Civerinos new pizza joint is first in Scotland to serve New Haven style

Civerinos new pizza joint will be the first in Scotland to serve New Haven-style – and the new Edinburgh venue will open during the Fringe.

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.

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