I could pretend that my visit to Pizza Union at Hoxton was in celebration of National Pizza Day but it was completely by chance. Originally heading to eat at Harlem Shake, I noticed all the lights were off and checking on Twitter it was confirmed that it had in fact closed down for good – a good several months ago!. Harlem Shake was located at the old site of Boondocks and at 8pm on a Monday night it’s tempting to call it a night and start scrolling through the Deliveroo menu on your way home. That would’ve been the case if I hadn’t spotted Pizza Union just down the road. Mmmmmm warm pizza on a cold February night.
Location
With locations in Dalston, Aldgate, Kings Cross, Hoxton and Spitalfields this trendy pizza joint (which the London Evening Standard included in its list of best pizza places in London 2020) seemed like a good place to chill out. Old Street is the closest station to the Hoxton branch being only a 10mins walk away.
Atmosphere
Pizza Union is part of the new breed of fast and trendy pizza joints which at the same time keep true to the traditional Italian way of cooking. As I approached the restaurant I saw the place was full on a Monday night – always a good sign! We chose the table next to the window near the front as it looked like there wasn’t much seating. Sitting down however we could see there was a bigger seating area at the back. The famous Pizza Union mosaic wood fired oven was in full use tonight. Pizzas always taste better when they come from a wood fired oven, am I right?
Pizza Union has a very industrial look with exposed ceilings and brickwork walls but plenty of neon lights dotted around. As a warning, whilst we did find a 4 person table, half of the seating is communal where you’ll share seating across a long table.
Food
This place does not serve halal meat however for a quick bite this place is ideal. Pizza Union prides itself on a speedy service. The menu is simple, no ingredients you hadn’t heard before and all freshly baked in a giant wood fired oven. We ordered a margherita and veganno, both coming out in 5-7 mins.
I always prefer when my pizza has some colour to it, give me some authentic traditional burnt edges instead of commercially produced perfect pizzas any day. The pizzas were light and you could tell Pizza Union are interested in perfecting not only their tomato sauce but the whole dough making process.
Served in 12 or 20 inches, all pizzas are stretched by hand and are the perfect size to share. The margherita is always the ultimate test for pizza makers. Perfect that and there’s a good chance everything else you’re doing is also right. Pizza Union definitely succeeded here – thin, crispy, ripe tomatoes and oozing mozzarella.
Whilst the pizza was filling, I decided not to completely eat mine and pack away the last few slices – to make room for some dessert. You have the option of gelato (which is pre packaged) but I chose to try the dolce, a donut with Nutella and mascarpone always sounds too tempting to ignore.
The donut itself was crunchy on the outside but not all the way through and as hoped the Nutella and mascarpone came bursting out when sliced open. You might be surprised at just how hard the outside shell is but this will prevent any of that soft goodness leaking out whilst being baked. The dolce is definitely the perfect way to end your meal.
Value
This place is great for a casual sit in after a long day at work. Prices aren’t steep for what they’re offering.
Service
Friendly, happy staff throughout my time there. Plenty of customers taking photos with staff happily posing in the middle of them! This place is very popular with office workers during the day predominately due to their quick service.
Overall
The vibe I got was one of a laid-back Californian style joint. With the layout and design of the restuarant you get the feeling you’re in a giant buzzing canteen. So whether you want to enjoy a quiet pizza yourself, take Dave from work or catch up with Fatima who only eats at Pizza Express, this is a place for all to enjoy.
7/10
- Website: https://www.pizzaunion.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pizzaunion/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PizzaUnion/
Note: If I have mentioned that a restaurant is Halal it is due to them displaying a Halal sign or asking the management on the status. However, please confirm yourself as well to avoid any doubts.
