Lost Boys Pizza differentiates from other London pizzerias in two ways. One, it adds charcoal to its dough for distinctively dark pizza crusts with earthy flavour. Two, it exhibits hardcore fanboy love for 80s vampire flick, The Lost Boys.
With a well established pizzeria in Archway, Lost Boys has launched a second site. This one’s in Camden near Mornington Crescent Station. Downstairs is a basement bar called Croque Monsieur. It’s an absinthe bar – not adhering to the movie theme but still rather vampire-y.
I dropped by the new Camden outlet for the press launch this week. Here are some thoughts.
As it was a press launch (and quite a crowded one at that), I didn’t get a chance simply to dine on a pizza of my choice but was offered slices of a variety of pizzas from the menu. I liked what I tasted. The Santa Carla – essentially the shop’s version of a Margherita with buffalo mozzarella, fresh tomato and fresh basil (£8.50) was particularly tasty. I liked the crisp crust and thought the charcoal added depth of flavour a slightly smoky notes.
Word is activated charcoal aids digestion while absorbing toxins and helping lower cholesterol. Nice.
A few slices in, I ventured downstairs to check out Croque Monsieur. I was impressed with the range of absinthes available and with the limited list of cocktails. I had the house Sazerac. Rich and potent, it just may turn out to be the standard for judging other cocktails this year. The bar is definitely worth a visit – whether you’re out for pizza or just a drink. That said, you should check for opening hours as they will be limited and I think only for a few days out of the week.
Back upstairs, I revelled in a bit of nostalgia scoping out The Lost Boys movie theme and taking in the “killer 80s playlist” piped through the dining area. I was 15 in 1987, when the film was released in US cinemas. I remember seeing it on the big screen and loving it. The southern California gothic style was ironic and stylishly presented. But more than the quality of the production it was the star studded teen cast (Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Keifer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Alex Winter …) that made the movie so memorable.
Time will tell if the dark forces of Lost Boys Pizza has the same staying power.
Lost Boys Pizza Camden and Croque Monsieur Absinthe Bar are located at 245 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BA. The original pizzeria is located in Archway. Find out more at lostboyspizza.com.
