Working Lunch: Pizzabuzz, EC2

Melissa York on the best places to eat during office hours in the City and Canary Wharf .

 

WHAT? A build-your-own pizza restaurant, where you can pick everything from the bread to the sauce base. You add ingredients in steps as you move along the bar – think Subway, but with gourmet ingredients. Choose from 12 different types of cheese and quality meat and veg, from veal meatballs to roasted aubergine. Gluten-free options are available, and there’s even almond milk ice cream. 

 

WHO? It’s the brainchild of Barnaby Meredith, who normally establishes gastropubs in smart postcodes, like The Portman in Marylebone and The Only Running Footman in Mayfair.

 

WHERE? Located on the borders of Shoreditch at the bottom of the Alphabeta building, it’s clearly aimed at creative Silicon Roundabout types. The décor is minimalist – metal chairs and wooden crates – but striped all over in cheerful, primary colours. 

 

ORDER THIS… All the pizzas are baked in a wood-fired oven resulting in a surprisingly smokey, charcoal-flavoured crust. Skip the side salad and indulge in a creamy burrata on the side. Like everything on the menu, you can customise your generous helping of soft cheese with fancy toppings, like beetroot and mint or Parma ham and chilli.

 

BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? It’s best-suited to a casual catch-up with colleagues, than a serious business lunch. It’d make a great trip out on Friday lunchtime, though, and with a menu this flexible, even the gluten-free office vegan will find something they can eat.

 

NEED TO BOOK? It doesn’t take reservations at the moment, but groups of 12 or more can book for Christmas parties throughout December. 

 

THE VERDICT… This is about as fresh and healthy as pizza gets and a host of on-trend ingredients add a touch of class to the make-your-own formula.

 

ONE MORE THING… You can order from your table using FlyPay, a free Apple and Android app that uses your table number and card details to add to, pay or split your bill.