The hue of the door frames at Parking Pizza – not quite green, not quite grey: something you would expect to find in the spattered pattern of a commando military uniform with a name like ‘tent grey’. The dullness of it is uncharacteristic for a city in love with primary colours. The lamp that glows in the doorway is larger than an ostrich’s egg and the “tent grey” colour palette belies the true nature of it making it look like an upmarket secondhand shop rather than a pizza restaurant.
Which is what it is. The prettiest pizza shop in Barcelona. Each corner has its own subtle element. At the front, it is an antique glass mirror that doubles the vase of fuzzy yellow mimosas. In the open kitchen it is the red flowers that are painted on the scarf that is wrapped around the head of the female chef, mirroring the red of the enormous red steel wood fired pizza oven. We sit on a long carton reinforced carton box, the seat / lid of which comes off so that bags and coats can be stored away.
Parking Pizza has not been around for a long time – over a month I think? Regardless by 2 o’clock there is a small crowd outside, on a Saturday, for lunch on Carrer de Londres which is mostly dead on weekends. It just goes to show you – it doesn’t matter how crowded the restaurant market is here- a succinct concept, delicious and well executed will find fast fame.
They’ve managed to get the dough deliciously elastic at Parking Pizza Eixample, not too far removed from the kind I tried at Roberta’s in New York recently (and that’s saying a lot, I had to queue for over an hour for a bar seat to try that pizza). There are only a few pizza options – 5 maybe? And even fewer salads. We order a green salad, which has bits of broccoli, courgette & asparagus that have been flashed in the heat of the pizza oven and abundant shards of parmesan. I am with the kids and I acquiesce to their demands for brownie. “One to share between the three of you.” I insist. They must buy the brownie in, I see a large white box being open, a square being freshly cut out, dressed with a shower of cocoa powder and a scoop of smooth hazelnut ice cream in a small tin cup.
See this and more addresses by location on my Foodie in Barcelona Map or in alphabetical order on my Best Eats page.
Parking Pizza Eixample
C/ Londres 98
Eixample
www.parkingpizza.com
There is a second Parking Pizza and Parking Pita next to Arc de Triomf.
oh! That pizza seems delicious! I need to taste this restaurant soon
Yes Eva. And the staff are lovely and the space is great.
We are coming to Spain in May. Where is your restaurant. We are staying at the preciados hotel