Rare is it for a pizza popup to fit a venue so well. But sitting on the bustling tracks (Amhurst Road) in front of the outstretched palm of Hand of Glory pub, it just works.
I'm sure you've heard me sing the praises of this versatile bread disk till your back teeth ache. But what sets one apart from so many others? Two words: cinnabun doughballs. Ohh yes, pulsing bread-coins, heavy with almost molten cinnamon crumbs. Cream frosting - I mean, come ON - actual and undoubted bliss. Don't share; don't do that to yourself!
Having opened last week, Millie’s pop-up is still getting set up. An on-and-off-again corporate job (much hated) drained her creative spirit, yet working with Bad Boys Pizza Society and their ever-rising empire - "was just in NY with them, such nice boys" - spurred her on to do what we all (me included) envy: turning the side hustle into the main.
The menu is understandably small at first. Marinara for the vegans (a little plain). Margherita for the veggies (a little better). PEP and HOT PEP for the rest (now you're talking).
Despite sounding like motivational jargon, the billows of stracciatella like little cold clouds are just what is needed for the empty sky above us. Hot honey (whoever invented it should be knighted) battles the jalapeños and 'nduja to make a coalition of taste, threading and spreading across all surfaces.
Cheesy garlic bread looks more like the Georgian khachapuri – minus the egg, thinner and lighter than your average baguette bayonet. Order if you want more than a crisp but less than a full pie.
The PEP is just its hot cousin without the caliente but still manages to put a bounce in our steps - sling it at your friend whose palate hasn't changed since secondary school. Hunker over the little metal plates, dribbling cheese and trying to have an adult conversation; it will be a blast.
Yes, there could (and I am sure will) be more dippies, although the pesto green and garlic off-white work at a pinch. Did I mention the cinnabun doughballs? Oh wait, yes I did.
Carry the warmed bee juice into your drinkies with a sour or a raspberry marg to cool that hot mouth down. Sit roadside for bustle and gust, inside for quirky charm and vintage film box cabinet, or back garden for ramshackle club smoking area vibes.
An image that sticks is Millie peeking elfin over her shoulder while spinning strands of dough, chatting away to me. The hard work it takes to get a venture off the ground, and the tenacity and passion it takes to survive in the current stifling climate, is astounding. Yet people still dive in with a quizzical smile - God love them!
Make tracks (had to be done) and find yourself some glory on Amhurst Road. Millie will be your server, chef, social media manager, potential friend, and full-time boss – and I’m sure we all wish her a collective good luck.
Tracks Pizza
Hand of Glory in Hackney
240 Amhurst Road
Lower Clapton
E8 2BS
