New restaurants seem to have been opening fairly regularly since *whispers* lockdown has eased, and Pizza Freak is one of the newer kids on the block.
Born back in 2020, they originally slung slices out of their Union Square kitchen in the Merrion Centre, but have since flown the nest, pitching up shop on Kirkstall Road around 4 weeks ago.
Owner Nick Julian of Simpatico Pizza, said that the restaurant was born out of a desire to provide Leeds with authentic NYC style pizza, with everything served being made in house, using only the very best ingredients such as the finest Italian 00 flour and malt.
It is a real ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ hole in the wall, with only a small sign of a skull with a mohawk of pizza slices to catch the eye. Inside, the restaurant is small, but floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light. There is a mixture of individual tables and window seating available, with the kitchen and counter overlooking the proceedings. Filament lightbulbs, exposed brick walls and skateboards adorning the walls give the space a New York loft feel.
We ventured down on a Saturday afternoon, and after initially being the only customers there, we were joined by a mix of couples and families, quickly filling up the small space. The menu is extensive, offering classic red and white pizzas, specials and Detroit pizzas – deep based and rectangular with a crunchy, cheesy frico crust – along with sides. Pizzas are available by the slice or whole pie.
Borne from my view that a pizza joint can easily be judged by its classics, we plumped for a Baby Bing – a Margherita style pizza with mozzarella and basil oil, whilst also opting to try the Detroit Red Top – a red based deep pan pizza with mozzarella, Cheddar and pecorino Romano, coupled with sides of naked fries and garlic knots.
Our garlic knots came first, and honestly, if you order nothing more from Pizza Freak, make it these. Crunchy on the outside, pillowy soft and airy on the inside, and doused in enough garlic butter to floor a vampire, they come with a little pot of marinara sauce to dunk, and are as close to crack as it is legal to get.
Pizzas and fries followed. My Baby Bing was so big that I had to utilise the chair next to me as a second table! The crust was perfectly thin, crispy and with just the right amount of fold. The Detroit Red Top tasted like something between a deep-dish pizza and a grilled cheese – unreal. The fries were piping hot and generously portioned, if a little salty. We chose to drink San Pellegrino, but there was a good range of other soft drinks, as well as beers in the fridge.
Other menu items which caught our eye were the ¡MADRE! pizza – grilled chorizo, Havarti cheese and mozzarella on a Salsa Verde base, the Vegan Garden Pizza – sun blush tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, olives, and the K Pop Hot Wings – 4 large sticky Korean chicken wings with ranch dip. A drizzle of hot honey can be added as a side, should you wish.
Service was warm and speedy, and we got to enjoy our meal to the juxtaposing background music of good old fashioned British radio. Overall, Pizza Freak was a great experience, and really does feel like a little slice (no pun intended) of NYC right in the middle of Kirkstall. They are open Wednesday – Monday until 10pm.
372 Kirkstall Road, LS4 2HQ, 0113 824 5977, https://www.pizzafreak.co.uk
Photography by Asli Champion.
