The Search For The Perfect Pizza Is Over.

For those of you that may not already know, I live in an area of the North East named Washington. Washington Village is a beautiful little area steeped in history and in recent years has really upped its game in terms of bringing a little bit of café culture to this part of the world.
The picturesque greens and churches have always made the area a welcome spot for visitors however in the last couple of years, coffee shops and small businesses have given the town a new lease of life. Anyway, enough of the sounding like an estate agent and onto the good stuff.

(If you are interested in the history of the area like the history geek that I am, check out this website for some extra light reading, click HERE)

Situated on the main green in Washington Village, the Green Library will hold a special place in the hearts of many locals. For years, it was one of many City of Sunderland libraries offering its services to the public. After its closure in 2013, the beautiful building stood empty for a year until its regeneration by a local businessman. The building was lovingly developed into a stylish hair salon upstairs and a florist and coffee shop downstairs. News travels fast in this part of the world and ‘The Green’ quickly became well known for its superb coffee and delicious cakes. With a range of stunning interior and gift ideas available in store also, visiting for just a drink and a catch up can prove difficult.

As if the hair salon, florist, coffee shop and craft shop weren’t enough, the owner has developed an amazing artisan bakery and pizzeria at the back of the property. As you may well have guessed from my previous blog posts, I absolutely love food and couldn’t miss the opportunity to check out the menu during the opening weekend. The pizza place and bakery are situated in a rustic, Scandi-style hut at the back of the property. Trail the path through the cute pots and plants and follow the mouth-watering smell of the pizza oven.

Upon arrival, my friends and I were greeted warmly by the chef and owner. Immediately, we all fell in love with the rustic charm of the place and couldn’t stop pointing out items of furniture and décor that we’d love for our own homes. The place seats around 30 people on a mixture of reclaimed solid wood tables and mis-matched desks and benches; it has a real industrial yet warm atmosphere. The chef explained the choice of pizzas available on a chalk board but welcomed us to create our own from a list of freshly prepared ingredients. As he chatted with our group, he was busy kneading and proving another batch of homemade dough. Personally, I couldn’t concentrate on the pizza menu to begin with as I was hypnotised by a batch of freshly baked Mars Bar brownies occupying the counter. They looked unbelievable! Drinks were served by the lovely waitresses manning the coffee shop – another bonus for my coffee loving friends as they got to have their favourite caffeine fix alongside the food.

When I’d finally stopped salivating over the sweet treats on offer, I ordered a pizza topped with spinach, Parma ham and egg. The others in our group ordered pizzas topped with Mediterranean roasted vegetables, Parma ham and chorizo; all of them sounding equally delicious. Considering the place only has one pizza oven and it was a busy opening weekend, we didn’t wait long for our food at all. I expected perhaps a delay or a few small teething problems owing to the very recent opening but the service and food was faultless.

My pizza was delicious. The thin, hand-stretched dough was deliciously crispy and the egg served in the middle was cooked to perfection. The chef offered balsamic glaze and rocket to finish the pizza but I decided that mine looked perfect as it was. Prior to the food arriving, conversation flowed with the owner and other excited diners but whilst eating, the place descended into absolute silence. The pizzas are not as large as those you might find in typical Italian restaurants but at £5 each, they are the perfect size for one person and more than reasonable considering the perfectly fresh ingredients and lovingly made dough that goes into each one. Everyone was incredibly impressed with their food and the pizzas were very filling – I couldn’t even manage a much sought after Mars Bar brownie afterwards. I must go back for one of those!

If you’ve not yet visited ‘The Green’ in Washington Village, I’d add it to your list of places to go. Whether it be for coffee, cake and a nose around the gorgeous homeware for sale or a pizza and chill with friends – this place is a must.

The coffee shop and florist are open between 9am and 5pm Monday – Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday. ‘The Green’ pizza place is currently open between 12 and 2pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. When chatting to the owner, he explained that he would look to extend these hours if the demand was there. Following my experience, I would say that without doubt, the demand for these beautiful pizzas in the heart of Washington Village will be huge! 

Follow their Instagram @thegreenwashington or Twitter @thegreenflorist get daily updates on the freshly baked goodies available or to order something specific.

Lots of Love 

A and S x