Who doesn’t just love a passion-project? Well here’s one – Carmela’s
Founded by Phil Chaykin (founder of Ugly Dumpling) with Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany (the frontmen of food review platform Bite Twice), Carmela’s celebrates the Italian American pizza pie of the east coast. But in Islington!
Strolling north on upper street the shops become increasingly more chichi – the stretch for ladies what spend. Anthropology, Brora, Me+ Em etc.
Safely located opposite Islington fire station is the modest burnt-orange frontage to what appears to be a small pizzeria but be not fooled. Walk through the exposed brick and chianti-red dining room and you’ll find that it extends way back, with all the cooking action taking place at the rear. There’s also a wonderful booth seating six in the front window, with low-level cafe curtains for privacy. It’s all cute as a button.
The starters are few and enticing. We tried the cold cuts and the tomatoes, both delivered on pretty, shallow plates. The salumi were finely sliced, salty and quickly consumed. And the tomatoes, sweet and multi-coloured, were served with a scattering of herbs in a light Italian dressing.
Now to the main event. The menu is tight and the handles they give them are not familiar if you are used to an Italian joint. But this after all is a New York tribute band. I’ve written about this before, but there is something slightly wonderful about a thin crust pizza. It assures you the confidence to eat it all without caution, without fear of IBS or other woeful repercussions. With the ‘Cheese’ pie the tomato, mushroom and cheese melt into one another topped with fresh basil. It’s very simple, well balanced in flavour with a lightly scorched crust, the base rigid enough to make it easy to eat by hand. The ‘Sausage’ is made with fennel sausage, cheese mix, mushrooms and parsley, and is an absolute winner. Their house salad was flavoursome and crunchy, a perfect complement to pizza. And as a side we added a chilli ricotta crust dip, which has a nice lingering warmth.
Cocktails are politely priced at around £11 though I was distracted by the Brooklyn Pilsner that they have on draft and grabbed me a pint. The house red is a Nero d’Avola, which at £33/bottle was bang on.
The dessert menu is pretty straightforward: Tiramisu.
So no pressure then, show us what you’ve got in your locker!
Like some kind of chocolate lasagna, it slipped down easily and, while some might hope it to be more boozy and a little darker, if it’s your only pud you have to remain politely to the vanilla.
Carmela’s is a fun, buzzy, cozy place to eat excellent pizza at a very reasonable price. There are at least five established pizzerias on the same drag. They have been open 3 weeks. By 7:30 the place was rammed. And it’s a Wednesday. Bravo!
You’ll find Carmela’s at 149A Upper St, London N1 1RA
It is open weekdays 5-11pm and weekends from 12-11 or till sell-out