Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana Portland Street

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor
Ian Jones

A trip to Rudy’s is always a treat, no matter where it is. And these days, you have plenty of choices – now this Portland Street branch has opened in May 2023, you can choose from no less than 17 Rudy’s all over the UK, including Peter Street and Didsbury.

Rudy’s Naples-style pizza is Don of pizza types

The secret to all this success? Rudy’s is all about Neapolitan pizza. No culinary relation to the tri-colour ice cream popular in the 1980s, this is pizza with a remarkably thin crust, with a higher, more airy rim around the edges. Long story short, it’s the Don of pizza types and people all over the world love it.

Rudy’s don’t deviate from the script when making the dough – theirs takes 24 hours to double ferment and a mere 60 seconds to cook (and even less to eat, in my case). This results in a soft, light, floppy pizza base that lends itself to being folded and chomped like the world’s greatest sandwich.

Traditionally, Naples-style pizza is all about tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, with a few basil leaves for luck, but happily for us, Rudy’s has a wealth of options, including multiple mouth-watering daily specials. One of which is a glorious match-up of gorgonzola, asparagus and nduja – plus some fio di latte cheese and crispy purple potatoes. It’s a great example of what Rudy’s can do – smart dishes that are all about the flavours.

The Salame is a winner for meat-eaters. It’s a more authentic and simple option, combining Rudy’s failsafe San Marzano tomatoes (grown in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius and then transported over), parmesan, salami from Naples, basil and olive oil, but no less delicious.

The starters are worth a look, particularly the veggie campana, which is a fine selection of meat-free antipasti bits and pieces. Expect vegetarian buffalo mozzarella, roasted peppers, artichokes, toasted almonds, mixed olives, wild rocket, oven-dried tomatoes, plus some freshly-made bread to mop it all up with.

There’s nothing to fault about Rudy’s. They know exactly what good pizza is all about, and do it well. The toppings are fresh and hearty, the combinations are inspired and the entire experience is a joy, from start to finish.

30 Portland StManchester M1 4GS View map
Telephone: 0161532 2922 Visit Now

What's on near Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana Portland Street

Until
ActivityManchester
Sí Manchester Daily Tour

Sí Manchester’s daily tour is a brilliant way to get an overview of the city with tours running in both English and Spanish.

free entry
A white, middle aged man with short brown hair and wearing a light blue shirt, sits at a round table by a window and against a white wall. He has his arms crossed on the table.
LiteratureManchester
David Nicholls at Central Library

Presented in partnership with the Centre for New Writing, Creative Manchester and Waterstones Deansgate, best-selling author David Nicholls is one of the trailblazers of this year’s Manchester Literature Festival.

from £10.00
Until
ComedyManchester
Killer Comedy Club

Killer Comedy Club showcases “the UK’s best upcoming and coming comedians” for a night of roof-raising laughs, with pop-up nights all across the North West.

from £12

Where to go near Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana Portland Street

Yuzu Manchester
Chinatown
Restaurant
Yuzu

Japanese restaurant Yuzu in Manchester is the kind of place that beckons you to return– we review it.

Manchester One
City Centre
Event venue
Manchester One

Formerly known as Portland Tower and previously St. Andrew’s House, Manchester One is a high-rise building in Manchester owned by Bruntwood and let out as office space.

hunan chinese restaurant manchester
Chinatown
Restaurant
Hunan Restaurant

Hunan, a Chinese restaurant in Manchester’s Chinatown, may be a bit off the beaten track – but it’s all the better for that.

Manchester
Restaurant
House of Fu Manchester

First Leeds, now Manchester. Expect picture perfect ramen, gyoza and cocktails at the upcoming restaurant and cocktail bar.

Manchester
Restaurant
Pho Manchester

Pho does a fine line in pho, the noodle soup that’s a staple of Vietnamese street cuisine.

Manchester
Shop
Siam Smiles

Now based at the Great Northern, Siam Smiles is a food stop that’s hot on everyone’s lips.

Chinatown
Restaurant
Red Chilli, Portland Street

Passionately adored by many Mancunian foodies (and the first Manchester restaurant in ages not to get a slating from notoriously picky Observer food critic Jay Rayner), this Szechuan restaurant rules the culinary roost from an unprepossessing basement on Portland Street.

Hotel Brooklyn
Manchester
Hotel
Hotel Brooklyn

Inspired by all things Brooklyn, Hotel Brooklyn is a brand new and gloriously stylish hotel on Manchester’s Portland Street.

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in Manchester and the North

Affecting contemporary performances and fresh, relevant takes on enduring classics, we pick out shows that help us scrutinise the world we live in.

Teenage Dads
Music in Manchester and the North

Fresh concert seasons, forward-thinking festivals and a revolving door of amazing gigs. Things are looking bright as spring comes into view.