When I first heard that Rudy’s Pizza was coming to Cambridge, I had mixed feelings.

My initial thought was that we really didn’t need yet another chain in the city centre, especially one serving pizza. However, for the sake of fairness, I decided to give it a chance, particularly as it seemed to be receiving positive praise in the Cambridge Foodies community.

Located on St Andrew’s Street, it is only a stone’s throw away from its direct competitor – Pizza Pilgrims – so I was keen to see how the two compared.

Rudy-mentry interior

The restaurant is much larger than it appears from the outside, extending quite far back. There is an open-plan kitchen where they bake their authentic Neapolitan pizzas, which adds a reassuring level of hygiene while also giving the space a lively and bustling atmosphere.

The interior, however, leaves a little to be desired. It’s a rather basic mix of London industrial aesthetics with a touch of old Italian storage room intends to give it an authentic rustic charm but didn’t really do it for me. Untreated wood covers much of the surroundings, along with numerous blackboards listing the day’s specials.

The menu here is streamlined and concise, focusing primarily on pizzas and salads. I noted a few decent beers on draught, though their price (£7) reflected the unfortunate reality of costs in central Cambridge. Pizzas hovered around the £16 mark, which places Rudy’s firmly within the average price bracket for both the city centre. For those wanting to make their pizza more indulgent, a burrata can be added for an extra £3.50.

What makes their pizzas stand out?

Rudy’s prides itself on being accredited by the Association of True Neapolitan Pizza (AVPN). Their dough is made fresh every day using ’00 Caputo flour’ to ensure a softer texture and a good rise. It is then double-fermented over 24 hours to achieve a more robust and complex flavour profile.

In addition, they use ‘fior di latte’ cheese, which is made from cow’s milk rather than buffalo milk, offering a smoother feel and a tangy flavour. Everything, including their core ingredients and cooking technique, is sourced straight from Naples. Pizzas are blasted for just 60 seconds in their hand-made Neapolitan pizza oven.

This is impressive stuff indeed, but how does all this technical rigour translate to the plate? Does going to these extreme lengths really make a difference? Let’s find out!

The Triple Pepperoni

A good way to test any pizza joint is with a classic pepperoni. Rudy’s version comes with San Marzano tomatoes, the pre-mentioned ‘fior di latte’ cheese, Grana Padano, Napoli, British and Calabrian pepperoni, Stracciatella (the creamy heart of burrata), and a drizzle of chilli honey.

The quality of the pepperoni was really something else, with each variety having a notable and distinct flavour. The Stracciatella added a delightful creaminess, giving the pizza a refreshing, soft texture.

The base was light, thin, and almost pancake-like, offering an airy and crispy crunch. Remarkably, the cheese layer was at least three times thicker than the base itself, yet the dough still held enough flavour to stand out from all the other ingredients. This was an excellent pizza!

Cal-Italia

As it was my first time at Rudy’s, I also decided to order one of their signature pizzas to get a better idea of what they are truly about.

​I chose the ‘Cal-Italia’, which claims to be a Gold Medal winner at the International Pizza Champion Challenge and was created by 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani. It is made with ‘fior di latte’, DOP Gorgonzola, Asiago cheese, and Emilia-Romagna prosciutto, finished off with fig jam, a Campanian balsamic reduction, and Grana Padano shavings.

Visually, this pizza didn’t look as indulgent as the Triple Pepperoni, but it was aiming for something entirely different. The fig jam was the real differentiator in the flavour profile, offering a surprising sweetness that beautifully cut through the richness. The Emilia-Romagna prosciutto, a type of dry-cured ham, stole the show, offering a soft body and a salty pop.

Both pizzas were equally great and brilliant in their own distinct ways.

An unlikely hero

As previously mentioned, the pizza bases at Rudy’s are light and crisp, but you are naturally left with a substantial leftover crust. With this in mind, I ordered a side of n’duja dip to accompany my crusts, and boy, am I glad I did. This dip absolutely rocked my socks off! It has a thick, creamy texture, a fiery kick, and a potent, porky flavour that made the crusts as exciting as eating the main base. I highly recommend ordering some for anyone thinking of visiting.

Tiramisu

I ended the evening with a humble yet pleasant tiramisu that hit all the right notes. It was nothing overly exciting but was also a balanced and appropriate portion to end the night on. It set out exactly what it intended to do.

Ruddy-good!

Rudy’s defies the chain stigma. This is not merely another generic outlet, but a serious contender for one of the best Neapolitan pizzas in the Cambridge city centre. With spectacular, award-winning food – backed by a friendly, energetic team – in my opinion, Rudy’s easily eclipses its direct rival, Pizza Pilgrims. While the interior is basic, the flavours are beautiful, and their n’duja dip is nothing short of a glorious. Forget any mixed feelings I previously had about visiting – Rudy’s is a superb, necessary addition to the city, setting a high standard for authentic pizza in the area.