Pizza is the new burger. But kebabs are the new pizza. And tacos are the new kebab. Wait, no, pizza is cool again, right? Keeping up with what’s on trend is a foodie’s worst nightmare, mostly because it’s incredibly dull, and food should be anything but. Duke Street’s Pizza East plays into the current fashion of authentic, woodfired pizzas made popular by Pizza Punks, and perfected by Paesano. With Edinburgh outlets @pizza and Vapiano opening soon – and Redmond’s offering their own excellent slices just down the road – there’s a lot of competition. It was only a matter of time before Dennistoun got it’s own ‘grown-up’ pizza spot, but we’re pickier than ever given the huge range of choice out there. But Pizza East completely justifies its existence on its opening weekend.
With its no-nonsense decor – industrial lighting, wooden booths, bright white walls – it’s an unassuming spot, especially compared to the bold neon and beer hall vibes of its closest competitors, but that’s likely to do with it having opened just hours ago. It’s BYOB before they get a full licence, though their cheery staff are quick to offer a free glass of Rosé. Of course, the focus is squarely on the pizza, and Pizza East have that figured out.
The chefs were hired and flown directly from Naples. Everything down to the rustic bags of flower and chopped tomatoes decorating the cash desk seems to emphasis the simple, authentic approach Pizza East is going for. Our waiter runs through the menu excited to mention the ‘proper Italian’ base, sauce and ingredients. Just as exciting is the unusual special – a pumpkin and porkbelly pizza.
There was no decision to be made. The pumpkin pizza arrives in no time. It’s fantastic. The base is wonderfully soft, chewy and slightly salted, while the crust is crispy and thin with a popcorny taste coming from the air pockets. The sweet pumpkin cream balances out the fatty pork belly, with gooey mozzarella and sharp parmesan running through each bite. It’s a surprising match that works way better than it should. My friend opts for a more traditional tomato base with olives and parma ham. It’s not as decadent as the special, but it’s a satisfying slice.
The pumpkin and pork special
Yes, this is another pizza place going for an authentic Italian feel (without being owned by actual Italians, like Coias or Celinos). What could make them stand out are the left-field options like this. Our waiter beams when I tell him how good the special was, rubbing his hands. “The chefs will LOVE to hear that”. It must be hard to create a sense of character when everything is fresh out of the cellophane, but the genuine passion Pizza East give off at this early stage make it easy to wish for their success.
Food – The pizza is top quality, especially the options that dare to be a bit different 8/10
Service – The servers are warm and enthusiastic and the pizza arrives in no time 8/10
Atmosphere – It’s a bit bare just now, but hopefully that’ll change as things settle 5/10
Value – Pizzas range from a fiver to £8. Much more reasonable than dominos 10/10
Pizza East is at 575 Duke Street.
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