The sear-ch for Glasgow’s best pizza continues…
A few months ago we found ourselves in a conversation where friends were banging on about Sear’s Pizza on Chancellor Street in the west end but we were the only ones who hadn’t been, and then we saw that one was opening closer to us so we held off, waited for them to bed in a bit and then paid a visit to their new location on Skirving Street in Shawlands.
Sear’s Pizza actually have three outlets now, the two in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh but confusingly their website has two separate menus, one for Glasgow and one for Edinburgh even though they both appear to be identical except the Glasgow oner is in portrait orientation and the Edinburgh is landscape. We can only conclude that weegies use their phone to peruse the menu while folk from the capital prefer a laptop.
With its neon lighting and artistic signage the exterior or Sear’s Pizzas had a certain charm, while inside it’s a bit similar to West Side Tavern (which coincidentally is just around the corner from their west end) i.e. New-York-ish. It’s a small place with limited seating, mostly stools and a counter top, with only two tables proper, each by the window, either side of the door. Timing is critical if you want a decent seat, or you could just take away.
Menu at Sear’s Pizza, Shawlands
On special was: ‘Vodka, pepperoni & sausage’ at £4.50 per slice, so that meant that two of the pizzas included vodka as an ingredient for some reason. I guess it’s better than pineapple.
Review of Sear’s Pizza Glasgow
We are pizza fans but prefer Neapolitan and Roman styles to New York. We did eat pizza in two different places in Brooklyn when we visited New York and our conclusion was that New York pizza is essentially dry and floppy.
Ordering and payment (card only) is at the counter, with all the pizzas laid out underneath the glass counter.
They don’t sell any fries or sides, but I’m fine with that. A entire 18 inch pizza can be ordered (£16-22) or a slice (£2-4.50) which is 1/8th of a pie, while two slices and a drink can be had for £7.90 (buffalo chicken and specials have a supplement) so I opted for that, I asked for a Sear’s Slice (vodka sauce, fresh mozzarella, pesto) and a Buffalo chicken (Sear’s buffalo chicken, buffalo base, mozzarella, ranch) but was told I’d need to wait so I just took a slice of the Mushroom pizza instead (mushroom, scamoza, mozzarella, truffle oil on a white base).
I then paid, took my two slices, filled up my cup from the self-serve drinks machine and sat down (there was no offer to re-heat the slices). I was then joined by my friend, who was just behind me in the queue, who had a fresh buffalo chicken slice. Slightly confused, it transpired that the new pizza appeared as if by magic, just as I was sitting down. I mean, I know she said I’d need to wait but if she said I only had to wait as minute I’d have held off…anyway here’s the pizza, it looks a bit funny due to the glow from the neon light in the window.
Both slices were lukewarm and a bit…rubbery. The mushroom pizza should really be called the Truffle pizza because that’s all it smelled and tasted of, I enjoyed the Sear’s slice more, but it should also probably be called the Pesto slice as that was the dominant aroma and flavour but was I supposed to detect the vodka?
Verdict
The pizza is fine but the flavours are one dimensional, i.e. truffle, pesto, and pepperoni rather than a blend of different flavours…some people claim that New York style pizza is the best but like with previous experiences, the key words I’d use to describe the pizza here are flaccid and rubbery (insert penis joke here). At least this wasn’t as dry as the pizzas we had in NYC, which was probably a ruse to buy more drink but a selection of dips are available here for £1.50 each.
I don’t hate Sear’s Pizza but I likely won’t rush back, I’d rather go to Paesano or Nonna Said but your mileage may vary and perhaps on a Friday and Saturday night there will be a faster turnaround of fresh pizza and a better taste experience, though less seating of course (we visited on a Tuesday when there was a steady stream of customers but it wasn’t busy). Also, two slices isn’t enough so I had quite a bit more to eat when I got home so I’d recommend three minimum. I forgot to check if there was a toilet – there was an unmarked door at the back.
TL;DR
+ Better waiting times should be advised
+ Quick service
+ Sit in or take away
– Limited seating
– Card only
– Pizza a bit rubbery and one-dimensional
Where is Sear’s Pizza in Shawlands?
Sears Pizza, 5 Skirving Street, Shawlands, Glasgow
Author: Glasgow Foodie
Writes for here and Foodie Explorers website. Usually found napping.