Article Source: Civerinos
Last Updated: 2 August 2024 15:42
• New menu will introduce three different types of proven dough pizza styles to customers
• Venue will open cross the road from where the Civerinos concept was created ten years ago
• Sopranos inspired joint will celebrate East Coast American pizza culture and craft
• 20 jobs to be created as restaurant set to open in time for The Fringe
AMID a recent surge in popularity of American-style pizza, one of the chefs who started the craze a decade ago has opened a new venue celebrating the best of East Coast slices – and it will be the first in Scotland to offer New Haven pizza.
Since launching the first Civerinos NY slice bar in Edinburgh in 2014, the brand has expanded to four venues in the capital and one in Glasgow, earning recognition as one of the UK’s top ten pizza restaurants. The new Sopranos-inspired Stockbridge location, opening this weekend, is a "labour of love," showcasing the team's decade-long journey, passion and expertise.
The restaurateur, who trained in New York pizza kitchens, said: “We’re not following the trend for American pizzas; we started it. Our story began long before the East Coast pizza style was hyped on Instagram and TikTok. It’s become a craze because people crave something beyond the typical Neapolitan experience—something crafted with expertise yet unpretentious and fun. That’s what we’ve always aimed to provide.”
“We care more about pizza than anyone. This new venue will be a celebration of everything we’ve learnt about pizza in the last 10 years. It will be celebrated with the service. People will be able to get a broad range of pizza experiences here; you can come in for a big slice with some chilli on it, or for the full foodie experience – if you want to speak about textures and different styles of dough, we’re here for it.
“It’s going to be fun. We’ve been inspired by pizza culture across the US – from Pepes in New Haven to Pizzaland in The Sopranos. This is the geeksville of the pizza world.”
Civerinos in Stockbridge will open its doors this weekend, at the start of the company’s busiest month – when festival-goers from all around the world, including America, flock to the Fringe.
The menu will offer a tour of iconic East Coast pizza styles, from foldable New York slices and crispy Detroit-style pies to the rich, layered Chicago deep-dish, each highlighting the unique flavours and textures of these American classics showcasing three types of proven pizza dough.
While Detroit, Chicago and New York styles are all incredibly popular with the company’s loyal customers – with a New York style with cheese and mushroom, and a special addition of Salami being Michele’s favourite – it’s the introduction of New Haven-style, which is currently ‘having a moment’ in the US that the team believe could become the standout sensation.
Michele added: “I believe we are the first in Scotland to do a New Haven pizza – it could be the next big thing. It’s chewy, charred, so tasty and there’s a sharing aspect to it; it’s cut into squares adding to the convivial fun eating experience we love.
“It’s another flavour and texture profile that we aren’t used to. In the UK, we have become accustomed to soggy pizzas. For me, when the smell, taste and crunch all come together at the same time with a bit of a New Haven pizza, it is such an incredible experience – especially because it comes slightly charred and crispy.
“The stripped-back toppings mean you can taste the pizza more. As it’s pecorino romano rather than mozzarella, it’s a lot lighter, most people could probably finish a 20-inch pizza by themselves.”
The venue will be a trip down memory lane, with archive photos of Civerinos through the years.
Different from the eye-popping colours and street-style decor of its slice bars in Portobello and Forrest Road in Edinburgh, and Finnieston in Glasgow, this venue will be a more stripped-back traditional venue where Tony Soprano would feel very much at home.
While four styles of pizza will be served – New Haven, Chicago, Detroit, and New York – only a limited number of each will be available each day due to the long process undertaken to create the dough for each.
Earlier this year, Italian historian Professor Alberto Grandi, of Parma University, Italy, argued tomato sauce on pizza was invented in America, not Italy. More than 13 million Italians emigrated to America between 1880 and 1920, where they took advantage of new-found ingredients on American soil to improve their recipes, including tomato sauce.
In the late noughties, Michele learned his trade from some of the top pizza chefs working in New York kitchens. perfecting his skills before opening and after closing.
“I always become hyper-focused when it’s something I’m passionate about – that’s why I went to America in the first place. Usually, after a period of obsession I move onto the next thing, but with pizza, I’ve only ever gone deeper”, said Michele, who was recently diagnosed with ADHD.
“I think American pizza is the best, that’s why I’ve dedicated my life to it. This has been a labour of love for a decade – we trialled the first dough in a flat just across the road from this new venue. The fact it’s still here and still growing blows my mind every day.“
In the years since its launch, Civerinos has become a viral social sensation, been dubbed the “coolest place to eat in Edinburgh” by GQ, and named among the top 10 pizzas in the UK.
