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Civerinos earns a place on Time Out’s list of best pizzas in the world
- Sharon Wilson
- Mar 17
- 2 min read
Do you take your pizza seriously? Snap!
When Bite heard the news that you can taste one of the best pizzas in the world right here in Edinburgh, we sprung into action.
According to the foodies at Time Out, Civerinos serves up “some of the best slices you’ll ever shove down your gob” and has earned itself a place on their official list of the 19 best pizzas in the world.
The list makes for interesting reading. As expected, the number one place goes to a Naples hotspot, Pizzeria da Attilio, for their classic Margherita, which comprises San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte from Vico Equenese, and 24-month-aged parmesan topped with fresh basil.
More surprisingly, the number three spot goes to Pizza Marumo in Tokyo for its Japanese Umami Pizza, which features dried shiitake mushroom cream sauce, mozzarella, pecorino, mackerel, bonito flakes, kombu, green onions, sesame, and soy sauce on a 24-hour fermented dough base.
Mr Bite and I visited the Stockbridge parlour to check out placed number 13, where Civerinos lands in the curated Time Out list.
It’s busy. Even on a late Friday afternoon before the crowds hit, couples, families and school uniformed kids drop by for a slice.
Red and white gingham drapes cover tables, and glinting Mutti cans house rosemary breadsticks and cutlery; catering-sized cans are used as pizza perches. Triangular sports pennants, stickers, sopranos' homage pictures and memorabilia, stamp Civerinos with a 'Born in the USA' but with Italian heritage identity.
Mr Bite orders an eponymous Civerionos (double marinara, pepperoni, Italian style sausage, burrata, rosemary, black pepper, garlic oil) and says it is the best pizza he has had outside of Italy. It is outstanding.
It was the New Haven-style pizza that grabbed the food critics’ attention, though. Featuring a traditional thin, charred crust, the dough base uses 00 flour, the highest quality extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and pure Scottish water. It’s then proved for up to 72 hours before being hand-stretched and baked. I choose the one with anchovies, and it would feed four easily. Thank god for doggy bags, we say, as we also wonder about a fictional new start who gets the job of grating endless pecorino.
The soundtrack is hip hop, the staff wear baseball caps backwards - it’s not a staff uniform, just an attitude which fits with founder Michael Civerino’s twin loves, skateboarding and sneakers. A sign declaring "These are the good 'ol days" reminds one to enjoy the moment, and Civerinos is a great place to do so.
Pizza lovers can grab a slice of the action or share a 14” or 20” pizza with pals at any of Civerino’s five locations in Stockbridge, Forrest Road, Hunter Square and Portobello in Edinburgh, as well as in Glasgow’s Finnieston.
