L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele Opens New Naples Pizza Restaurant in Soho | Eater London

"A Naples pizzeria that became a worldwide phenomenon after appearing in Eat Pray Love, it is opening a new London restaurant by taking over the former patisserie premises on Old Compton Street in Soho. The brand already operates a London site on Baker Street and previously had a Stoke Newington location that was later separated from the franchise following a protracted licensing dispute between the brand’s licensing company, Michele in the World, and the franchisees. Its classic margherita is celebrated for using the same tomato and mozzarella as in Naples and for the “famous stretch”: the dough is pulled and pinched over a wooden paddle until the base is almost paper-thin, then baked for about a minute to produce a charred, misshapen pie that’s often too big for its plate or box — a rustic randomness that fans consider central to the experience. There is no confirmed opening timeline; the announcement leaned into playful branding by grafting John Lennon onto its imagery." - James Hansen