Eats

Pizza Pilgrims is finally coming to Manchester with a bold new Neapolitan pizzeria

Thank god, it's been so hard to find pizza in Manchester...

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 9th June 2025

One of the UK’s fastest-growing pizza restaurant groups (nope, not Rudy’s) is finally set to touch down in Manchester.

Signs have appeared on Deansgate for the city’s first Pizza Pilgrims site, taking over the now-closed tapas restaurant La Vina.

Pizza Pilgrims has been operating since 2011, and now has 25 restaurants right across the UK – but hasn’t made it to Manchester until now.

Their restaurants are famed for their colourful and maximalist interiors, with Italian-inspired decor dripping off every surface.

Expect checkered tablecloths, giant lemons hanging from the ceiling, retro posters, colourful shutters and even washing lines hung with Italian football shirts.

At their site in Leeds, which opened in 2023, there’s even a giant pink flamingo pedalo that’s been turned into a self-serve gelato stand for customers to create their own sweet treats.

On the menus, Pizza Pilgrims is all about double-fermented dough bases, cooked at 500 ̊C to give a light, chewy and charred crust, just like in Naples.

Highlights from their menus include an eight-cheese pizza, a carbonara-inspired pizza, and the ‘You’ve Got Maiale’, topped with nduja, Italian sausage, pepperoni, and a balsamic glaze.

They also serve irresistible fried cacio e pepe balls, stuffed with spaghetti, pecorino cheese and black pepper.

Founders James and Thom Elliot said: “We’ve been looking to open a Pizza Pilgrims in Manchester for ages. This city is really special to us as we were both born in Manchester and raised in the local area, so it feels like we’re coming back to our roots.

“We’ve waited a long time for the right opportunity to present itself, as it’s such a cool, exciting, and individual place with such a unique energy.

“It’s not a place that you can just swagger into! We can’t wait to join the city’s amazing food community!”

Pizza Pilgrims is set to open its Manchester site on 18 August, with a week-long 50% off soft-launch between 11 and 17 August.

They’ll also celebrate with ‘Slice Day’, slinging out 1000 free pizza slices from 12pm on Wednesday 13 August.

Sign up HERE.

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Featured image: The Manc Group