Recession hit gastronomes discover
“The best pizza outside of Italy”

A really good local pizzeria is a rare treat, so if it is consistantly full of Italians you know there is a chance you are in for something special. Donna Margherita is just this place. With a strong following from South West London’s Italian community, the humble trattoria on Lavender Hill has built a reputation for making London’s best pizzas – with Capital FM’s Johnny Vaughn declaring Donna Margherita produces “The best pizza outside of Italy”.

Whilst the hordes of dining Italians betray the fact that this is no ordinary pizzeria, it is only now that recession hit gastronomes are abandoning their regular Mayfair haunts, in search of better value, that lovers of Italian food are beating a path to Donna Margherita – whilst also becoming a firm hit with South West London’s glitterati, trustafarians and ‘It’ crowd.

Specialising in southern Italian food, all the restaurant’s dishes are freshly prepared by Italian chefs, using age-old cooking techniques (many of which have been passed down to them through several generations), to produce a varied and authentic Neapolitan cuisine.

“In every dish that we cook, we are looking to produce the most authentic taste possible. Around 90 per cent of the restaurant’s ingredients are sourced from southern Italy and imported to SW11, which allows us to recreate authentic dishes and flavours, and properly represent the complexity of traditional Neapolitan food,” said Gabriele Vitale, Founder and General Manager of Donna Margherita.

Vitale continued:

“Naples is the spiritual home of the pizza and, like Champagne, the true Neapolitan pizza has been recognised by the EU as a copyrighted traditional specialty. A real margherita must have mozzarella from the southern Apennines, be served with locally grown tomatoes and only a leaf or two of basil. It has to be round and no more than 32cm in diameter, with a rim not more than two centimetres high – and it goes without saying that it has to be cooked in a wood-burning oven. Our pizzas fullfill all of these criteria.”

Whilst Donna Margherita’s pizzas are the biggest-selling item (starting from just £5.90 for a Margherita), there are also scores of authentic Neapolitan anti-pasti, pasta, fish and meat dishes to choose from. Mains include old-fashioned delights such as risotto with garlic friarielli, smoked scamorza , Italian salsiccia and parmesan cheese (for just £9.95), or octopus salad with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, served on a bed of salad (only £6.90).

To book a table please telephone the Donna Margherita Restaurant (183 Lavender Hill, London, SW11 5TE) on 020 7268 2660 or for menus and further information logon to the website: www.donna-margherita.com