I started writing a piece about my highlights of 2024, but it got so long, convoluted and plain boring I decided to scrap it and write about pizza instead.

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I’m a gluten-free Coeliac and have been for many years, and often that limits choice, so when I find a good GF pizza, it’s a rare and exciting thing. These are some memorable pizza meals with my wife Sacha:

Aosta

We first visited the Aosta valley north of Turin 10 years ago on our honeymoon. We’ve been a few more times since for the UTMB week, including this last visit. BTW I ran the inaugural UTMB ETC race in Chamonix in 2021. I realised after that race how difficult it is for us UK folks who live at sea level and run on low hills to train properly for a mountain race – to the point where I wonder if it’s worth it.

Aosta is a fantastic town with views of alpine mountains all around. I would love to live around there.

Anyway, this place did an amazing thick, luxuriant pizza, so we kept going back. I often think of that pizza – during a hard work day, at the end of a tiring (but beautiful) day with Baby Violet, etc. The desire to treat yourself.

Bergamo

We had one last Italian pre-baby holiday fling last July and flew to Bergamo, outside of Milan. We both increasingly love Italy. I often dream of living out the rest of my life in a small villa in a hillside Italian town, growing my own fruit and vegetables. 

On our first night, we found a popular and busy restaurant that did GF pizza. The pizza was so large and cheesy that we both felt strange and trippy afterwards from eating it.

Brighton

This place in the pic above is right near where we live. The kind waitress asked me whilst I was eating it if I’d had any coeliac reaction yet – I pointed to the loo and said she would be the first to know.

Shoreham

Shoreham Beach near Brighton has a great place for pizza. Sometimes on bike rides, especially if it’s hot, I order one and sit on the beach to eat it. The light is amazing. Paradise.

I keep trying to talk Sacha into moving to Shore-Bados, as my friend Sam calls it

Melbourne, Australia

Oh wow, we had such a great time in Melbourne, Jan 2020, just weeks before Covid changed our lives. This was a farewell pizza near our friend and host Arti’s place, with her friends and daughter Ayla in attendance. I would like to live in Melbourne.

London, Soho

I’m not sure if this place is still there as I haven’t been able to find it since going 4 years ago. It’s off Wardour St somewhere. It was kind of run down and had a mirror ball and an interesting old Soho clientele. Great pizza too. The other week I discussed with a manager at work about transferring to a London store as I miss living there a lot. 

Nice

In December 2023, we flew to Nice for a winter getaway. We ran around in t-shirts and shorts in the day and shivered at night. This place is in the old town. I’ve been to Nice so many times. I love it and would like to live there one day.

Kalamaria

Ever been to Kalamaria near Thessaloniki, Greece? It’s quite an experience – older folks living their best lives in cafes and markets, great food, and incredible ancient history everywhere. Honestly, I could move and live there tomorrow.