Top 50 European pizza chef's restaurant is coming to Peckham this January

(Image credit: Connie's Pizza)

A famed pizza chef will open a new pizzeria in Peckham this month. And it could end up being the best slice south of the river.

Connie's Pizza is set to open January 26th, and it’s one to watch as its head chef is Andrea Ascuiti, whose 081 Pizzeria made it into the Top 50 Pizza Europa list in 2024.

Connie’s is named after the chef’s wife, and the concept is to blend traditional Italian Neapolitan pizza techniques with British ingredients.

“London-style pizza, made by Italians,” is the pitch. And, yes, the term “Bri-talian” has been splashed across Connie’s Pizza’s social media posts and website too.

Connie’s Pizza will offer six signature pizzas, including a Vodka Sauce one. This, of course, has a vodka tomato sauce base with aged mozzarella, fior de latte, fresh basil, Grana Padano and a drizzle of olive oil.

We’re yet to see the full menu, but other toppings will include aubergine, chicken, pork, mushrooms and — a little more eye-opening — leeks. And the mozzarella will be made in the UK, with the nduja sausage sourced locally too.

Sides will include mozzarella sticks, meatballs and Mac ’n’ cheese, while there’s just one dessert option at launch, ricotta-filled brioche with whipped cream.

In Neapolitan style, Connie’s Pizza will use high hydration dough fermented for 36-48 hours, to produce a light and crispy base.

“Connie’s exists because too many pizzas are being cooked without care, without understanding fermentation, baking, or balance. Crispy is not a shortcut – it’s a responsibility,” says Ascuiti.

The restaurant will live in the arches under Queen’s Road Peckham station, on the site previously inhabited by Smokey Kudu, which now has a restaurant in Marylebone.

It has room for 53 diners, and is already taking bookings. Don’t want to wait until January 26th? Ascuiti’s Pizzeria 081 has locations in Peckham and Shoreditch, both open daily.

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Andrew Williams has written about all sorts of stuff for more than a decade — from tech and fitness to entertainment and fashion. He has written for a stack of magazines and websites including Wired, TrustedReviews, TechRadar and Stuff, enjoys going to gigs and painting in his spare time. He's also suspiciously good at poker.

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