Little Napoli Sourdough Pizza

I came across an article the other day dated back in late 2015 that says Shepherds Bush is the new rising foodie hub in West London. It mentions the vast option down Uxbridge Road but it still needs growing, for instance, a good Italian place. Funny how right after I read it, I came across Little Napoli a little further down Uxbridge Road in the area.

Little Napoli has only recently opened its first branch at Uxbridge Road. It’s about a 10-minute walk away from Shepherd’s Bush Market station, or 20-minute walk from Shepherd’s Bush station by Westfield. As its name already explained, this restaurant serve you the Neapolitan version of Italian food. It’s actually a pizza place but they also have a range of salads and pasta dishes on the menu.

Napolitean pizza is my favourite type of pizza. The menu of Little Napoli offers a wide variety of pizza options to choose from. They are all at very affordable prices as well, ranging from £4.50 to £9.95. There are a handful of delightful starters on the menu as well. Feeling for a massive treat to myself, I ordered a starter plus a pizza.

Calamari Fritti (£5.50)

Calamari Fritti at Little Napoli, Shepherds Bush

Calamari is undoubtedly my favourite appetizer to order. These rings of squid are fried to a gorgeous golden colour. The coating is super crispy and very well seasoned. It is served with garlic & lemon, pepper mayo, chilli, parsley & fried garlic.

I didn’t walk in with a huge amount of expectations, thinking it’s just going to be an ordinary plate of fried calamari. But I was pleasantly surprised by the burst of flavour the dish’s got to offer.

The calamari was incredible, featuring an extremely well-seasoned crispy coating that envelopes a massive ring of squid. The squid tasted fresh too and was cooked just right without any rubbery or chewy texture.

Another highlight of the dish ought to be the pepper mayo. I absolutely adored that sauce. It carried a kick of spice that complemented the calamari impeccably. A little trick here is to save some of the pepper mayo to dip your pizza crust later (the waiter taught me that)! Trust me it’s so good.

Bufalina Pizza (£7.95)

Bufalina Pizza at Little Napoli, Shepherds Bush

The Bufalina Pizza includes plum tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella D.O.P, fresh basil, garlic oil, oregano & black pepper, and topped off with fresh cherry tomatoes, torn buffalo mozzarella D.O.P, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil.

The pizza came with a sourdough base which was incredibly crispy on the outside and so soft & fluffy on the inside. The toppings tasted very fresh and everything was well-seasoned. I really enjoyed the refreshing and tangy flavour from that saucy tomato base. The pizza transported me back to Italy and that really says it all about the quality of the pizza. It was absolutely amazing and I finished it off with the happiest smile on my face.

To sum up, I definitely recommend checking out this Italian place. It does take a little walk from the nearest tube station but it’s worth it. If you’re local around the area (i.e. me), you finally have an amazing pizza place around the neighbourhood!