‘Lucky Chiswick’ proclaims the promotional blackboard outside pizza joint Franco Manca, the latest restaurant to open its doors on the highly competitive Chiswick High Road. With such bold statements of intent, passers-by are likely to be left wondering if this is a venue that can deliver, or if it’s all mouth. Pay them a visit, however, and you’ll be left purring at the sheer magnificence of their signature sourdough pizzas and the astonishingly low prices.

The Venue
Pizza is not something Chiswick is short of. At either end of the High Road you’re never far from a 12”. At one end you’ll find reliable chains like Pizza Express and, at the other, Frankie Dettori’s W4 outpost does the whole pizza-pasta thing admirably well. Throw in a couple of half-decent takeaways and you’d think it was a pretty saturated market but the arrival of new upstart Franco Manca, after the success of its original site in Brixton, has raised the stakes. For one, its prices even undercut the local takeaways and, secondly, the pizza it serves is up there with the best pizza you are likely to have tasted in the capital.

In terms of its design, Franco Manca is a simple, serviceable space. Communal wooden benches provide informal seating and cutlery sits in metal containers at each table. Glass tumblers are preferred to fancy wine glasses and an open-plan kitchen is completed by a humpbacked, mosaic-tiled, wood-burning oven (specially made in Naples, the home of pizza) where the magic happens.

The Atmosphere
Service is a little po-faced - don’t expect to be fawned over or paid much attention to. It transpires that an all-nighter at superclub Fabric is responsible for the moody mush of one member of staff, so this, in part, absolves any grumbles you may have on this count.

The Food
On first glance the menu looks sparse – a few pizzas and a side salad is about all there is to choose from. When your pizza arrives – so quickly you’ll wonder whether they had it readymade - it’s a different story altogether. The puffy sourdough crust and thin base harmonises beautifully with the intensely sweet pulped tomatoes and fresh mozzarella and basil. At a mere £6.10 for a pizza with Gloucester Old Spot Ham, you’re not just getting good quality ingredients, you’re getting terrific value. A similar version using chorizo supplied by Brindisa (£6.90) is equally as good, adding the intensity of garlic and paprika to the classic core ingredients.

A moderate-sized bowl of salad on the side (£2.90) is ideal to share between two people. This comprises of the usual ingredients with the addition of adzuki beans, a very healthy super food that adds a chalkier texture to proceedings. A mustard vinaigrette is drizzled on top, and it’s another simple dish that’s perfectly agreeable.

The Drink
The miraculous pricing structure continues on one of the shortest drinks menu you are likely to find at a licensed restaurant. Bottles of Budvar lager are only £1.90, a price that’s not far away from what you’ll pay at local off-licences. The crowning moment comes with a bottle of red wine (the only one they serve, incidentally), an absolute steal at £9.75. Don’t be fooled into thinking that, because of the price, it is some bland brew as it is in fact a spectacular Gaitu Barbaresco from one of the world’s greatest wine-making regions, Piedmont in Italy. Is there a cheaper, better-quality house wine in London? It certainly makes the shortlist.

The Last Word
It’s fair to say that the people of Chiswick don’t need a blackboard outside of Franco Manca telling them how lucky they are to have a new restaurant on their door step. You might think such bold statements are setting Franco Manca up for a fall, but once you’ve tasted the revelationary pizza, supped their outstanding wine and ended up paying less than thirty pounds for a meal for two, you too will be left feeling it’s your lucky day.

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