Looking for a slice (or a few) of authentic Neapolitan pizza in a traditional Italian trattoria, my choice for this week’s Eat Out To Help Out dinner was Don Luigi. Originally a pop-up serving Italian street food in Pop Brixton, Don Luigi found a permanent home in Streatham Hill in what was previously the site of Addomme – another (slightly disappointing) pizzeria (on which, see my review here). Run my two Italians who live in the area, Don Luigi’s produce is sourced from Italy and true to its owners’ heritage, the dishes taste like a genuine bite of the Continent.
Although they also serve pasta and a range of Italian cheeses, for me this restaurant is a pizzeria at its heart. My companion and I shared two classics: Bufala and a Marinara with added aubergine (parmigiana-style). The tomato sauce of each was a taste of the Mediterranean: this place clearly uses the best of summery tomatoes in season and pomodoro from Italy.
Describing their pizzas as the lightest in London, I can confirm that their descriptor is totally accurate. Although I’m not one to normally chew my way through pizza crusts, I couldn’t resist dipping the charcoal-fired sourdough edges into the garlic oil provided by the waitress. Given how airy they are, the crusts didn’t feel heavy at all.
The service was also full of Italian hospitality and welcome: the two waitresses were eager to please, happy to recommend dishes and continuously checked whether our orders were to our taste. All in all, a tratorria which I’d happily return to again and again.
Don Luigi, 17, 21 Sternhold Ave, Streatham, London SW2 4PA
Website: https://don-luigi.co.uk
Rating: *****
Yumtini 