Manchester’s pizza scene has gone from nothing to genuinely brilliant in about ten years. Rudy’s started it, everyone followed, and now you can get a proper Neapolitan margherita on every other street corner. But not all of them are worth your time. Here’s what’s actually good, what’s overrated, and where to go depending on what you’re after.
Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza
Peter Street (original), Ancoats, Didsbury, Sale, and more. The one that changed Manchester pizza forever. The margherita is still the benchmark — blistered, leopard-spotted crust, San Marzano sauce, proper fior di latte. About £7.50 for a margherita, which is absurd value for pizza this good. The nduja pizza is the best thing on the menu if you want heat. No bookings at most locations, just queue — Peter Street on a Friday you’re looking at 45 minutes but it moves fast. Don’t bother with starters, just get pizza and a Peroni.
Nell’s
Tib Street, Northern Quarter. New York style in a room that looks like a Brooklyn dive. The slices are enormous, foldable, and about £4 each — two slices is a meal. The pepperoni slice with the little crispy cups of pepperoni that pool with grease is the one. Whole pies are about £12-16 and they’re 18 inches across. Late night Nell’s after a few pints in the NQ is one of Manchester’s great food experiences. The garlic knots are essential.
Honest Crust
Mackie Mayor, Northern Quarter, and Altrincham Market. Sourdough Neapolitan that’s a bit chewier and tangier than Rudy’s. The crust is the star here — properly fermented for 48 hours minimum and you can taste it. The wild mushroom and taleggio pizza is outstanding. About £10-13 for a pizza. Mackie Mayor is the best location for atmosphere but Altrincham Market on a Saturday morning is hard to beat. The specials are always worth asking about.
Ramona
Swan Street, Northern Quarter. Detroit-style deep dish in a big, loud, neon-lit room. This is the opposite of delicate Neapolitan — thick, crispy-edged, cheese-to-the-crust, absolutely filthy in the best way. The pepperoni deep dish with the crispy cheese edges is magnificent. About £12-15 per pizza. The cocktails are decent and the vibe is pure Friday night energy. Not for a quiet dinner, absolutely perfect for a group of mates. The blue cheese and hot honey pizza is polarising but brilliant.
Franco Manca
Oxford Road and Didsbury. Yes it’s a chain. But the sourdough base is properly made, the toppings are better than they need to be, and a pizza is about £7-10. The number four (cured ham, mozzarella, mushrooms, ricotta) is reliably excellent. It’s not going to blow your mind but it’s consistent, affordable, and the lunchtime deal makes it one of the cheapest proper pizzas in the city centre. Don’t sleep on the specials board either.
Noi Quattro
Cutting Room Square, Ancoats. A proper Italian job in new Ancoats. The pizza is traditional Neapolitan but the pasta is arguably even better, which tells you something about the standard. The diavola is excellent — spicy salami, proper char on the crust, about £11. It’s a sit-down restaurant rather than a pizza-and-go spot, so expect table service and a wine list. Good for a date. The tiramisu is worth saving room for.
Ply
Lever Street, Northern Quarter. Sourdough pizza and natural wine in a stripped-back NQ space. The bases are excellent — light, bubbly, well-charred — and the toppings lean seasonal and interesting. About £11-14 per pizza. The mushroom and truffle pizza is indulgent and the simple margherita is a good test of any pizza place, which Ply passes easily. The wine list is interesting if you’re into natural stuff and baffling if you’re not. Good vibes, good music, slightly too cool for its own good but the pizza backs it up.
Lazy Tony’s
Delivery and collection from their kitchen in Ancoats. The best delivery pizza in Manchester by a distance. Proper sourdough base, quality toppings, and it actually arrives hot and intact, which is more than most pizza delivery manages. The Tony’s Pepperoni is the bestseller and deservedly so. About £12-15 per pizza. Order direct through their site, not through Deliveroo — cheaper and faster. The garlic bread is loaded and excellent.
Dough
Deansgate, city centre. Wood-fired Neapolitan in a space that’s been around long enough to be reliable. The pizza is solid rather than spectacular — good base, decent toppings, fair prices around £10-13. It’s a safe bet if you’re on Deansgate and want pizza without queuing at Rudy’s. The calzone is actually one of the best things on the menu, which is unusual. Good lunch deal on weekdays. Not the best pizza in Manchester but comfortably in the top half.
Proove
Chorlton. South Manchester’s best pizza and Chorlton locals guard it fiercely. The dough is 72-hour fermented sourdough and you can taste the difference — light, airy, with proper flavour in the crust. The burrata pizza is the standout: creamy burrata on top of a simple tomato base, finished with rocket and olive oil. About £11-14. It’s small and doesn’t take bookings so expect to wait at peak times. Worth it. The cannoli are brought in from an Italian supplier and they’re the real thing.
Elnecot
Cutting Room Square, Ancoats. Not strictly a pizza place but their wood-fired pizzas are some of the best in the city. The dough is superb and the toppings are seasonal and thoughtful — think nduja with honey, or courgette with ricotta and mint. About £12-14. The rest of the menu is excellent too so you could easily come for pizza and end up ordering the whole menu. The building is a converted Victorian factory and the space is gorgeous. Weekend brunch is heaving so book ahead.
Tre Ciccio
Altrincham. A bit outside the city centre but worth the trip if you’re in south Manchester. Family-run Italian that does Neapolitan pizza properly alongside a full trattoria menu. The margherita DOC with buffalo mozzarella is about £10 and it’s beautiful — simple, balanced, exactly what pizza should be. The pasta is homemade and the tiramisu is made in-house. It’s the kind of place that doesn’t need to shout about itself because the food does the talking. Book at weekends.
