Pizza Perfection at Soho’s Japes

Soho is a hotbed of pizzerias, from traditional Italians to American-influenced all-singing all-dancing pizza parties. So you’d be forgiven for thinking one more pizza restaurant would go unnoticed.

You would be wrong.

Japes, found at the Oxford Street end of Dean Street, is a vibrant, welcoming and abso-blooming-lutely perfect pizza joint, and should not be missed. The hangout, which has a sister venue in Greenwich, was the first to bring deep-dish Chicago style pizzas to the capital, and has made its mark as a disruptor on the bustling pizza scene.

Sweet dreams are made of cheese shouts the neon sign emblazoned across a whole wall as you walk in, and boy is this true. The quirky and generous menu offers any which way of pizza, plus a host of appetisers, starters, sharers and sides. There are vegan and gluten-free options, and the servers are happy to offer advice or swaps to suit a customer’s taste.

The servers – let’s start with them. I can’t think of many other London pizzerias where the staff actually seem happy to be there. Low wages and gruelling shifts take their toll, and it’s often a case of wham, bam, thank you mam, but Japes is different… The staff smile, the sway instead of stomp around the venue, and they smile. Aaah, a smile. It costs nothing, but can be in short supply in restaurants in the capital.

So then to the starters – and the rest. Healthy and indulgent – your choice. We chose both. So a delicious creamy goats cheese topping sweet figs, and a generously portioned Greek salad, sat next to a Chicago-based garlic bread and bowl of deliciously salty Padron peppers.

Food is served as it’s made here, so no waiting around for starters to be cleared, there’s more of a tapas-style feel to the meal. The pie-like bases have set Japes apart from neighbouring rivals since opening in 2018, but we went for the new, thinner (but still deep!) London crust for our choices – a buffala treat with sweet sundried tomatoes topped with rocket, and a truffle and mushroom delight – and we weren’t disappointed.

Having enjoyed many a Soho pizza, Japes’ offerings have to rank as one of the best. The ingredients are clearly premium. The tomatoes are sweet and juicy, the homemade sauce seasoned to perfection, and cheeses full of flavour. The toppings are plentiful and fresh. Portion sizes are generous – so prepare to take some home for tomorrow!

Dishes may be served swiftly, but this is no fast food joint, it’s a restaurant with a mission to impress, and impress us it certainly did.

• Find Japes at 22-25 Dean Street, Soho, London, W1D 3RY.