story deli

You're on Cambridge Heath Road, that bit of Hackney where independent spots still outnumber chains, and you've found yourself in a room that's all exposed brick, good lighting, and the kind of warmth that comes from people who actually care about what they're serving. Story Deli does pizza the right way—proper Neapolitan bases with restraint on the toppings, the sort of place where the ingredients are left to speak for themselves rather than buried under unnecessary fuss. The crowd here is refreshingly unpretentious: locals grabbing lunch, groups of mates on a Friday night, the odd date that doesn't feel stiff. It's the kind of neighbourhood restaurant you stumble upon and immediately think, 'Why haven't I been coming here?'