Surely the world’s favourite takeout food is pizza, the comfort food supreme. But there’s a new take on this classic slice of cheese and tomato and it’s courtesy of a European success story.
Renowned in Romania for its delicious flavours and grab and go products, Maestro Pizza has landed in London, bringing the passion not only into the business but in the products it creates that will make you fall in love with their taste and will make you come back over and over again.
Nick and Denisa Tache already have a successful business in Romania, with seven pizza places in operation and three more due to open this year.
But living in London, the couple decided they wanted to break into the UK market and have opened their first premises in Kings Parade, Askew Road, Shepherds Bush.
Here are six reasons why you should try Maestro Pizzas –
Watch your food being prepared
Maestro opens at 11am daily and closes at 11pm Monday to Thursday and midnight from Friday to Sunday.
And as the store is open plan, you can watch your mouth-watering food being prepared by chefs in funky uniforms, which were designed, along with the interior by Denisa.
“You see the chefs cooking in front of you you get a chance to see exactly what they are doing, the ingredients they use, how they put them on the products,” said Nick. “This means customers have the safety factor – everything is fresh and done right – and also shares the magic of our kitchen with them.”
Since opening last month, Nick said they have had people travel up to two hours to enjoy what they offer. “It is heart-warming,” he said.
The unique flavour
Their motto is “The perfect taste” and the way they achieve that is threefold – the dough, the sauce and the oven.
Of course, the recipe is secret, but Maestro uses a special dough and sauces, sweet red, chilli and garlic, which all have a secret combination of condiments.
In addition, they use a woodfire oven. This enhances the taste of the dough and ingredients and the pizza chefs make sure the products are done right every single time. After they take the products out of the oven, the till girls check the products and give it the green light to be served.
“Each product needs to be perfect, each combination of ingredients needs to be spot on,” added Nick. “No product goes out to the customers unless it is absolutely superb, inside and out. The standards we are working on are out of this world.”
The buns
Maestro has a range of sandwiches and buns and pizza slices ready to go and one of its most popular products is the chicken bun.
“They are special because of the mix of ingredients: the bun is freshly made in our oven, the garlic sauce that goes on top compliments the whole sandwich and gives it the extra special taste,” said Nick.
“The ingredients are all high quality and all the sandwiches, buns and slices are served fresh. If they go under the right temperature, they get taken out and thrown away.
“The experience of eating one of the Maestro Buns is like having a very tasty full meal, a real taste adventure and most of our customers recommended as the best sandwich ever had.”
The pizza sandwiches
We all know eating pizza can be a messy affair, but the pizza sandwich removes that issue, by keeping the filling nicely inside. It is a double-sided pizza with either chicken, bacon or prosciutto.
“The sandwiches are brand new to London and we even have a sign on the window saying ” Try something like never before”,” said Nick. “London has never had our buns and pizza sandwiches.”
After years of travelling around Europe, trying all sorts of foods, Denisa decided to create a brand like no other.
“We decided a normal pizza is just not good enough and that everything can be improved,” said Nick. “We created our own recipes and patented products. Denisa thought she needed to create a pizza product that can be eaten anywhere without it getting messy.
Did I mention they also do frankfurter pretzels and salted chocolino, a dough pretzel with chocolate spread inside?
Choose from a whole pizza or just a slice
Full-size pizzas are made to order and will be made fresh and served to you in a matter of minutes.
However, if you wish to grab and go and only want a slice, then Maestro has you covered, with a selection of flavours and quality toppings.
“Although no one thought a “Grab & Go” concept could work, our success story has impressed and more and more such locations are opening up everywhere,” said Nick.
Take away, delivery or sit-in
“Our products are created for people on the go, food enthusiasts and all of you out there looking for the perfect taste,” said Nick.
After years of travelling around Europe, trying all sorts of foods, Denisa decided to create a brand like no other.
“We decided a normal pizza is just not good enough and that everything can be improved. We created our own recipes and patented products. Denisa thought she needs to create a pizza product that can be eaten anywhere without it getting messy.
“From our passion for food and for impeccable service, a brand was born that is today loved and tasted by thousands of people, every day in Romania.
“Maestro is much more than a business or a chain of pizzerias. For nearly 300 people (employed with the company), Maestro means home.
“The Maestro family represents hundreds of talented and passionate people who devote 100% of their time to their work to creating the perfect products that our clients love.”
Currently, the pizzeria is open for takeaway and deliveries – through Just Eat and Deliveroo, with Uber Eats to follow – but they have plans to expand and create a seated area for dining in.
For more details about Maestro Pizza, which is at 1 Kings Parade, Askew Road, Shepherds Bush, London W12 9BA, and its delicious menu, visit the website.