Franco Manca Pizza in Bristol review

Posted on: 2017-12-07

Our rating:

You'll wonder whether you have been overpaying for years for larger American companies' pizzas, and if you suspect this then you are correct. Overall it appears Franco Manca could well do for pizzas in the UK what Byron have done for burgers.


For those of us who still remember when 'burger' meant McDonalds, Burger King or (God forbid) Wimpy, the fact that around five years ago burgers underwent a mass upgrade in seemingly every bar, pub or new takeaway was at first novel.

Real cheese, real gherkins, real meat, real bread (even brioche): we had all been fooled, we thought, this is the real deal. Cue burger eating competitions, prizes at the local for eating the largest burger in town, and barbecues morphing into festivals. In 2017, though, it seems as though the UK has truly mastered the art of making decent burger patties and adding everything in towering layers on top like greasy Towers of Pisas.

Proper Pizza in Bristol at Franco Manca

So a new trend has arrived, from the very same land where Pisa's tower just about stands – taking all those lingering memories of 'pizza' meaning Pizza Hut, and 'it's a special occasion, we're going out for pizza' inevitably leading to a trip to Pizza Express, then 'authenticating' the whole idea of pizza for UK diners. This is pizza, but real pizza in its authentic form, before Papa John stole the whole thing and Chicago pizza parlours started baking pizza in pans lined with spray-on sunflower oil and calling them 'pies'.

We had London's Pizza Pilgrims on Berwick Street, serving pizza they had learned to make while travelling in a camper van through Italy. They now have at least six units, selling Italy's most famous fast-food export all over central London.

But by far the largest new authentic pizza chain is Franco Manca, also from London. Started in 2008, they promise better flour, better tomatoes and mozzarella made by themselves every day. The business has spread rapidly and now covers a huge proportion of the South of England. Franco Manca is about as far from Pizza Hut Deep Pan and Papa John's as it is possible to get.

Pizza no.54 - Mozzarella, UK bred porchetta, fresh salsa verde, watercress and a touch of organic tomato.

We visited their new outlet in Bristol at 7pm on a Thursday – just before queues started building at the door. We were quickly seated and our orders taken – though it was clear staff were extremely busy dealing with the major interest Bristolians have in checking the latest London chain out.

My advice to anyone visiting Franco Manca is to try and hold back that urge to ask why your pizza is so thin and appears so light on toppings – it's clear that they are trying their very best to re-educate an English public reared on deep pan fry-ups with inches thick cheese that you shouldn't be doing things that way.

The surroundings (which I assume match every other outlet) are sparse. But again, the pizza experience which Franco Manca are doing so well is close to what Italian friends tell me it should be: Brits tend to sit with their cutlery and a giant pizza as a huge main course, chopping the thing into manageable pieces while the pizza slides all over the place, whereas pizza in its genuine form is street food eaten with your hands (folding, people) so the quicker you can get out of the place the better.

Another thing which might perplex new customers is the price tagged to each pizza – you'll wonder whether you have been overpaying for years for larger American companies' pizzas, and if you suspect this then you are correct. Overall it appears Franco Manca could well do for pizzas in the UK what Byron have done for burgers, which is a positive thing.

Franco Manca is located at 20 Clare St, Bristol BS1 1YG - it's at the bottom of Corn Street. Check them out online at www.francomanca.co.uk and keep up to date through their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. You can also buzz them on 0117 990 2110.

Normal opening times are : 

Monday to Thursday 11.30am until 11pm. 

Friday and Saturday 11.30am until 11.30pm.

Sunday 12 noon until 10pm.

The Franco Manca Bristol team



Article by:

Duncan Chisholm

Originally from Edinburgh I moved to Bristol 3 years ago from Glasgow! Love food, tunes, the Scottish Rugby team who are likely to smash all in their way at the upcoming 6 nations. I also write, lots.