Dhir and Lyle want a pizza West End action

@pizza is the coming together of a set of bold ideas to challenge the fast-food pizza market by introducing an exciting new counter-serve casual dining experience to the Capital’s food scene.

Founders Bhasker Dhir and Rupert Lyle spent months crafting recipes for @pizza’s two dough bases.

Both slow-proved for 48 hours on the premises, one is a sourdough and the other, made with ancient grain flour, has a lower gluten content.

Lyle explains, “The concept has been designed to be simple, replicable and future proof.

“Our vision is to change the way people eat pizza by changing the way it is served,” he says.

Sourcing ingredients from Scotland and beyond, the pair have ensured every topping has a fully traceable provenance.

There’s mozzarella from East Lothian, a tomato sauce made in Parma from local tomatoes, a bespoke Italian sausage created so it curls beautifully when cooked, their own-recipe meatballs and many, many more ingredients to tempt.

Dhir adds, “The essence of Italian cooking, in fact any cooking, is great ingredients and this has been the basis of our development.

“We set out to create the best pizza possible, not just once, but every time. I’ve been making pizza at home since I was 15 and have only really eaten pizza better on one to two occasions.

“Shortly after we opened I made pizza at home and my wife had to admit she preferred @pizza.

“Rather disappointing for me, but it proved we had got it right.”

@pizza, Charlotte Lane, Sunday–Thursday, noon–10pm, Friday and Saturday, noon-11pm, 0131-285 5940