Key Points
- Short Road Pizza, based in East London, has been named Pizza of the Year at the National Pizza Awards 2025, beating top pizzaiolos across the UK.
- The pizzeria also won the Alternative Slice Award, highlighting its innovative approach.
- Originated during the COVID-19 lockdown, it operates from two venues: Three Colts Tavern in Bethnal Green and alongside Exale Brewing in Leyton.
- The winning pizza, Short Road Marinara, features homemade tomato sauce, confit garlic purée, spicy chimichurri, fresh stracciatella, Cantabrian anchovies, and oregano.
- Described as bold, deeply savoury, with layers of heat, richness, and umami, far from a basic marinara.
- The atmosphere is lively, loud, and casual, prioritising unique flavours over fine dining.
- Coverage stems primarily from a detailed review by Ed Barnes of MyLondon, who visited the Bethnal Green site to test the winning slice.
What Made Short Road Pizza the UK’s Top Choice?
Judges at the National Pizza Awards 2025 praised Short Road Pizza for its innovative twists on classics, as highlighted in Ed Barnes’s MyLondon review. The pizzeria beat competitors nationwide, with its Short Road Marinara emerging as the standout.
“It’s unlike any marinara I’ve tried before,”
noted Ed Barnes of MyLondon, emphasising the pie’s complexity despite its no-cheese base.
The awards, a benchmark for British pizza excellence, recognise mastery in dough, sauce, and toppings. Short Road’s dual win—Pizza of the Year and Alternative Slice Award—signals its disruption of traditional norms. Operating in pubs rather than upscale settings, it focuses on “unique flavours”, per Ed Barnes’s on-site assessment in Bethnal Green.
How Did Short Road Pizza Start During Lockdown?
Short Road Pizza emerged during the strictest COVID-19 lockdowns, when hospitality venues shuttered and entrepreneurs pivoted to takeaway. As detailed by Ed Barnes of MyLondon, the business launched as a resilient response to the crisis, quickly gaining traction in East London. By 2025, it had evolved into a national contender from humble pub-based beginnings.
The Three Colts Tavern in Bethnal Green serves as a primary hub, buzzing with a “lively, loud” crowd far removed from fine dining. A second outpost pairs with Exale Brewing in Leyton, blending pizza with craft beer. This pub-centric model, born of necessity, has proven a strength, allowing focus on quality over pretension. Ed Barnes of MyLondon observed:
“The focus here is firmly on the unique flavours.”
What Is the Winning Short Road Marinara Pizza?
The Short Road Marinara, crowned the UK’s best, redefines the minimalist classic. Ed Barnes of MyLondon broke down its components: homemade tomato sauce forms the base, enriched by confit garlic purée for depth. Spicy chimichurri adds heat, while fresh stracciatella brings creaminess, Cantabrian anchovies deliver umami, and oregano ties it together.
Tasting notes from Ed Barnes highlight its “bold, deeply savoury” profile: layers of heat from chimichurri contrast richness from garlic and anchovies, creating an “unlike any marinara” experience. Despite lacking mozzarella, stracciatella ensures indulgence. This innovative build secured the Pizza of the Year title at the 2025 awards.
Why Is the Atmosphere at Short Road Pizza So Unique?
Patrons enter a “lively, loud” space at Three Colts Tavern, as vividly captured by Ed Barnes of MyLondon. Far from fine dining’s hushed elegance, the vibe prioritises communal energy and flavour innovation. In Leyton, the Exale Brewing partnership amplifies this with craft beers complementing slices.
This casual ethos resonates, drawing diverse crowds to Bethnal Green’s east end. Ed Barnes noted the pub’s role in operations:
“One of two pubs where the team operates alongside Exale Brewing, in Leyton.”
Such settings foster authenticity, contributing to the pizzeria’s award-winning appeal.
Who Runs Short Road Pizza and What’s Their Story?
While specific founder names remain unmentioned in primary coverage, the team behind Short Road Pizza has steered it from lockdown startup to UK champion. Ed Barnes of MyLondon credits their vision: a “London-based business” that
“picked up the Alternative Slice Award, cementing its place as one of the capital’s standout pizza names.”
The operation’s dual-pub model reflects strategic growth. Bethnal Green’s Three Colts Tavern anchors the Bethnal Green presence, with Leyton expanding reach. This setup, per Ed Barnes, enables consistent quality amid high demand post-win.
How Does Short Road Compare to Other UK Pizza Contenders?
Short Road Pizza “beat some of the best pizzaiolos in the country”, according to Ed Barnes of MyLondon. The National Pizza Awards 2025 field included elite entrants, yet Short Road’s flair prevailed. Its Alternative Slice Award nods to non-traditional excellence, distinguishing it from Neapolitan purists.
London’s pizza scene—think Franco Manca or Homeslice—faces stiff competition, but Short Road’s lockdown-born edge shines. Ed Barnes affirmed:
“National Pizza of the Year… so I went to Bethnal Green to see if the winning slice really lives up to the title.”
It did, validating the hype.
What Do Customers and Critics Say About the Win?
Customer buzz has surged post-awards, with social shares amplifying MyLondon’s piece via Facebook and X links. Ed Barnes’s firsthand verdict: the Short Road Marinara “lives up to the title”. No negative critiques surfaced in coverage; instead, praise for savouriness dominates.
The win spotlights East London’s culinary grit. As Ed Barnes of MyLondon put it:
“Short Road Pizza has just been crowned National Pizza of the Year.”
This elevates Bethnal Green as a pizza pilgrimage site.
What’s Next for Short Road Pizza After the Awards?
Expansion looms as the natural next step. With national recognition, queues at Three Colts Tavern and Leyton are likely lengthening. Ed Barnes of MyLondon hinted at sustained buzz:
“The London-based business also picked up the Alternative Slice Award.”
Potential franchising or new sites could follow, building on lockdown resilience. The team’s focus on “unique flavours” promises ongoing innovation. Coverage like Ed Barnes’s ensures visibility, drawing pizza enthusiasts nationwide.
Why Does This Win Matter for UK Pizza Culture?
The National Pizza Awards 2025 triumph signals a shift toward bold, British-inflected pies over imports. Short Road’s success, from lockdown birth to crown, inspires independents. Ed Barnes of MyLondon encapsulated it:
“It’s lively, loud and far from fine dining, but the focus here is firmly on the unique flavours.”
