PLACE — Six London Pizzerias
The Best Pizza in London Right Now
From Napoli on the Road in Chiswick to the Soho original PizzaExpress, six restaurants that together map how London's pizza culture has evolved.
Read →Vitae Lifestyle
Edit No.14 — London, Right Now
London's best pizza, rooftop bars and independent bookshops — three roundups, eighteen places.
This edit is a portrait of London right now, told through three roundups: where to eat pizza, where to drink above the rooftops, and where to buy books from people who have actually read them.
The pizza roundup moves from technical Neapolitan precision in Chiswick to the Soho original that established the category in Britain. The rooftop roundup covers six bars that together map every version of a London evening above ground level — from the Emory in Belgravia to Wagtail above the City. The bookshop roundup runs from Daunt Books in Marylebone to Brick Lane Bookshop in Shoreditch, taking in six independents that each reflect a different version of what that form can be.
What connects them is not category. It is that each, in its own way, reflects how the city now eats, drinks and reads.
In this edit
PLACE — Six London Rooftop Bars
The Best Rooftop Bars in London Right Now
From the Emory in Belgravia to Wagtail above the City, six rooftop bars that between them cover every version of a London evening above ground level.
Read →
PLACE — Six London Bookshops
The Best Independent Bookshops in London Right Now
From Daunt Books in Marylebone to Brick Lane Bookshop in Shoreditch, six independent bookshops that together map what an independent in London can be.
Read →Each article in this edit is experienced first-hand and written independently. All Vitae Lifestyle articles are archived under Lifestyle and can be read out of sequence.
Questions about this edit
What is covered in Edit No.14?
Edit No.14 is a London issue built around three roundups. The first covers six pizzerias — Napoli on the Road in Chiswick, La Luna di Luca in Richmond, Circolo Popolare in Fitzrovia, Florencio Pizza in Marylebone, Santa Maria in Fitzrovia and PizzaExpress at its original Dean Street site. The second covers six rooftop bars — the Emory in Belgravia, Wagtail above the City, Florattica at Tower Hill, 8 at The Londoner above Leicester Square, Circe's Rooftop in Waterloo and London Bridge Rooftop Bar. The third covers six independent bookshops — Daunt Books in Marylebone, John Sandoe in Chelsea, the London Review Bookshop in Bloomsbury, Word on the Water on Regent's Canal, Pages of Hackney and Brick Lane Bookshop in Shoreditch.
What does this edit say about London right now?
London is a city that supports more versions of itself than almost anywhere else in Europe. The same evening in the same neighbourhood can produce technical Neapolitan pizza, a rooftop overlooking the Thames and a bookshop staffed by people who have read what they sell. Edit No.14 takes that range as its subject.
Where is the best pizza in London?
Napoli on the Road in Chiswick is the most discussed Neapolitan pizzeria in London right now, known for its highly structured dough and restrained toppings. Florencio Pizza in Marylebone is the strongest independent choice for a wood-fired base with a different approach to the category. Santa Maria in Fitzrovia is the longer-established traditional reference. PizzaExpress on Dean Street remains the original site that established the category in Britain.
Where are the best rooftop bars in London?
The Emory in Belgravia and Wagtail above the City are the two clearest reference points for a considered London evening above ground level. Florattica at Tower Hill is the most visually dramatic option. 8 at The Londoner above Leicester Square is the strongest choice for the West End. Circe's Rooftop in Waterloo is the most weather-proof and best designed for groups. Reservations are recommended at all of them in the warmer months.
Which are the best independent bookshops in London?
Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street is the most architecturally significant, with its long galleried Edwardian room and books arranged geographically by country. John Sandoe in Chelsea is the reference for staff knowledge and personal recommendation. The London Review Bookshop in Bloomsbury, Word on the Water on Regent's Canal, Pages of Hackney and Brick Lane Bookshop in Shoreditch each map a different version of what an independent bookshop in London can be.
When is the best time to visit these places?
The pizzerias and bookshops are year-round addresses and are often quieter outside peak weekend hours. The rooftop bars are at their best between late spring and early autumn, when terraces are fully open and the evenings hold the light longest. Booking ahead is recommended for all of the restaurants and rooftops. The bookshops can simply be walked into.