Pizza fans, this one is for you.
2017 was a great year for the boys at Little Furnace – the wood-fired pizza pop-up that has been feeding the mouths of hungry scousers at various events for some years now. Maybe it’s because the pizza isn’t readily available on a daily basis or maybe it’s the fact the pizza is really awesome but they’ve built up a loyal cheesy-loving following and today announced they’ve just got the keys to their own place on Smithdown Road. We found this news out several hours ago and quite frankly, we’re still yet to calm down.
Little Furnace started when two local Liverpool lads (Ryan & Peter) met through the love of boss food. How else do people meet these days? They travelled to Sicily together and discovered amazing street food that looked effortless to prepare but incredible to taste. They decided to bring a slice, literally, of Italy home to them much to the delight of the many pizza lovers of Liverpool. They got the funds together and bought a small portable wood-fired oven and signed up to their first ever event at Granby Four Streets Market. Unbeknown to them, they sold out and worked non-stop. And they kept selling out.
They took the funds and purchased a larger oven which they named ‘Pappa Gambosa’. A mean fiery goblet that chews up dough, sauce and cheese and spits out something wonderful. When you make the pizzas by hand, no pizza is the same. The asymmetry is a sign of quality and the search to make the perfect pizza is the reason they keep going. The Little Furnace pizza, like all good things, is simple. A nice thin crust with cheetah like spots on the side, a delicious and robust tomato sauce and your choice of toppings. You don’t mess with a classic.
We caught up with the understandably excitable duo:
“Being a mobile caterer, as others will tell you, is really hard work. There’s a lot of times where we have been pushed to the limit and thought about throwing the towel in. Standing around on an empty field in the lashing down rain and freezing cold is not fun. However, working at local events like Africa Oye or LIMF, listening to great music and having a responsible shandy whilst working is the dream! The wonderful people from our great city have always supported us. We can now, with great pleasure, announce that we’re opening a shop on Smithdown Road in the near future. Which is the area where I (Ryan) grew up and is where Peter now lives. We’d like to thank everyone that has helped us get to this stage. We start the painting next week.”
The Little Furnace journey really is a great story about two best friends, against the odds, realising a dream and making it a reality in the city they love and an area dear to them both. We’ve had the pleasure of knowing both from the sidelines, they’ve been regulars at our festivals and two nicer guys couldn’t deserve this opportunity more. Who would have thought one little furnace could achieve such big things?
We’ll keep you updated with the opening, you get yourself ready for some pizza.