An East Belfast pizza shop has reduced the 'UK’s number one food reviewer' to tears this past weekend, scoring a perfect ten out of ten.
Flout! Pizza, based in Portview Trade Centre, welcomed the Tik Tok-famous reviewer Food Review Club and his 600,000 followers last week.
Matt Davies-Binge, the face behind Food Review Club, explained that he has travelled to Northern Ireland with the soul intention of trying one of their famous slices.
Read more: Viral food reviewer raves about Belfast bar's "gorgeous" pints to 500k followers
Along with getting a perfect score, Food Review Club said the New York-style cheese pizza he tried rivalled Lucali’s, a Brooklyn joint considered by many as the best pizza in the world.
Owner Peter Thompson named the shop in a nod to his disregard for conventional pizza, and credits this brazenness for his success.
Peter said: “I honestly didn’t know what Food Review Club would think, knowing the power of social media, it was all a bit nerve wracking. Our pizza is distinctive because everything has been born and raised in East Belfast - the dough, the place, the ethos.
"And that is quite unique. You see pizza typically has rules, but I think rules are boring, and they promote a homogenous product. I don't want to make imported, cookie-cutter style pizza.
"Yes, I'll take inspiration from my favourite pizza shops in the US, after all it has some of the best pizza in the world, but ultimately, I want my pizza to be unique to Belfast."
Flout! might be open for just over a year, but Peter appears to have the secret sauce, and the magic dough, with his New York and New Haven-inspired pizzas rising to quick acclaim across the UK and Ireland.
"There’s no reason why the best pizza in the world can't be made in Belfast! We have access to amazing produce from suppliers right across the island, and access to amazing equipment, and a customer base that appreciates quality," he added.
Peter makes his own doughs, the piece de resistance for Food Review Club, who described his pizza dough as “spectacular” and “iconic” for its light and crispy texture.
Peter continued: “I believe pizza is the God of all foods, it's the most elemental cooking possible but the end result is one of life’s most pleasurable eating experiences.
"I mill my flour in the shop, and use that to create my organic, sourdough starter. That becomes our dough, which is enhanced with flours and grains sourced, grown and milled in the UK and Ireland. I often combine the dough with local produce to offer a product that has my thumbprint, and that Flout! distinction, all over it."
Peter, who had a 15-year, high-flying career in advertising, says he pursued his passion for pizza when he realised that we should live with no regrets.
He explained: “I'd previously bought a wood-fired pizza oven on Gumtree, and had fallen deeply for pizza. I actually always wanted to pursue my passion as a living but felt like I couldn't move away from the security of monthly salary.
"I wanted to take it very seriously if I ever started up. My wife became ill in 2019, and then as the pandemic took hold, I was made redundant. The two things happening together completely switched my focus, particularly as we had a young family to prioritise.
"I was no longer interested in pursuing a corporate career. I had a hobby Instagram account that over time had gotten decent attention, so with the time available to put some more focus on it, I quickly realised that I might have something."
For more information visit @flout.pizza on Instagram. To watch the Food Review Club’s full review, click here.
Where's your favourite pizza place? Let us know in the comments!
READ NEXT:
