Hereford’s Leaven Pizza Honored as UK’s Leading Independent Pizzeria

A restaurant that commenced operations during the Covid-19 lockdown has been designated the UK’s premier independent pizza establishment. Leaven Pizza in Hereford, co-owned by Edwin Kirk, received this distinction at the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association (PAPA) Awards ceremony held in London on Monday. Speaking to BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester, Mr. Kirk stated that securing the award provided them with “credit and kudos,” even though the business has only been operational for four years. He remarked, “It makes everyone realize that actually someone’s checked what you’re doing and it is good, which means other people are more likely to come.” Mr. Kirk added, “When we tell people that we’re good it’s very different to winning an award where other people think you’re good.” Leaven Pizza’s origins trace back to the Covid-19 lockdown period, when its team operated a weekend pop-up eatery at the Yard in Hereford. During this time, they manually prepared their dough and baked it in a pizza oven that had been donated. He explained, “We just felt that Hereford needed a restaurant for great pizza. There was no independent pizza in Hereford at the time really.” The popularity of their sourdough pizza subsequently increased, leading the restaurant to relocate to its permanent premises on Broad Street. Mr. Kirk affirmed, “Even though we’ve moved, we’ve kept the same quality and use the same ingredients and we have an amazing team.” The PAPA Awards program acknowledges both small independent eateries and large national chains specializing in Italian food and products. As part of the judging process, undisclosed evaluators visited the restaurant to sample Leaven’s pizza and assess the ambiance prior to determining their selection for the top honor. Mr. Kirk elaborated, “Judges will often do a secret shop, look at what your customers are saying to make sure that people think you’re a good place.” Further information and updates from BBC Hereford & Worcester are available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. This article is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.