We asked readers where their favourite independent pizza places are in the area - and this is what you told us.
The Dorset Echo launched the search for non-chain pizzerias offering the tastiest food in our part of Dorset and the winning businesses won overwhelmingly.
Voted the favourite was Dorset Wood Fired Pizza, which takes a mobile wood fired oven to Chickerell and Preston in Weymouth. Coming a close second was Piccolo Fiore at Poundbury.
Dorset Wood Fired Pizza is run by the Barker family, who decided they needed a new challenge in 2015.
One happy customer said: ‘They do amazing Neapolitan-style pizzas with the best ingredients. It’s a cool little family business.’ Their pop-up pizza evenings in different locations have helped people get through lockdown at a time when restaurants are closed.
Dan Barker of Wood Fired started working at Michelangelo’s Pizza & Pasta Restaurant in Preston back in the 90s.
Dan Barker
He said: “To this day the most enjoyable job I’ve ever had and I guess it was the inspiration to start Dorset Wood Fired Pizza, they always say you should do what you love.
“It started as an experiment really but soon took off. Since then we have been making pizza at weddings, private events, small festivals and have enjoyed several great summer seasons cooking at campsites such as Higher Moor Farm and Norden Farm.
“We are a proper family business and have had three generations of an extended family helping us out at some point or another. For now though it’s just myself, my wife and eldest son Sam (taking a year out of uni).”
When the first lockdown happened in March 2020, Dan said the family had to find a way to keep the business afloat over the winter.
Ham and mushroom pizza from Dorset Wood-Fired Pizza
“We started doing pop up pizza in Weymouth. So far we’ve had a great response and whilst restrictions allow we hope to continue doing pop ups as long as possible.
One of Dorset Wood Fired Pizza's Pop-Up Pizza Evenings
“When people ask what makes the difference between good pizzas and great pizzas, for me it’s a combination of a lot of small details. “Great ingredients and traditional methods are the basis we use but at every stage we care about the details. When you put passion into something you make, it shows and definitely makes the difference.”
Wood Fired Pizza's pizza oven
Dorset Wood Fired Pizza posts details about its pop-up evenings on its Facebook page, which can be found by searching for’Dorset Wood Fired Pizza’. It is currently at Willowbed Hall Chickerell every Friday and Preston Village Hall every Saturday from 4pm to 8pm.
It is also launching a new online pre-order system which can be found at the website dorsetpizza.com
Also proving popular was Piccolo Fiore, which is just off Challacombe Square in Poundbury.
Husband-and-wife team Susan and Pepo have kept the business open during lockdown to provide food for those in and around Poundbury and beyond.
They took on Piccolo Fiore as an Italian restaurant and takeaway in September 2017.
Pizza from Piccolo Fiore
Susan said: “We’re overjoyed to be recognised as one of the best places for pizza. Covid hasn’t beaten us.
"We’ve been offering takeaways, mainly pizza and a few pasta meals.
“Our pizzas are all fresh and handmade to order. As we have found with our menu, our pizzas are also based on what customers like best.
Pizza from Piccolo Fiore
"We have on our menu traditional, authentic Italian flavours and for those who like to try new things we have other toppings and combinations that are enjoyed by many.
"We are really so grateful to all who venture out to support us here at Piccolo and keep us going enjoying our pizzas."
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