Obicà

Exquisite Italian Pizzas with Stellar Service

There's an exceeding number of Italian eateries in London, offering variations on tricolore caprese, debate surrounding authenticity like parmesan fervour, and pasta with more panache than purpose. Yet amidst this sea of red-squared-gingham clévise emerges Obica—a cheeky standout which goes big on its mozzarella while managing the delightful contradiction of being both credible and contrived. Nestled right in the city's pulsating heart, it's a restaurant that swats away too often mistaken notions about what the ideal Italian spread might involve. For starters, the mozzarella is worth its weight in marbled splendor—no plonking tasteless cubes amidst tired old basil sprigs here, but truly the regal dairy queen of Southern Italy. Aside from cheese without blemish, what Obica offers is unfussy but vibrant, like Rome sideswiping Milan in respect to culinary philosophy.

The pizza doesn't just live up to its wood-fired credentials; it pirouettes past them altogether, with burrata and tomatoes so divine they'd slot into Michelangelo's ingredient list with ease. Yes, service does blissfully improper impressions rendering it sclerotic at times—it's often busier than Piccadilly Circus during rush hour with hubbub manifesting fully when filled to brim. However, forgive them their trespasses and instead appreciate not only being beyond a neatly contained Italian experience but also entirely splendid, charmed by fine fare and atmospheres seared with zest. It’s more than a mere cult for the carb-affectionate; think Medici garden party vibes if yielding only to such whims past corset seams bursting with more than modest indulgence. After all, returning here isn’t so much de rigueur as it is la dolce vita finding you flat out once more—cheese-studded, sincere, yet tinged with London glee.
— Milo Tastemaker