An all-day café come pizza bar, Ria’s has just knotched up the dial on the – already thriving – Notting Hill food scene one step further. Kicking off with coffee and home-baked cookies in the morning, moving to focaccia sandwiches at lunch, and transforming into a natural wine and pizza bar come evening, Ria’s has something to offer anyone at any time of day. There’s a duality in the use of the space that guarantees everyone will experience their ideal moment here. But Ria’s real USP is their deep pan-style Detroit pizza pies made with wildfarmed flour. These can be bought whole (apart from the garlic wild mushroom option) or by the slice. Ideal option for the picky eater: though I’m a fan of pizza, I often get bored after a couple of slices. With a more DIY option on offer here, you can mix and match, and order as you go here, pacing a meal to your own speed.
Scottish-born Ria Morgan is behind Ria’s, heading up an all-female team including head of food Mahsa Glazacheva (ex-Dispatch and Allegra). Indeed, on our Sunday evening visit, the diners were mostly groups of girls. It’s a charming setting for a relaxed bite. Quiet chatter fills the small, baby blue interior, as friends lean back on the cushioned oak benches and fill the room with gentle chatter against a soundtrack of soft jazz. A dinner here can’t help but feel intimate – especially alongside a glass of their natural wine. It’s in the nature of the 24-cover room, the dim lighting that’ll make you feel like you’re in the ‘rom’ part of a romcom – also helped by the Notting Hill location, of course, the counter seats that line the restaurant, and the empty wine bottles lining the high shelves.
To start, we went for Fried potatoes with garlic infused whipped feta (or stracciatella for the vegan take). These were crispy bites of joy – a preview of the pizza crusts. Like chips, but with a bigger surface area lending for more crispiness and showcasing summer baby potatoes in fully glory.
Pizza-wise, I went for Grandma’s vegan pizza pie (£4.90), topped with slow cooked marinara sauce, slow roasted tomatoes, vegan nduja, fried basil, vegan Parmesan and stracciatella, and the unexpected twist – agave syrup. The syrup which sung through brilliantly and offset the spicy nduja beautifully. The sweet twist also didn’t detract from the crust maintenance whatsoever.
My companion went for the house special House Pie (£5.50) featuring slow cooked special house marinara sauce, cheese mix, ricotta drizzle, and a basil & lemon sauce. The garlic of the marinara shone whilst the basil oil lent a welcome creamy pesto-y finish.
Both pizzas exceed expectations. Exceptionally light and fluffy and heart-stoppingly crisp with burnt cheese edges thanks to the deep pan finish. The house marinara is perfectly balanced, tart and salty. Indeed, the dough is fermented for up to 72 hours to ensure it can handle the weight of its toppings. The end result is a crisp, chewy masterpiece.
A casual cafe pizza bar set up, this is arguably one of the most sensory-pleasing pizza spots in the city. I’m definitely going to be returning for my morning coffee – perhaps nabbing myself a spot on the relaxed couches up front, an ideal people-watching spot for this intimate 24-seater. After all, this is food and drink designed to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace.
Ria’s, 29 All Saints Road, London, W11 1HE
Website: https://www.rias.world/
Rating: *****
Yumtini 