Civerinos in Stockbridge opens next week To find out more visit: www.civerinos.com.
Dobbies Garden Centres is inviting customers along to an afternoon of creativity, connection, and cake this January, with a brand-new Crafternoon Tea Club.
READ MORE
A modern twist on a traditional Scottish serve is being poured across Edinburgh this festive season, as two of the city's leading independent drinks producers announce a flavour-led collaboration.
READ MORE
Following the incredible success of last year's blockbuster exchange with the National Gallery of Ireland, Scotland's own much-loved Turners are back in Edinburgh for 2026!
READ MORE
Europe's largest indoor fun fair, The IRN-BRU Carnival, has opened to the public at Glasgow's SEC with its greatest show to date!
READ MORE
A much-loved Belhaven pub in the heart of the Old Town is set to ring in the New Year in style with a brand-new look and elevated offering as it undergoes a significant programme of refurbishment.
READ MORE
Experience the award-winning after-dark event at Edinburgh Castle one final time, with a special £10 ticket available for the final night (Sunday 4 January 2026).
READ MORE
Edinburgh Rugby has scored a new deal with one of the city’s most popular sports bars, which will see all the buzz from Hive Stadium pop-up in the Grassmarket.
READ MORE
It’s a winner! A spectacular new photograph is now on show at National Galleries Scotland: Portrait to celebrate Scotland’s men reaching the FIFA World Cup 2026.
READ MORE
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has announced the event will include live streaming for the first time, opening the New Year’s Day performances to audiences around the world.
READ MORE
This December, The Scotch Whisky Experience invites guests to raise a dram to a quarter-century of discovery as the Distillers’ Fair returns for its 25th year.
READ MORE
Scotland’s world class collection of surrealist art is back home in Modern One and free to visit from 17th December 2025.
READ MORE
Two in a row: The Johnnie Walker Experience has once again been named Europe and The World’s Leading Spirit Tourism Experience at the 2025 World Travel Awards(WTA).
READ MORE
Dynamic Earth is pleased to announce the appointment of Gwilym Gibbons as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a rigorous and far-reaching recruitment process.
READ MORE
Edinburgh's Christmas has added new special themed skating sessions to run throughout the season.
READ MORE
Film fans in Edinburgh can now enjoy the latest releases in even greater clarity and colour with the arrival of Laser by Barco projection technology at Vue Edinburgh Omni.
READ MORE
Deer Park is helping to kickstart the footballing journey of young players by sponsoring new training kits, match kits, and rain jackets for the Livingston FC Community’s 2017 age group.
READ MORE
DF Concerts launches the DF Academy to strengthen pathways between education and Scotland's live music & events industry.
READ MORE
2026 represents a landmark year for Dance Base, Scotland’s National Centre for Dance, as the organisation celebrates 25 years in its purpose-built home in the heart of Edinburgh’s Grassmarket.
READ MORE
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo has welcomed a second male sloth bear, named Rajath.
READ MORE
A ‘KNOCK-OUT’ new beer has been unveiled inside an ice sculpture in Edinburgh to celebrate 150 years since the legendary North Pole expedition it was originally brewed for.
READ MORE
To celebrate World Ice Skating Day on 14 December, the National Galleries of Scotland got their skates on to recreate one of the most iconic paintings, Sir Henry Raeburn’s Skating Minister.
READ MORE
See the highly anticipated new comedy drama before anyone else, with preview screenings at Everyman cinemas nationwide.
READ MORE
Swiss art collective PROJEKTIL brings its vivid light and sound show to Edinburgh from 31 January, following acclaimed runs in Glasgow, Liverpool and Leeds
READ MORE
Edinburgh International Book Festival and Celtic Connections unveil major new partnership bringing together Scotland's most celebrated writers and musicians!
READ MORE
Lost Shore Surf Resort, Europe’s largest inland surf destination, is gearing up for a spectacular start to 2026 with a packed programme of festive events.
READ MORE
The Scotch Whisky Experience is proud to announce that Chief Executive Susan Morrison has been inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame,
READ MORE
DF Concerts & Events is celebrating the success of their sustainability initiatives delivered across their major summer events in 2025.
READ MORE
On Sunday 25th January, for one night only, Isaac McHale returns to his native Scotland for a Burns Night dinner with Stuart Ralston at his Michelin-starred Lyla.
READ MORE
Scottish comedy producer Brass Tacks Comedy is once again offering one Scottish or Scotland-based comedian a funded Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut for 2026, supported by Red Bull UK.
READ MORE
With toasts to celebrate the new year breaking around the world, the experience is not to be missed!
READ MORE