First established in LA, Pizzeria Mozza brings to Regent Street a unique approach to cooking. Uncompromisingly focussed and not fussy, we sit down with renowned chef Nancy Silverton to find our all about her inspiration and what brings her to Treehouse London on Regent Street.
How excited are you to returning to London? And why did you choose Regent Street to open your first UK restaurant?
It's a thrill and honour to bring my pizzeria to one of the world's great cities.
How important is it to you that Pizzeria Mozza is opening in this part of town?
It's special to me because I went to school on Marylebone at the Cordon Bleu so to return now with my own restaurant is very gratifying.
Tell us more about your pizza dough, what makes it so special?
Our Mozza pizza dough does not have any secret ingredients, just the basics: flour, yeast, salt and olive oil. The difference is our process. It takes up to three days to get our dough ready, for it to develop the complex nuances that make it so special.
How would you describe your pizzas? We’ve heard rumours of a Hawaiian and a clam topping?
Not a classic Hawaiian pizza, which was my son Benjamin's favourite pizza growing up. Our Mozza version, named "Beno" does have pineapple but also speck and jalapeno
Where will you be sourcing your ingredients from?
We source from all over. We've been asking chefs we know and respect for their sources and reading about others.
Aside from pizza, what other dishes can we expect on the menu?
The antipasto we have at Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles. Meatballs baked in the oven, chicken wings, various salads and contorni (side dishes), like roasted carrots and cauliflower. One of the things about Pizzeria Mozza is that if for some reason a customer doesn't want pizza, they could still eat very well there.
Which restaurant are you most excited about visiting when you’re back in London?
As you know, London which decades ago didn't have a good dining reputation, now is one of the top dining cities in the world. They are so many places I like. Lyles, Brat, Clarke's (by Sally Clarke), Bocca di Lupo, St. John, Kappacasein (in Borough Market), Ottolenghi (in Islington), Original Lahore, Foley's, Berber & Co (for Shawarma at Exmouth Market).
What/who is your greatest inspiration?
Some good ingredients and some hungry customers.
To sample Pizza Mozza for yourself, book a table here. Looking for somewhere for cocktails after sampling Treehouses' own? Look no further than our cocktail guide.