Hidden Eats: London’s Best Halal Pizza Is in an Arab Grocers Just off Edgware Road

A thin crispy crust, a tender but chewy dough and a thin layer of tart, but sweet, tomato sauce garnished with the regular accompaniments. Sounds like a pizza standard you’d get in Naples right? But you’re so wrong. In fact, the pizza I’ve just described can be found in an Arab grocery store just off Church Street market. 

I was made aware of this hidden gem by a coworker and in the last few months, they’ve revamped their recipe with exceptional results. 

Located in a corner of the Great Nile Supermarket alongside shelves of washing up liquid and jars of pickled gherkins you’ll find London’s best pizzaiolo (at least I think so anyway), a smiling Egyptian man waiting to fulfil your pizza desires.

Ahmed told me he had worked in Italy making pizza and pasta for over 12 years and that the dough was made by himself every day. Perhaps this is the reason why the pizza is so well done. 

The first thing you’ll notice after making your way past a crate of water bottles and bags of onions is the exceptionally low price. Of the pizza sizes available you can get a 9” pizza for £3, 12” for £4 and a 15” for £6. From personal experience, if you’re ordering for yourself a 12” would do just fine and for anything more I’d suggest going for the 15”.

Now to the pizza.

The pizza style is thin crust, reminiscent of a pizza express pie (but just a whole lot better). You’re also not going to get any of that thick, drenched in oil “pizza” here either. 

The options for toppings do tend to change depending on availability but some of the options include, salami, chicken, tuna, peppers, mushroom, sweet corn etc, so your standard options. The last time I visited they also had pineapple (for all you sacrilegious heathens). The toppings are probably the most average part of the pizza but that can be excused considering the small scale of the place. If you’re a Margherita lover that shouldn’t be an issue anyway. 

The 'Full English' complete with an egg in the centre.

Heavy on the topping. A chicken and mixed pepper combination.

After choosing your toppings you’ll probably be asked whether you like it “crispy”. That just means it’ll be cooked a little longer. Personally, I like it done a little more but that’s down to personal preference. Now to the pizza checklist.

Cheese pull?

Glorious. You won’t get a “pizza avalanche” either as the toppings aren’t heavily added (not unless you request it that is).

Leopard spotting?

"Leopard spots" are those lovely dough bubbles that rise once a pizza is cooked. The number of spots is dependent on how long it’s baked and testament to the great dough and baking skills the spots are not acrid or bitter, adding another tasty dimension to the pizza. 

Crust/crunch?

The balance is done well and is perhaps the best part of the pizza. I think this is due to the fact the toppings and sauce aren’t heaped on. The crust has a crunch but is also a little chewy, a perfect balance in my opinion. 

Freshness?

I have yet to be disappointed in the quality of the pizza here. Aside from the above-mentioned toppings issue, the dough seems to be made on a daily basis and the craftsmanship really does shine through. The best thing about this pizza is that it won’t give you that heavy feeling in your stomach which you often get after gorging on typical takeout pizza. 

I’m not sure if this place even has a name but it’s a true hidden gem run by an independent business. I would highly recommend checking this place out. If you happen to visit this place be sure to let Ahmed know Muhammad with the long hair sent you.

Address: 131 Broadley St, Marylebone, London NW8 8BA

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Do you know of any hidden halal spots that we should check out? Let us know in the comments below!

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Author: Muhammad Yousuf Shuwekh

@mshuwekh

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Londons Most Talked About Burger Joint Lives Up To All The Expectations

Qatari Burgers, that's right... Qatari burgers. Apparently, it's a thing. Over the last few weeks, I have had a bunch of people recommended a place called 'Burgeri'. To be quite honest the name sounded a bit strange at first but with its rave reviews, I had to get myself down there.  

So, Burgeri (برغري) is a relatively small fast food chain founded in Qatar, and recently they have decided to bring over their first franchise to the UK. Located on Great Marlborough Street, a few minutes walk from Oxford Circus, they've certainly got a great location for a start. 

After eventually filtering our way through a busy Oxford Street we made our way to the restaurant. The location itself looks pretty decent. Having only been open for just over a month the overall aesthetic looks vibrant and welcoming. But onto the important thing. Food. 

After being greeted by a waiter we sat down to order. Although they are technically a fast food chain you won't need to order yourself, a waiter will come along to your table to take your order. For all our frugal readers that also means you'll have a 10% service charge added to your bill (that was a pleasant surprise). 

My accompanying friend had previously been to this place and so on his recommendation, we both went for a standard 'B.Special' which is a single burger patty (there's an option for double) lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onions and their secretive 'Burgeri sauce'. Alongside that, we ordered fries and a standard soft drink. But we'd recommend trying out different burger combinations as well, they also have Chicken and Fish burgers on their Menu.

Two interesting burgers we also liked the look of were the 'B.Majestic' which is made with Wagyu Beef and includes melted Aged Cheddar Cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and a mushroom sauce there was also the 'B.Guacamole' which includes any option of meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickled Jalapeños and guacamole. You can check out their full menu HERE.

The order was prepared relatively fast and we had a wait time of about 5 minutes. They do have an interesting way of serving your meal however, the food is delivered on what essentially is a chopping board.

Downside: My cup was only half filled so these cups are quite deceiving.

Burger. 

Ok, I know what you are going to say. It looks quite sad, and that's what I thought. At first glance, its doesn't have the appeal of some of the burgers I've eaten in the past but what it lacks in looks it makes up with in flavour. 

The burger patty itself had quite a distinct flavour to it in comparison to what I have eaten previously. There is definitely a unique quality to the meat. The patty does not have a fatty or overpowering flavour meaning you get to experience more of the burgers flavour. The lettuce, tomatoes and pickles all tasted fresh but what really stood out was their sauce. The closest thing I could compare their sauce to would be any type of thousand island dressing but I wouldn't be able to put my finger on the exact flavour. 

The size of the burger was more than manageable. Personally, I felt the meal was large enough but if you're really hungry I would suggest going for the double patty. 

Fries.

I went for the standard French fries (which are served in a bucket) and they were better than I expected. Imagine a McDonalds fry with a slightly crispier texture.  They also have the option of sweet potato fries and cheese fries which are ShakeShack style crinkle cut chips covered in cheese.

Price.

The bill came to a total of around £10 per person. We were quite conservative with what we ordered but if you decide to get an extra milkshake or an extra side it can end up being quite pricey. However, in comparison to similar establishments, it is fairly priced.

Final Thoughts.

It's important to note that Burgeri is not a gourmet style burger joint, the likes of which have become increasingly popular over the last few years. You aren't going to get a slab of meat in between two buns loaded with condiments and half a garden worth of vegetables here. It's a refreshing style of fast food and one that I found really enjoyable.

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Instagram: @mybigfathalalblog

Having previously eaten at ShakeShack Burgeri has quite a few similarities. In my opinion, their burgers taste a lot better than ShakeShack. I'd even go as far as saying this is probably some of the best fast food I've had in London. Considering all the recommendations I would say it's lived up to the hype. If you are ever in the area I would definitely recommend checking out this place.

22 Great Marlborough Street , London W1F 7HU

Halal status verified by staff.

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Author: @mshuwekh

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