Good pizza, a few unexpected combinations and dips that you’ll inevitably end up scraping the last bits of with your crusts. Crust Bros in Waterloo has a menu that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s part of the appeal.
From a paneer curry pizza collaboration, to a Mexican-inspired number that took me straight back to Oaxaca, there’s plenty here to get stuck into.
I’ll admit, I wasn’t exactly arriving in the best condition. Having just finished a half marathon, I turned up absolutely starving, with aching legs and a fairly impressive limp. So, yes, I may have been slightly easier to please than usual. That said, there’s a difference between being hungry and eating somewhere genuinely good, and Crust Bros certainly delivered.
We started with the burrata and seasonal peaches, alongside heritage tomatoes, smoked almonds, pickled onions and fig vinaigrette. The peaches were lovely and juicy, and paired perfectly with the creamy burrata and sweet tomatoes.
The radicchio and Castelfranco salad was a good contrast, with bitter chicory, blood orange dressing, Parmesan and pink peppercorns. A simple combination, but one that worked particularly well. Both were good reminders that there’s more to the menu than pizza.
Then came the pizzas. First up was the special collaboration with Cinnamon Kitchen: a paneer curry pizza. It’s not necessarily a combination you’d expect to find on a pizza menu, but that’s what made it so interesting.
The flavours of Indian cooking worked surprisingly well with the pizza, and the paneer made a welcome change from the usual toppings. It could easily have felt like a gimmick, but it was genuinely delicious. I’d happily order it again.
The Calabrexican was another highlight. Tequila tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, ‘nduja, pepperoni and house-pickled jalapeños. It’s a fairly confident combination, but one that knows exactly what it’s doing. The spice, richness and little hit of acidity from the jalapeños brought me straight back to Oaxaca, drinking mezcal and eating tacos.
It’s funny how a pizza can take you somewhere else entirely, but this one did exactly that. Perhaps it was the tequila, perhaps it was the post-run hunger, but either way, I was sold.
We also ordered all the dips, because ordering pizza without trying the dips would feel like a missed opportunity. The romesco and hot honey were both good, but the lemon, garlic and herb was the one I kept going back to. Fresh, garlicky and just the right amount of sharpness. I suspect we could have ordered another portion and still found a use for it.
Despite having eaten enough to undo most of the good work from the morning’s run, there was still room for dessert. The homemade tiramisu was a very good decision.
Creamy, rich and finished with dark chocolate, it was exactly what I wanted. No unnecessary twists or attempts to reinvent a classic, just a really enjoyable tiramisu. A perfect end to the meal.
What I liked most about Crust Bros was that the menu felt fun. There’s room for the classics, but also a willingness to try something different without making a big song and dance about it.
The Cinnamon Kitchen collaboration and Calabrexican were probably my favourites, but the sharing plates and dips deserve a mention too.
Would I go back? Absolutely. Although next time I’ll probably leave the half marathon out of it. The food was more than good enough to stand on its own, and I’d quite like to enjoy it without having to lower myself into a chair like an elderly man.
Crust Bros Waterloo, 113 Waterloo Road, SE1 8UL