It’s been around eight years since Rudy’s stole our hearts for the first time. Four since they expanded to Peter Street. And three since they took their beloved Neapolitan pizza nationwide. And now, Rudy’s is set to secure their reign over Manchester once and for all – by the looks of it, with a brand new pizzeria on Portland Street.
Early last year, the business submitted a licensing application to take over the site where the old Dawson’s music shop resided at on Portland Street. Now with work fully underway, this will be the third Manchester venue for the popular pizzeria.
Spanning over two floors, the property boasts a floor-to-ceiling glass front and benefits from a central location close to both Piccadilly Gardens and the Gay Village. In fact, the new location would only be a stone’s throw away from their second Manchester restaurant on Peter Street, too.
Better still, not only will there be a 120-cover pizzeria at the Portland Street venue but also a new pizza palace which will be home to Rudy’s first ever pizza school. Here, budding and brand new Pizzaioli can learn the signature Rudy’s way.
It is a widely known secret that Rudy’s dough is cooked in a Stefano Ferrara oven for just 60 seconds – resulting in a soft and light pizza with an airy and raised cornicione (the edge or rim of the pizza). Nevertheless, there is so much more in the art of perfecting the classic Neapolitan pizza. Rudy’s Fast-Track Pizzaiolo Programme combines both practical training, learning the theoretical aspects of a Neapolitan pizza and extensive knowledge of their ingredients.
The new location at Portland Street will also be the HQ for Rudy’s Bake at Home. Back soon by popular demand, Bake at Home is hand-made by Rudy’s pizzaiolos using the same fresh dough and Neapolitan ingredients used in the pizzeria, then blast chilled and vacuum packed with love and delivered straight to customer’s doorstep. Rudy’s Bake at Home will be available for nationwide delivery and will re-launch this spring.
Sharing news of the opening on their social media pages, Rudy’s gave a first look of the Portland Street site, captioning it: “We’re on site knocking down walls and arguing over where to put the THREE?! pizza ovens, on their way from Naples for this huuuuge pizzeria in the heart of Manchester.”
That’s right. Three pizza ovens. And of course, like every new Rudy’s opening there’s a free pizza with your name on it if you sign-up on their website here.
Rudy’s Pizza can currently be found at both 9 Cotton St, Ancoats, M4 5BF and Petersfield House, Peter St, M2 5QJ. The restaurant chain also operates in Sale, Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds, London and Stockton Heath.