Latest news with #PizzaPilgrims
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Pizza chain you've never heard of that's ‘miles better' than Domino's to open four new sites across UK
The owners founded the chain after returning from a 'pizza pilgrimage' in Italy PIZZA THAT Pizza chain you've never heard of that's 'miles better' than Domino's to open four new sites across UK A LITTLE-KNOWN pizza chain is quietly expanding - with four new locations set to open across the UK. Pizza Pilgrims, founded in 2012 by brothers James and Thom Elliot, is fast approaching 29 sites nationwide. Advertisement 3 Pizza Pilgrims will soon have 29 sites Credit: Instagram/@pizzapilgrims 3 New pizzerias are set to open in Birmingham and Bristol, plus two more in Manchester Credit: Squaremeal Already well-established in King's Cross, London, the company is now expanding to major cities including Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol. The Birmingham branch will open in the busy Grand Central transport hub at New Street station. Manchester's new pizzeria will span two floors in Deansgate, featuring a Masterclass kitchen like the one in Canary Wharf. Pizza Pilgrims reported record revenue of £34.4m for the year ending June 2024 - a 20 percent increase on the previous year's £28.7 million. Advertisement Before special costs, the company made a profit of £2.9 million - up 21 percent from £2.4 million the year before. But Pizza Pilgrims posted a small loss of £100,000 after exceptional costs, mainly due to the closure of its Oxford site in January 2024. The chain said the Oxford pizzeria was closed as part of "a strategic decision to strengthen the overall portfolio". Domino's fans have compared the two pizza chains before, with some ranking Pizza Pilgrims higher. Advertisement One wrote on social media: "These [Pizza Pilgrims] create their pizzas using only the best ingredients. "Miles better than your nearest Dominos." Domino's axes pizza favourite and time running out for cost of living payments Pizza Pilgrims began in 2012 in a small pizza van in Soho, London, after the brothers completed a 30-stop "pizza pilgrimage" across Italy. The founders aimed to offer simple, authentic pizzas without overcomplicating the menu. Advertisement The brand specialises in Neapolitan-style pizza cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven. It comes as Domino's confirmed it had axed a handful of its popular pizzas from its UK menus. The fast food giant has said customers will no longer be able to buy three of their vegan pizza options. The Plant-Based American Hot, Plant-Based Peppy-roni and Plant-Based Chick'n Winner have been discontinued. Advertisement A spokesperson said: 'At Domino's, we're always tuning into what our customers want and updating our menu accordingly. "As part of this ongoing process, we're refining our plant-based pizza selection to spotlight the fan favourites that keep our customers coming back. "We remain committed to offering a tasty range of vegan options that caters to all tastes and preferences, making sure our customers always have plenty of delicious choices to enjoy.' 3 Pizza Pilgrims was founded in 2012 by brothers Thom and James Elliot Credit: Facebook / Pizza Pilgrims
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Pizza chain you've never heard of that's ‘miles better' than Domino's to open four new sites across UK
A LITTLE-KNOWN pizza chain is quietly expanding - with four new locations set to open across the UK. Pizza Pilgrims, founded in 2012 by brothers James and Thom Elliot, is fast approaching 29 sites nationwide. 3 3 Already well-established in King's Cross, London, the company is now expanding to major cities including Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol. The Birmingham branch will open in the busy Grand Central transport hub at New Street station. Manchester's new pizzeria will span two floors in Deansgate, featuring a Masterclass kitchen like the one in Canary Wharf. Pizza Pilgrims reported record revenue of £34.4m for the year ending June 2024 - a 20 percent increase on the previous year's £28.7 million. Before special costs, the company made a profit of £2.9 million - up 21 percent from £2.4 million the year before. But Pizza Pilgrims posted a small loss of £100,000 after exceptional costs, mainly due to the closure of its Oxford site in January 2024. The chain said the Oxford pizzeria was closed as part of "a strategic decision to strengthen the overall portfolio". Domino's One wrote on social media: "These [Pizza Pilgrims] create their pizzas using only the best ingredients. "Miles better than your nearest Dominos." Domino's axes pizza favourite and time running out for cost of living payments Pizza Pilgrims began in 2012 in a small pizza van in Soho, London, after