Justin Bieber once said, “Singers aren’t supposed to have dairy before a show, but we all know I’m a rule breaker… pizza is just so good.” Risking the chance of offending millions of young girls worldwide, I’m not too sure how much truth the first part of this famous, famous quote holds, as five minutes of research has uncovered that Kanye himself requested a large tub of yoghurt in all his dressing rooms. However the latter part is clear-cut truth, pizza is just SO good – and a visit to The Rickety Press will only increase your love for the incredible food.
The Oxford pizza scene is strong, with The White Rabbit dominating the field, and restaurants like Buongiorno e Buonasera popular too, yet The Rickety Press shines through. The menu is original, exciting and aesthetically attractive, as the wood fired pizzas are given innovative names like ‘Salami Get This Straight’, ‘Ham a Fun Guy’ and ‘Vegan Mary’.
Most importantly, they are completely delicious. I chose the ‘Mr. Melanzane’, a tomato based pizza with mozzarella, aubergine, basil, garlic oil and parmesan, and added an extra topping of Napoli salami. It was thin, crispy round the edges, satisfyingly slightly squishy in the centre, and it tasted like a real pizza should. The unevenness of the circle added character, proving the fast and fresh classically Italian way of serving. A last minute addition of rosemary salted chips to our order was really the cherry on the cake and have now replaced my obsession for sweet potato fries.
Alongside the pizza menu are a selection of burgers, with meat options like ‘Moo and Boo’ (beef patty, gorgonzola, pickled pears, bacon jam, tomato, lettuce and smoky mayo), but also vegetarian burgers, such as the ‘Mushroom Man’ (garlic and parsley fried field mushroom, basil pesto, coleslaw, pickled red onion and smoky mayo). A collection of baked goods are displayed on the bar too, from big piles of brownies to fresh, gooey cookies under glass cake stands.
The pub itself is in a slightly odd setting, set back in Jericho, surrounded by modern residential houses and frequented by older groups of diners too, but somehow this peculiarity adds to its charm. The inside is inviting; a mix of high, low and booth tables are placed round the bar, and a further seating area round the side offers larger tables which can be reserved.
If you have yet to discover this gem in Jericho’s already glittering crown, I urge you to do so; the staff are friendly, the setting unusual, the pizza incredible – and I do believe Justin Bieber himself would rate it highly.
