33 North Audley Street,
Mayfair,
London,
W1K 6ZQ
0871 971 6606
The ViewLondon Review
In the heart of Mayfair you’ll find this contemporary pizzeria with a traditional wood burning oven and a wall featuring an array of framed caricatures of famous faces – hence the name.The VenueThis is a delightful venue with a gorgeous, modern interior. The cream tile flooring, dark wood tables and spot lighting is balanced out by the marvellously ornate mirror towards the back of the restaurant. The caricatures are fantastic; none of your dodgy interpretations by a glum-looking artist in Covent Garden here, these are beautiful and, for the most part, wonderfully unflattering paintings of those on the A List. Steve McQueen’s fiercely exaggerated eyes are brilliant and Julia Roberts’s mouth is so unerringly large that it looks like it’s about to leap out and take a bite from your pizza. All mounted at sharp angles, these pictures give the place what it clearly desired - character.
The AtmosphereThe staff are busy yet friendly, giving you the confidence to shift from your role as customer and actually chat to them. The place gets busy at lunchtimes and evenings but the restaurant is always relaxed and there’s a comfortable murmur of satisfaction emanating from every table.
The FoodThanks to the wood-burning oven, the pizza dough itself is so darned tasty you could eat it on its own. It’s rewarding to see actual, fresh tomatoes making up the base and giving the whole pizza a gorgeously juicy texture, something that you just can’t get in other reputable pizzerias. What is also refreshing but so simple is the issuing of knives with serrated edges for tough pizzas – why don’t other pizzerias do this?
The Salsiccia e Funghi topped with Italian sausage and mushroom is a delight although perhaps a minor quibble would be that a few more slices of the meaty sausage could have been sprinkled across the pizza. Naturally, being in Mayfair, La Caricatura are obliged to put some staggeringly expensive offers on the menu such as the Pizza Tartufina, topped with white truffle for around £100, or the Pizza alla Caricatura, topped with lobster, caviar and shallots, for around £150.
The DrinkThe red and white wine lists range from the agreeably priced to the astronomical, but the brambly-tasting Barbera d’Asti is bold and gratifying.
The Last WordLa Caricatura is a welcome and stylish Mayfair restaurant and a viable option for lunch or dinner that will not disappoint.
La Caricatura has been reviewed by 2 users