500 Degrees - Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace’s 500 Degrees makes south London pizza lovers an offer they can’t refuse – authentic wood-fired pizza made according to proper Neapolitan tradition. Keeping business as straightforward as possible, 500 Degrees whips up all the classic pizza pies with many an innovative, modern variation in between, salads, starters, and – delving deeper into pizzeria Napoletana tradition – a selection of panuozzi, a specialist Campanian sandwich resembling a panini. Of course, there’s plenty of Italian beer, wine and aperitivo to help wash all this authentic goodness down – book your table now.

500 Degrees is the kind of Italian, nay, Neapolitan pizzeria that will never attract the scorn of down-home, nonna-cooked-Italian-food-loving connoisseurs. This is the real Neapolitan deal right here in south London, close to Crystal Palace and Gipsy Hill stations in the Upper Norwood neighbourhood, open from just before lunch until late. One of several branches, 500 Degrees is a name trusted by Londoners all over town

All the classic Neapolitan pizza pies are represented in the long list of hits up on 500 Degrees’ simple but extensive menu. Margherita, the regal original Neapolitan pie, starts things off, and with her blessing the pizzaioli at this Crystal Palace pizza paradise spin up a storm that takes in traditional favourites and house specialties with a range of toppings including ricotta, mozzarella, ham, mushrooms, Italian salami, parmesan, basil and many more. The selection of panuozzi are a real curiosity in this part of London – a panini-like sandwich that is less well-known outside Naples and Campania than its more famous counterpart the pizza but is just as delicious, packing ingredients like sausage, aubergine, Parma and more between two slices of oven-baked pizza bread. For a true Neapolitan experience, 500 Degrees is a fine choice for any occasion.