Latest opening: Palazzo
What: A neighbourhood-style Italian bar and diner that's taken over the former Church Grill site on Church Road. Open seven days a week for brunch, lunch, dinner and drinks, the concept is designed to served as relaxed neighbourhood hangout by day and lively late-night bar in the evening with the vibe changing throughout the week. On weekends, for example, Palazzo holds a late-night licence, with regular live DJ sets planned on Fridays and Saturdays.
Who: Palazzo is the latest concept from Ed Sandeman, Henry Amodio and Harry Gibson, the founders of London-based Neapolitan pizza group Made of Dough, which they originally established as a pop up in 2014. In May 2015 the trio opened in Pop Brixton, and the same year was crowned London Pizza Festival champion. Made of Dough launched its long-awaited first bricks and mortar site in Peckham in 2017, and subsequently established a second site in Shoreditch (see And another thing below).
The food: While pizza continues to form a core part of the offering, Palazzo also features a range of small and large sharing plates. They include mozzarella fritti and scotch bonnet honey; mortadella with fried sage; a salad of rocket, chicory, red onion and salted ricotta; chicken Milanese with lemon and aioli; pork and veal meatballs in a roast tomato sauce; anchovy bread; burrata with tomato and olive oil; and zucchini fritti with yoghurt and Aleppo chilli. Pizza toppings, meanwhile, include aubergine with salted ricotta and scotch bonnet honey; pork and fennel sausage with oyster mushrooms; and lamb merguez with friarielli, red onion and rosemary. In an area with its fair share of local hangouts, prices remain competitive with all small plates under a tenner and none of the larger options topping the £13 mark.
The drink: Drinks take centre stage at Palazzo, with options including an Italian wine list ranging from Piedmont to Sicily; and classic cocktails such as bicicletta, and amaro spritz. There's also a selection of draught beers available from Brick Brewery and the Drop Project.
The vibe: Spanning 2,000 sq ft and holding 80 covers, it will feature large tables for groups, countertop seating, an open kitchen and a dedicated bar area. The look is somewhat retro, with cafe curtains on the windows and vinyl records adorning the walls. An alfresco terrace will be opening in July, offering views across Kent (on a clear day).
And another thing: Palazzo will be the Made of Dough teams' second attempt at launching an offshoot of their core brand. The first, Roma Pizza, was billed as a 'fast and thin-crust pizzeria' with an emphasis on accessibility and affordability, where all pizzas on the menu cost £5. Having launched on Brick Lane in Shoreditch in late 2019, the site was subsequently repurposed as a Made of Dough restaurant.
3-6 Church Road, Crystal Palace, SE19 2TF
barpalazzo.com
