Sodo Pizza Clapton — Restaurant in London

To the growing army of conscientious consumers who are seeking out more ethical and healthy eateries, this little store may at first glance seem to offer a genuine alternative to the chemical laced, nutritionally empty garbage that fills our high streets. The sour dough pizza is a simple yet brilliant stroke of innovation – packed with goodness and made with plenty of TLC. It is also admirable that this store does more than most to source from some local wholesome suppliers, including salad from an urban food growing cooperative as close as Hackney. All independent stores should do the same if we are to take back our food supply from the hands of big business. That said, I could not help but feel utterly disheartened when I found out there were no vegan options in this seeming oasis of ethical cuisine.

Perhaps it was the perfectly casual and blithe manner in which the waitress comforted me that it would not be a problem as the pizzas could simply be made without any cheese. A pizza without any kind of cheese is not a vegan pizza – it is tomato smeared on bread.

I find it rather insulting that in 2016, in a world where we are desperately trying to fight climate change, even small relatively conscientious stores cannot do more to support sustainable dietary choices. How can Sodo miss the overgrown dairy cow in the centre of the room? Sourcing from local suppliers and traditional baking is hugely important but all of these are a somewhat a gimmick when we continue to cream of the suffering of animals and peddle a hugely resource intensive and frankly carcinogenic diet laden with animal proteins. Other pizza places such as Fed by Water are demonstrating that you can make gorgeously delectable pizzas with nut cheeses. I also find it rather treacherous how the organic produce in this store seems to be restricted to the outer orbit of the plate. I am all for locally grown organic salads and biodynamic wines, but isn’t it odd how little is said of the flour, the cheese, the meat and all the other veggies that comprise the overwhelming bulk of what is on offer. Don’t be fooled by the icing when Sodo have decisively stolen the cake from under your nose!

I am not even asking that Sodo go vegan, but for the love of God, surely at least one genuine option from a store that implicitly purports to be ethically and nutritionally conscious. Sodo I expect better; please...

This is a remarkable little place, and shows just how food culture in London is advancing. Sodo has a very limited menu of pizza, a few side dishes, and a selection of craft beers and ginger ale. It has a real artisan feel to it; a slightly rough and ready, yet cosy interior with exposed brickwork and seemingly improvised lighting. The real care and attention here is directed at the food.

The pizza is made with a sourdough base that has been aged for several days to develop the flavours, and made thin and crisp in the centre, and slightly springy at the crust. There is a cured meat pizza, and several vegetarian options to choose from. They very obligingly made half/half pizzas for us, which proved to be a good way of balancing the salty succulence of the cured meat with the sweetness of butternut squash and feta.

The staff were friendly and enthusiastic, the food was delicious, and reasonably priced. Very highly...

Upper Clapton has been given a breath of fresh air with this stripped back, pared down ‘proper’ pizza café serving sourdough bases and craft ales. Founders Dan and Enzo met at school back in Wales and, after varied careers traveling the world and exploring more corporate careers, have finally found their groove serving pizza. And, boy, we’re glad they did. Starting as a pop up at E5 Bakehouse back in 2011, the venture grew steadily until they needed a place of their own. Stripping back an Indian restaurant and begging or borrowing materials to furnish it, the space is now something truly at home on an East London high street. The pair’s resourcefulness is beyond impressive – tabletops out of shed doors and a hand-built bar from scaffolding to name but a few efforts.

To read more about this and other favourite independent's of our's in London why not visit the Twenty Something...