ALFI Pizza and More

21 August 2026

Heritage meets delicious food in Old Spitalfields Market.

It’s quite the colourful attraction these days. Spitalfields Market throngs with shoppers looking for clothes with flair, jewellery with sparkle, art with impact – and food with flavour. ALFI offers pizza from its outdoor oven but there is more on the menu worth trying, too.

There has been a market on this site since 1638 when Charles I licensed the sale of meat and veg. It was then a rural area near London rather than being in the centre of it. The existing structure was built in 1887 to service a wholesale market. It was subsequently extended and now has office buildings added to the complex, although it still holds much of its traditional Victorian charm.

The first pizzas were simple affairs sold by the slice on the streets of Naples. It wasn’t available much outside the environs of that city and didn’t become internationally known till after the Second World War, when the returning GIs spread the word. As usual the UK followed suit and now there are pizza restaurants and kiosks all over the world. Yes, lots of choice – but all pizzas are not created equal. ALFI does it very well!

ALFI serves classic Italian food with a modern twist, such as its celebrated Neapolitan pizza and fresh pasta. It’s also a wine bar with a wine list of natural and biodynamic Italian wines. Quite unique. But we were here to showcase the venue and the food.

Old Spitalfields Market was buzzing. ALFI was attracting folks who wanted a break from the heat and the retail temptations. Plenty of seating here: tables for couples, areas for groups, banquettes, stools in any configuration. The bar area is impressive and tempting. We ordered a brace of cocktails, and they were very well crafted. No skimping here.

I love an exotic cocktail, so Lychee Sour was my obvious choice, and it didn’t disappoint. So many lychee cocktails are too sweet. This mix was well balanced with a citrus note that accentuated the perfumed fruit. My guest has developed a taste for mezcal after a recent trip to Mexico, so he was drawn to the Mezcal Old Fashioned. He pronounced this to be a smoky winner!

We started our lunch with the Antipasti plate of fennel salami, prosciutto and pickles. The portion was generous and served on classic enamel plates. A thoughtful, practical and stylish touch. And the staff here are professional, charming and fun.

Pizza and pasta are the core items at ALFI and a full exploration deserves a couple of visits, as there are lots of deliciously imaginative options along with some classics. I chose the punchy Diavola pizza with a topping of spicy calabrese salami, ’nduja, fresh tomato and mozzarella. The crust had the perfect char and the toppings were outstanding. This one is made for a spice lover, but that heat was offset by the sweetness of the fresh-tasting tomatoes.

My companion chose the pasta route, and his Carbonara bucatini was substantial. It didn’t look like a huge portion, but both the pasta and the sauce were so rich and hearty that any more would have been overkill. Bucatini is a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole through the middle. It made the ideal carrier for that very cheesy sauce.

ALFI has a great location but it’s both the food and the staff which will assure our return. I could happily devour the rest of the menu and perhaps enjoy some of their rather interesting wines, too.

Visit ALFI here https://www.alfi.ltd/