Pizza is one of those foods that everyone has an opinion on. Some like it thin and crispy, others prefer the thickness of a deep dish, and some even like it covered in pineapple…
It’s hard to think of something that hasn’t been done before, something novel and exciting. It’s tempting to venture into novelty: pizza loaded with fries, Nutella-based pizza, pizza with all sorts of bells and whistles on.
Stop right there. Rudy’s has the answer. Thin, Neapolitan pizzas cooked for just 60 seconds, served up for a tenner. And no, they do not do pasta. It’s good food done well. To be honest, I could end the article there, but I won’t.
There’s so much more under the surface of this simple idea. First opened in Ancoats in 2015, the brand has been expanding ever since. Rudy’s Didsbury is the fifth location in the city alone, with others popping up in Liverpool, Sheffield, and London. It’s clear why. When we visit on the third day of opening in Didsbury, it’s packed.
The restaurant itself looks like Pizza Express’ older, cooler cousin. There are marble tables, soft lighting and a buzzing atmosphere, as waiters swoop enormous pizzas past you. It’s a family-friendly venue, with bookings open till 8 pm, so I’d advise getting down early to guarantee a table (or counter seat, so you can watch the pizzaiolos hard at work).
We started with the Burrata accompanied by vine tomatoes, rocket, and the crustiest house-baked bread you could imagine. I’d also recommend the veggie Campana, an appealingly large spread of buffalo, peppers, artichokes, toasted almonds, olives, rocket, and – once again – that amazing house bread. It was a meal in itself, we drenched it in chilli olive oil until it became a pooling plate of gold and red. For drinks, we went cheap and cheerful with a delightfully crisp bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.
We didn’t have to wait long at Rudy’s for the main event. The pizzas. My companion promised she’d try something new, and then couldn’t help but order her usual. The Capricciosa came loaded with mouth-watering prosciutto on an ultra-thin base. The Neapolitan method used at Rudy’s means that every pizza’s dough is proved twice, and comes out of the oven, fluffy and authentic.
I tried one of the specials: homemade aubergine cream topped with fior di latte, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted aubergines, and chilis. It came sprawled over my plate, the dough light as air. The toppings and base were lovely, but the pizza suffered from the aubergine cream which was unfortunately not flavourful enough to carry it.
We finished with a tiramisu. If you’ve never tried dessert at Rudy’s, make sure you leave room for it. The tiramisu was creamy, indulgent and gorgeously layered. I’ll be popping back to try the rest of the desserts.
With a Manchester Winter almost upon us, we’ll all be missing the sun. Visit Rudy’s Didsbury for a taste of Naples not too far from home.
