Recommended Eats: Yard Pizza in Purbrook delights customers with mammoth pizzas and unique flavours

Kevin Brassell opened Yard Pizza in Purbrook in 2022 as he looked to find a home for his new idea. The basis of the restaurant, and the name, is for groups to gather round the table and share a pizza, with the restaurant’s décor and staff providing a welcoming feeling, encouraging you to do so.

The main difference was that the idea wasn't to share individual pizzas but one mammoth one. Kevin said: “The idea was to create a pizza which was a yard long so that groups of people and families could sit round the table and try different toppings. It does measure a yard long so takes up the majority of the table.”

The Yard Pizza is recommended for around four to six adults but could also stretch to feeding a family of six to eight with the inclusion of some sides. There have been a number of people that have tried to tackle it with fewer though.

Kevin said: “We have had groups of two try it but its quite a lot to get through. One time two lads came in and did manage to get through it all. We have had others try it but they usually leave a lot of the crusts.”

As well as their signature dish they also do more standard 12 inch and 20 inch pizzas as well as a number of sides including chicken strips, garlic bread, as well as coleslaw and dips. Perusing the menu, alongside the traditional pizza toppings there are a number of unique creations that Kevin has come up with which are proving popular.

He said: “The honey chicken pizza has been a really popular one of ours, which has chicken, chorizo, red onion and a drizzle of chilli honey on top. We have some other different ones including The Ronnie, which is cheese burger kind of pizza.

“We also have a mac and cheese pizza which has gone down well, it’s topped with bacon so it gets nice and crispy. It’s quite indulgent with the pasta and pizza but its been a very popular one.”

There is a base menu which doesn't change, including classic favourites like pepperoni, but there are new ideas that pop up on the menu throughout the year. Kevin said: “It’s just been taken off but we also had a katsu curry pizza which I am sure will be making a return soon. Currently we have one which has got chilli con carne on with chilli, guacamole and sour cream drizzle on top, so we try and do things a little bit differently.

“I get the ideas from the food that I eat, and that friends and family eat. I try and think would that work on a pizza and how would it go, just to come up with different ideas. That's what we try and do, just have a bit of fun with our pizzas.”

While the original toppings are delicious, a good pizza lives and dies by the dough. Fortunately the base matches the ingenuity of the toppings with a crispy texture on the outside and soft on the inside.

The proof of which is in their customer base they have established since opening. Kevin said: “A lot of the local families come back again and again and we have a lot of parties in here, including exclusive use parties. It has gone down really well in the local area.” Orders can be made via the Yard Pizza website for either collection or delivery, with delivery free for a two mile radius. The restaurant can also be reached on 023 9431 0970.

Watch the video embedded in this article for the full interview.