the brothers completed a 30-stop "pizza pilgrimage" across Italy. The founders aimed to offer simple, authentic pizzas without overcomplicating the menu. The brand specialises in Neapolitan-style pizza cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven. It comes as Domino's confirmed it had axed a handful of its popular pizzas from its UK menus. The fast food giant has said customers will no longer be able to buy three of their vegan pizza options. The Plant-Based American Hot, Plant-Based Peppy-roni and Plant-Based Chick'n Winner have been discontinued. A spokesperson said: 'At Domino's, we're always tuning into what our customers want and updating our menu accordingly. "As part of this ongoing process, we're refining our plant-based pizza selection to spotlight the fan favourites that keep our customers coming back. "We remain committed to offering a tasty range of vegan options that caters to all tastes and preferences, making sure our customers always have plenty of delicious choices to enjoy.' 3
Metro
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Prolific thief who tried mugging Bridgerton star jailed for 22 months
Zacariah Boulares, 18, was sentenced yesterday (Picture: Met Police) The prolific thief who was filmed trying to snatch Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour's phone has been jailed for 22 months. Zacariah Boulares, 18, snuck up behind the 27-year-old actor and grabbed her iPhone in the Joe & the Juice on Kensington High Street, west London, in February. The 27-year-old bravely defended herself, spinning around to grab the thief's arm while her boyfriend at the time came to her aid. Boulares put his middle finger up to members of the public gallery and was scolded by the judge before guards took him out of Isleworth Crown Court yesterday (June 1), the MailOnline reported. Boulares was prosecuted for both the attempted robbery of Chenneour, who plays Clara Livingston in the hit Netflix period drama, as well as for stealing a handbag at a Pizza Pilgrims in London's West End on January 30. Get personalised updates on all things Netflix Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Police officers caught Boulares on his 18th birthday for stealing a backpack from a blind couple who were eating at a Five Guys in Kensington with their son on February 18. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page Boulares sat stern-faced with a long ponytail in the dock, with his arms crossed as he wore a grey prison tracksuit on. He was sentenced concurrently to five months for the Pizza Pilgrims theft, seven months for the Joe and the Juice theft, four months for the common assault of Chenneour's boyfriend at the time, Carlo Kureishi, and six months for the Five Guys theft. Boulares put his middle finger up after the judge ordered him to be taken to the cells, prompting the judge to say that 'confirms his lack of remorse'. The thief's extensive criminal history – 12 previous convictions relating to 28 offences – was laid bare. Judge Martin Edmunds KC described Boulares during sentencing as engaging in a 'systematic pattern of stealing from people'. Arrow MORE: Mum arrested after decapitated and dismembered baby dumped in bin in Spain Arrow MORE: Priest 'sexually assaulted staggering number of women' in 'cult' church group Arrow MORE: Man charged with murder and 'child destruction' after pregnant mum found dead
South Wales Argus
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Abergavenny Food Festival 2025: guest programme announced
The event, taking place on September 20 and 21, will feature more than 200 exhibitors and at least 60 special events. Returning this year is BBC's Great British Menu presenter Andi Oliver, who will share her latest food adventures with writer Gurdeep Loyal. Abergavenny's own Matt Tebbutt, alongside wine expert Olly Smith, will provide insights on wine, culminating in a show-stopping performance on the chef demonstration stage. Ixta Belfrage, known for bold flavours and untraditional Brazilian recipes, will also make an appearance. Festival-goers will have the chance to meet fast food innovators Thom and James Eliot of Pizza Pilgrims, and Beefy Boys founders Anthony 'Murph' Murphy and Christian Williams. Both businesses have thrived post-covid and will discuss their journey with Financial Times columnist Tim Hayward. The festival will also welcome back Thomasina Miers, who returns from a six-month culinary exploration of Mexico with new recipes. Legendary Diana Henry will be in conversation with fellow food writer Felicity Cloake. Making her first appearance, Becky Excell, 'The Queen of Gluten-Free', will offer tips for budget-conscious cooking without compromising on taste. The full programme can be viewed on the Abergavenny Food Festival website.
