A popular Forest Hill-based pizzeria that has been open for around a decade has won its first national award this year.
Bona Pizzeria in Forest Hill was crowned the winner of Best Pizza in the Greater London category at the Deliveroo Awards 2024.
The restaurant was up against other pizza restaurants including Cacciari's in west London and Santa Maria in north and west London.
The restaurant was one of 11 across the whole of Greater London and six in south east London who received awards from categories running from Best Thai to Best Pizza.
This year, Deliveroo received 66,000 votes cast across the 60 awards that were up for grabs across the UK and Ireland, celebrating the best of independent restaurants.
Current owner Milan Kovacevich took over the business six years ago with business partner Lindsay Birkett, after “falling in love” with Neapolitan pizzas during a trip to Naples.
When asked to describe the restaurant, Mila described it as a "simple neighbourhood place" with a “relaxed atmosphere.”
The restaurant specialises in serving Neapolitan pizza, along with other classic Italian foods like tiramisu and eight different styles of garlic bread, including a plant-based option made with vegan cheese.
Some of the most popular pizzas on the menu according to Deliveroo include the newly added Pepperoni and Nduja pizza and the highly rated Calabrese pizza.
Milan employs a team of four chefs with the aim to create a “puffy and chewy” pizza with a “nice rise” inspired by his love of Italy.
Milan said: “We've just got the process down for making one thing really well. That's what we really want to do."
He added that the restaurant has earned a “massive regular customer base” of customers who return frequently.
The accolade marked the “first” award the restaurant has won on a national level, and Milan said that he and the team were “really proud” to have been named as this year's winner.
Milan told News Shopper: "The team were really proud, everyone's really proud to be involved in the restaurant and this has given everyone a massive buzz.
“It's a surprise, there's so many pizza places in London.
“So, to be picked out of all of those pizza places is a massive honour."
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