Slizza Pizza
More pizza in Cardiff? Might be the first response to this piece. It’s true, there are a plethora of pizza options in the city, and more specifically in Canton. But trust me on this: Slizza Pizza & Pub offer something different.
Slizza is a family run, independent business, co-owned by two brothers who are originally from Canton: John and David Beard. David was previously the Operations Manager at The Grazing Shed, before being unfortunately furloughed during the pandemic. But during this uncertain period he had an idea that he wanted to experiment with: beer dough pizza.
The brothers purchased a pizza oven and started working on the product in their flat, then opened Slizza 3-years ago, operating out of the back of a pub and on delivery platforms such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
As of May 1st 2023, they have their very own bricks and mortar venue on Llandaff Road - opposite the flat they made their first pizza in!
Slizza are also operating from Flowerhorn Brewery, Crafty Devil, and The Butchers Arms across the road, where a QR code can be scanned at a table. Once the pizza has been ordered, it is then prepared and delivered to you at the site you are occupying.
The kitchen space at the back of their venue has been converted from a single garage, where they are still using the same oven David purchased to make their first pizza. A new oven is however, currently on it’s way over from Sweden.
They’ve been so busy since opening that they haven’t found time to fully renovate the pub to their exacting standards, or attend events at festivals as planned. Thankfully, David is equipped for the fast paced environment after working at Serpentine in Hyde Park, where he once served 750 pizzas in a single day.
Like many others, you may be wondering: how is ‘Slizza’ actually pronounced? They even regularly receive calls from customers who solely want to enquire about this. The correct answer? ‘Slyz-a’. As in, slice-a-pizza. And now I feel foolish, because all this time I’ve been calling it sleeze-a. But the brothers don’t mind, it’s a talking point after all.
A community vibe is apparent throughout the place: a gent sat at the bar with his dog sipping a pint and chatting with staff, a young couple groaning when they realise that they missed the open mic night (every Wednesday), families sat in the back garden enjoying the warm weather and a pizza, a pub quiz every Tuesday, several patrons arriving through the back gate and waiting outside the kitchen to collect the food they have ordered. It’s all communal, laidback, and friendly.
Which reminds me, if you wish to order a pizza from here, do so directly from their website. This avoids Slizza being hit by a delivery charge of up to 40% on the big platforms.
Some of the pizzas on offer can certainly be described as interesting - Italians may want to look away now. The ‘B12 - Love it or love it’ is a Marmite pizza, and the ‘1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 - Fibonacci-want sum pizza?’ is topped with beef bolognese.
When the start of Oktoberfest rolls around in a few weeks (17th of September), they will be offering a currywurst pizza.
But don’t worry, if eclectic ingredients toppings aren’t to your taste, there are plenty of classics available too.
On my first trip, I opted for a 12” ‘833 - Honey are you kidding?’ Or to put it simply: a beer dough pizza base, tomato and basil sauce, topped with goats cheese, pepperoni, picante, and hot honey.
This beer dough took the brothers a year to perfect - and the proof is in the pudding. Flowerhorn Brewery’s ‘Yawn’ pale ale is mixed with yeast, and proofed for up to 72-hours, resulting in a slightly thick dough that has an addictively chewy crust.
The topping is oozing with mozzarella, cheddar, and goats cheese. The final touches of blackened charred spots cover the surface where the product has been torched.
Thankfully we shared this pizza between two, because several slices later, the sweet and rich combination of hot honey and goats cheese was in danger of becoming slightly sickly.
A side of V cut chips dressed with truffle oil and dusted with parmesan, alongside a pot of homemade garlic mayo completed this thouroughly enjoyable meal.
I usually believe that when it comes to pizza toppings, less is more, the key is in the simplicity. Neapolitan style is the way forward: a tomato base, some buffalo mozzarella, and fresh basil is all required to please me.
However, I went against this theory on my second visit a week later and ordered something more ‘out there’. Feel free to berate me in the comments. I chose the ‘Five-O Aloha Hawaii’.
Hawaii? Yep, you guessed it. This was an nduja and pineapple pizza.
You can cast your stones, soak me with holy water, and make me set upon a walk of atonement down the Spanish steps. I know it isn’t traditional, but I’m not against pineapple on a pizza. The sweetness of it worked well with the blobs of spicy nduja sausage spread.
When I sat down with David prior to eating this pizza, his eyes seemed to light up as he told me with passion about the sauces they make in house, and more specifically their hot sauce. This is something they plan on bottling up and selling.
It sure is firey hot, enough to make my nose stream. But it’s not one of those sauces that’s hot for the sake for being hot. The kind that ‘men’ eat to prove they can handle it and attempt to grow hairs on their chest. There’s a real whack of fresh and tangy tomato running through.
Slizza are doing some great things and being run by great people. They’re working hard at putting on events at the pub, meaning their vision to create a communal space is one that has come to fruition and will only develop further.
Their pizzas are diverse and delicious. I encourage you to try them, and keep an eye on their plans because these brothers from Cantons have got some exciting ideas lined up.