Stable Hearth, a pizzeria located on Duke Street in Darlington, has been recognized as the UK’s best pizzeria for the fifth consecutive year. The announcement came during an award ceremony in Leeds last week, where the restaurant won the title of Best Pizzeria in England for its traditional Neapolitan pizzas.
Owner Nicholas Thexton expressed gratitude to supporters, saying, “A big thank you to all that voted for us and more so because of all the support since we opened the restaurant. We don’t ever get used to winning; if anything, it makes us the ones to beat. We are pushing all the time to be the best in town.”
Nineteen pizzerias competed for the accolade at the Italian Awards, which also honored categories such as Best Chef, Best Restaurant, and Best Team. Nicholas and his wife Gemma founded Stable Hearth in 2013 at a pub in Gainford, County Durham, before moving to their current location in 2017.
Stable Hearth specializes in authentic pizzas, made with homemade dough that is proved on-site. The pizzas are cooked in just 90 seconds at 400°C in a pizza oven, using Italian and locally sourced ingredients.
The award process involves initial voting by diners, followed by an evaluation from judges who assess the shortlisted restaurants based on food quality and service.
Nicholas noted the restaurant’s recent performance, stating, “Business is generally busy. There were a couple of quieter months earlier in the mid-year, but generally, we are busy. We had a phenomenal weekend last weekend.” He also mentioned the rising costs in the hospitality industry, saying, “I have seen a difference in increasing prices and costs that we find every year, and staffing costs have gone up this year. The hospitality industry is a hard game to be in. I just hope we can keep on doing what we’re doing.”
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