"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." (J.R.R Tolkien)

As will probably become abundantly clear on this blog, I have a real penchant for pizza. The love is so strong it seemed only right to go out for pizza for my birthday. I've been meaning to visit Franco Manca for some time now as I've only heard good things and this was the perfect excuse.

I had heard particularly good things about the original Franco Manca restaurant in Brixton market, so I arranged to meet some friends there at around 7 on Friday evening. Luckily, some of us got there earlier because by half past 6 the queue was already snaking out of the market and round the corner. The Brixton location is pretty small, and we were a group of 10, so we ended up sitting in two groups to shorten our wait... This was a bit of a shame, but you can't book tables, so it is envitably going to happen to bigger groups (it might be worth checking out the Tottenham Court Road or Balham locations if there are lots of you as I hear these are bigger)!

The seating in Brixton is split across two rooms opposite each other in the arcade. It feels much more like a pop up restaurant, and the fact that it has been standing for 7 years and has expanded to other locations across the city is well disguised. It's clear that in Brixton the restaurant has stayed true to its roots- retaining a rustic atmosphere with wooden tables and a selection of benches and chairs thrown together- and still focuses on the food.

As a result, it is clear that the real reason people visit is for the magnificent sour dough pizzas on Franco Manca's menu. With an exclusive selection of only around 6 pizzas, the restaurant has perfected their collection and I have read multiple reviews which proclaim them 'the best pizzas in London'. I have to say, I was not disappointed. I went for a simple margharita: the pizza sauce was tangy and tomatoey in perfect contrast to the obviously fresh mozzarella, but the true star was the pizza base. The base had a wonderfully delicate, savoury flavour, with a crust that was risen, soft and springy yet not at all soggy with a crisp edge. All in all, everything combined to make an exceptionally tasty pizza.

To jump on the band wagon, Franco Manca was a real treat for the taste buds and while I will resist crowning it as the best pizza in London just yet, I do think it is definitely worth queuing for.