by Kelly Wetherille

When it comes to pizza, Tokyoites are purists, evidenced by a huge boom over recent years in restaurants specializing (or claiming to specialize) in authentic Napoli style pizza. While many of these establishments are worth a visit in their own right, there are a few that stand above the rest. Savoy in Azabu Juban is one of these, and it’s been around longer than most as well, proving its popularity and staying power in a notoriously finicky market.

Savoy is a tiny little hole-in-the-wall place overlooking Azabu Juban’s main shopping street—at full capacity it would only serve about a dozen diners. The menu, too, is small, but the idea here is that the staff do one thing, and do it well—pure, simple and delicious Italian pizza. There are only two flavors of pizza on the menu, and neither contains any meat, so those looking for a pie loaded with pepperoni and sausage should look elsewhere. But even the most die-hard meat lovers will appreciate the tasty simplicity of Savoy’s margherita and marinara pizzas. The former is the classic mozzarella and fresh basil concoction, and the latter consists of fresh garlic and oregano (no cheese here). Each is priced at ¥1,575 for an individually-sized pie, but there is also an excellent-value lunch set for only ¥1,000 that includes a small salad, a choice of pizza, and an espresso.

In addition to the two varieties of pizza, Savoy’s menu includes a variety of appetizers and a very reasonably-priced wine list. Most bottles are under ¥4,000, with just a few higher-end vintages costing more. So for some fine food and wine, two people can easily come away spending  just a few thousand yen each, an excellent value for the neighborhood. Just don’t expect fancy decor or world-class service.

Open daily for lunch
(11:30am–3pm)and dinner (6–10:30pm)
2F, 3-10-1 Moto Azabu, Minato-ku
Tel: 03-5770-7899
www.savoy.vc

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