Spitalfields’ New Restaurant

By Philippa Morton.

What better way to start the week than guzzling pizza and tasting wine?! Before I even had a chance to enter the office, I had the great opportunity to assist the legendary Fire and Stone with their launch in Spitalfields.

If you’re a pizza fan, you’ve just gotta try Fire & Stone. I felt like Charlie in the Chocolate factory, except I was Pip in the pizza parlour. And I was certainly one up on Charlie. I could eat what my heart desired and all that tickled the fancy of my eye, with no menacing consequences, but that of the expanding waistline – hang on, no, the hips, in my case.

My first tickle was the view from the outside, where the dough-making process was on display for all to see through a glass wall – a nice trick to tempt, and to prove how fresh the dough is. Every ingredient used is freshly made that very same day – even the sauces which can take anywhere between 4-6 hours. I take my hat off to you chefs who are worth every inch of your toque.

So other than the quality of ingredients used in the pizzas, how else is this restaurant unique? The menu is global. Try creative combinations from Africa, The Americas, Australasia, Europe and Asia. My pick of the day is the Peking pizza with duck and spring onions. The Koh Samui is another hot choice. I was, however, disgruntled to find nothing from New Zealand – I mean ‘Australasia’? Hmph. A chef I am not, but renowned New Zealand lamb and dairy must have a place somewhere on the menu?

A highlight of Fire & Stone in my opinion is its ‘family friendly’ ethos. It welcomes those with bambinos. Kids eat free throughout the school holidays, and there is a kids’ menu with activities to keep children busy (a rarity in London, as far as I know).

The staff are passionate about their work, and it is obvious – they source each ingredient to ensure quality of product. It is a long process, and clearly worth it. Fire & Stone is a scrumptious, truly healthy choice for the pizza eater.