Delicious vegan Neapolitan-style pizza (4/5 Green Stars)
Our…read moretrip to Sano Pizza was a bit of a blur in a rainy, boozy night but a memorable blur. I was thinking we wouldn't have time for a sit-down dinner but the pizza came out so fast that my concerns were allayed. Here's the complete, concise and abridged lowdown on Sano Pizza:
Sano Pizza was founded by twins Ray and Tony McHugh (former owners of Chez Jules, decades ago) who were inspired by a trip to Naples. They imported two traditional stone ovens from Naples that allows them to cook pizza in 1.5 minutes at 500 degrees (Celcius!). Sano's Neapolitan-style pizza is made from a sourdough that's fermented for 2 days - producing a crust that's soft and chewy (and more digestible). Service at Sano Pizza is efficient and friendly - they were especially accommodating as we were in a rush. As we were leaving there were a lot of people waiting for tables, so get there early!
I was impressed that there are two vegan pizza options. On the online menu there's one called Delizia d'Autunno (cream of pumpkin, mixed mushrooms, red semi-dried cherry tomato & truffle vegan mayo) but mine was different. It was simply called Vegan Pizza 2 on the menu, which didn't give me a lot of hope, to be honest. (The other pizza, revered online as the Delizia d'Autunno, was listed merely as Vegan Pizza 1.) But my pizza was fresh and delicious with lots of caramelized onions, fresh basil, courgette/zucchini, and - my fave part - potato! Let it be known that potato is a highly underrated pizza topping.
If I'd had more than twenty seconds to peruse the menu I would have also noticed that any pizza can be made with vegan cheese for no extra charge! Next time, I want to try the vegan version of the Mediterranean pizza (tomato sugo, vegan cheese, grilled peppers, mushrooms, courgette, and finished with basil pesto). They also do a vegan panna cotta for dessert - something I would try next time, as it's rare to find a plant-based version.
I'm giving Sano Pizza 4/5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact, based on the following:
* There are many vegetarian pizzas on the menu, which can also be made vegan (vegan cheese instead of mozzarella) at no extra charge. This is a really nice touch - vegans are often charged more for these substitutions, as the vegan ingredients often do cost a bit more. This way, there's no disincentive to picking the more sustainable and ethical choice. I've tried many vegan cheeses (and also eat regular cheese sometimes) and thought that the kind they used worked very well on my pizza.
* Also great to see that there were two dedicated vegan pizzas and even a vegan panna cotta for dessert.
* As far a meat goes, Sano Pizza avoids those with the largest environmental footprints (beef and lamb) and uses mainly pork products (ham, salami). Same deal with fish, choosing anchovies and tuna instead of the more destructive crustaceans like shrimp. (Clarification: destructive, high-impact fishing methods; the crustaceans themselves are not destructive!)
* Would be nice to see more beers on tap - draught beer, transported in reusable kegs has a much lower footprint compared to bottles or cans.
* On packaging, from an Irish Times review of delivery pizza from Sano: "The pizza boxes are made from recycled cardboard and most of the other takeaway containers are biodegradable."