York pizza. Chelsea glitterati will no doubt flock to the effortlessly cool, handy sub-diner basement. Bare brick walls, chill-out sofas, a large screen TV and a well-stocked bar serving delicious cocktails means oh-so-much-fun to be had by all.

The menu offers pizzas, with pretty much any topping combination you can imagine, but also baked calzone, chunky salads and the classic sub. Now we’re not talking date food here; when the 18-inch flying saucer of carbs is placed in front of you, there is no polite way to eat the beast other than to get stuck in.

My advice? Grab your mates; get your stretchy pants out and get on down to the nicest slice of pie in the city.

Brooklyn Bite
342 King’s Road
Chelsea
SW3 5UR

Tel: 020 7352 5057