How did a pizza venture born during lockdown in East London achieve national recognition? Short Road Pizza has recently been awarded National Pizza of the Year at the National Pizza Awards 2025, surpassing some of the finest pizzaiolos in the United Kingdom. The London-based establishment also received the Alternative Slice Award, solidifying its reputation as one of the capital’s notable pizza brands.
I visited Short Road Pizza, located at the Three Colts Tavern in Bethnal Green, one of two pubs where the team operates alongside Exale Brewing in Leyton. The atmosphere is lively and far from fine dining, yet the emphasis is clearly on distinctive flavors.
Unique Flavors and Community Roots
The award-winning pie, the Short Road Marinara, offers a unique twist on a classic. It boasts a homemade tomato sauce, confit garlic purée, spicy chimichurri, fresh stracciatella, Cantabrian anchovies, and oregano. The result is a flavor profile that is bold, deeply savory, and rich in umami, elevating the traditional marinara into a singular experience.
Founded during the lockdown in 2020 by Ugo Galelli and Kate Prior, Short Road Pizza originally aimed to connect with their community. Ugo elaborated: “The idea was to give our neighbours a couple of pizzas to try, and then all the profits used to go to food banks… Short Road was born as a community project.” The inspiration for the pizzas stems from Ugo’s grandfather, who managed a Michelin-starred pizzeria in Liguria during the 1970s. Ugo remarked: “My grandad was obsessed with achieving a light and crispy product.”
Traditional Techniques in a Modern Context
Ugo continues to utilize his grandfather’s methods, including a 48-hour fermented dough cooked “low and slow.” He described the dough as distinct, stating, “not Romana, not New York style: more like a Romana Americana.”
When the announcement of the National Pizza of the Year came, the team was taken by surprise, considering they were competing against some of the most respected names in the UK pizza scene. Ugo expressed pride in his head chef, Riccardo, stating, “I was very proud of my chef Riccardo, who participated as our head chef, and he smashed it.”
Looking to the Future
The moment was significant for the small business, which has been operating from pubs for just a year. Ugo shared, “I felt a sense of unity with my team and a massive sense of gratitude towards my clients and the people that have been supporting us. This has done a lot to us and I feel very excited about the future.”
In terms of the pizza itself, the Marinara certainly lives up to its title, delivering bold flavors without being overly heavy or complicated. I also sampled the Cowabungai featuring ’nduja béchamel and smoked pepperoni, along with the Bianca Pie topped with soy marmite mushrooms and porcini dust, both of which showcased the same inventive spirit—indicating that the menu is built on creativity rather than a single standout item.
What do you consider the best pizza in London? Share your thoughts with fellow readers in our comments section.
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