Scotsman
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
I ordered the wackiest thing on the menu at Scotland's first branch of Pizza Pilgrims
This brand is known for its Neapolitan pizzas Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... I don't want to try the hot dog and chips one, said my other half, when we visited Scotland's first branch of Pizza Pilgrims on Edinburgh's Rose Street. Gaby Soutar You have no choice, I told him. It'd be like going to Edinburgh, and not seeing the castle, or avoiding that crazy The Big One rollercoaster if on holiday in Blackpool. When in Rome and all that. Or, in this case, Naples, as this 13-year-old chain offers pizzas in that Italian city's style. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They're distinctive as they have an airy inflated rim, like the wheel on a Chopper, and a slightly charred crust. Also, the aforementioned topping combination is pretty authentic. Otherwise known as the Americana, it's popular in Napoli, though mainly among younger folk. It was a shoo-in, on our visit to this huge double-level box fresh branch - the brand's second largest after London. It has lively decor including checked tablecloths, flowery and striped clothes hanging from washing lines that are strung across the ceiling, and posters of sports heroes Diego Maradona and Marco Pantani, as well as vintage Edinburgh Festival Fringe posters. Along with the Americana (£13.50), we went for the most sophisticated-sounding number, the Fiorentina (£12.25). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Since we were both regarding the hot doggy one with trepidation, we focused on the classier creamed spinach, fior de latte mozzarella, Parmesan, egg yolk and crispy onions version first. It was good - rich and iron-y, with a green halo of pulped spinach and a flurry of coppery crispy onions on top like cornflakes. I also enjoyed the thick mottled swamp of melted cheese and the puffy crust. This is a combo that I've never tried before, and I'm sold. The Americana - another white base, sans sugo - was fun, with a few sliced discs of meat and stacks of skinny fries, all glued on with plenty of mozzarella. Gaby Soutar I saw a couple of teenagers at the table near us, eyes agog. They swiftly ordered the same. Definitely more of their bag. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If neither of those tickle your fancy, the menu also features 12 other pizzas including Smoky Aubergine (£12.95), the meat heavy You've Got Maiale (£15.95) and the double carb fest that is the Carbonara (£14.50) with guanciale, Pecorino Romano, spaghetti, egg yolk and mozzarella. We had been quite close to also going for the Double Pepperoni and Hot Honey (£15.75). Instead, we also tried a couple of sides, including the cacio e pepe balls (£9), which were surprisingly decent. I'm usually averse to any kind of breaded ball of stodge and even the finest arancini don't set my heather alight, but this clutch of half a dozen bollards had pleasingly cheesy spaghetti centres with a hit of black pepper. Even though our other side dish of schiaffo - i.e. smacked - pickled cucumber salad (£6) didn't quite fit the whole Italian theme, this Asian-style dish was a pleasant foil to all the dough and cheese, with cucumbers that had been sprinkled with dried oregano, and a vinegary and hot dose of their La Bomba chilli oil. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Gaby Soutar They also do dips, for your crust, at three for £5.50, so we went for pesto, nduja and truffle. I expected the usual weirdly claggy palate-oiling versions you might get in other chains, but these were really decent - fresh and punchy, especially the basil-y pesto and the terracotta coloured nduja. There are six puddings to be had. I went for the pistachio affogato (£5), with a lushly nutty ice-cream that transformed into a creamy green shake once my espresso had been dumped on its icy peak. He went for the tiramisu (£8), which was an unsophisticated low-on-coffee version, with vast scoops of sticky Nutella among the more traditional cream and sponge. It was served in a Kilner jar, which seems like quite a Noughties retro throwback. We dabbled in a bit of drinking too, with one of their cocktails - a cherry negroni (£9.50), served with an abacus of amarena cherries on a stick - and a frigid shot of their own not-too-sweet limoncello (£4). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Anyway, as far as chains go, I'm pretty impressed with the B Corp that is Pizza Pilgrims. If I wasn't in the vicinity of one of Edinburgh's excellent independents, like Razzo, East Pizzas or Wanderers Kneaded, I could easily find myself falling on one of those Fiorentinas again. However, I've already ticked off the hot dog and fries pizza. Don't need to do it again.
