‘We’ve been looking to open in Manchester for ages’
Pizza Pilgrims is opening its first Manchester venue this summer(Image: Pizza Pilgrims)
A popular pizzeria which started life as a drunken conversation in a pub almost 15 years ago is to open its first ever venue in Manchester later this summer.
Pizza Pilgrims, which was founded by brothers James and Thom Ellio, will be opening in Deansgate in August, serving up pizza and cocktails that they have become known across the country for.
The concept behind the street food venture began as part of a five-pints-deep conversation held in a London pub in 2011 where they contemplated quitting their jobs in advertising and in the TV industry to open their own pizzeria.
Having taken their own pilgrimage to Italy to learn about pizza-making from those at the top of the game, they launched their own pizza van business before their first restaurant opened its doors in Soho in 2013.
They now have around 25 locations across the country, including in Leeds and Edinburgh, and have become popular for their Neapolitan-inspired creations which focus on top-quality ingredients and feature a light, chewy and charred crust.
Pizza Pilgrims’ creations focus on top-quality ingredients and feature a light, chewy and charred crust(Image: Pizza Pilgrims)
Its pizzas are made from 00’ flour from the Caputo mill, as well as DOP San Marzano tomatoes, and Campanian Fior di Latte mozzarella, which is all sourced directly from Italy.
The Deansgate venue, which will open on August 18, will transport customers to Naples via an over-the-top and fun interior featuring pizza-stealing seagulls, clothing lines, a street scene mural created by a local artist and even a ‘Fiat Panda Pop’ bar.
Alongside its pizzas, like the Marinara Extra, the Smoky Aubergine Parmigana, and the Double Pepperoni and Hot Honey, the pizzeria’s menu also includes Sicilian Nocellara olives, pickled cucumbers and crispy spaghetti balls. For afters, there’s the likes of the Nutella pizza ring, gelato, and a Ferrero Rocher espresso martini to choose from.
The pizzeria will open its doors officially on August 18(Image: Pizza Pilgrims)
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The restaurant will also serve up a wide drinks and cocktail menu, featuring Aperol Spritz and Negronis, as well as ice cold shots, wine, cider and beer, including Ichnusa Sardinian lager, alongside house-made iced teas and sodas.
The Deansgate venue will feature 140 covers across a ground-floor and mezzanine dining space, and will also include a top-floor masterclass kitchen and chef’s table which will let customers learn from the pros when it comes to dough-stretching.
“We’ve been looking to open a Pizza Pilgrims in Manchester for ages,” founders James and Thom said. “This city is really special to us as we were both born in Manchester and raised in the local area, so it feels like we’re coming back to our roots.
Pizza Pilgrims was founded by brothers James and Thom Ellio(Image: Pizza Pilgrims)
“We’ve waited a long time for the right opportunity to present itself, as it’s such a cool, exciting, and individual place with such a unique energy. It’s not a place that you can just swagger into! We can’t wait to join the city’s amazing food community!”
To coincide with the Deansgate opening of Pizza Pilgrims, a soft launch week-long soft launch will take place from August 11 to 17 featuring 50% off food and drinks and masterclasses on bookings. On August 13, 1000 free pizza slices will also be up for grabs.
Pizza Pilgrims will officially open on August 18. 105-107 Deansgate, M3 2BQ.