Trendy Neapolitan pizza chain pushes into Scotland and unveils Edinburgh opening date

“From our very first pilgrimage to Italy in 2012, the team has constantly strived to raise the bar and retain our position as pizza pioneers” – Co-founder Thom Elliot

A restaurant chain promising authentic Neapolitan pizzas is pushing into Scotland with a planned opening in Edinburgh before the end of the year.

Pizza Pilgrims was founded in 2012 by brothers Thom and James Elliot, who quit their jobs to embark on a six-week “pilgrimage” travelling the length of Italy in a three-wheel Piaggio Ape van to discover the best pizzas in the country. Since selling their first pizza from the back of a van in London’s Soho, the business has expanded and comprises 22 pizzerias south of the Border.

The firm said that a further four sites were scheduled to open during 2024, including its Scottish debut in Edinburgh by December and a push into Wales, with a branch due to open in Cardiff this summer. Bosses said that with minimal debt, the group’s expansion was almost entirely self-funded from free cash flow. Each new site creates 15 to 25 jobs.

Pizza Pilgrims was founded in 2012 and now comprises 22 pizzerias.

New openings tend to be evenly split in and outside London, with a key strength at transport hubs such as railway stations, metropolitan districts and “vibrant” university towns and cities.

Co-founder Thom Elliot said: “From our very first pilgrimage to Italy in 2012, the team has constantly strived to raise the bar and retain our position as pizza pioneers, sourcing the very best ingredients, pushing boundaries and obsessing about the happiness of our teams and our customers.

“We have always strived to grow at the right pace, and we remain focused on building a sustainable business for the long-term which will continue to delight customers and support our teams for decades to come. This year will see four new openings, including our inaugural pizzerias in Scotland and Wales, as we continue to demonstrate that sustainable growth remains an output of running a great business, rather than our sole focus. We continue to love the journey and look forward to bringing our team’s legendary Neapolitan hospitality to our growing band of Pilgrims in new cities up and down the land.”

In the year ended June 25, 2023, revenue leapt 37 per cent to a record £28.7 million and pre-tax profit more than doubled to £700,000.